Do you guys recommend AppleCare?

[Novius89]

Hi all!

Just looking for some opinions to help me decide.

January 2021 I bought myself a m1 MacBook Air, after being without a desktop/laptop for 3 years.
Fast forward to February 2022, I started a new job and school and I needed the MacBook serious now for assignments and schooldays.
I carry it around every workday incase something interesting pops up at work that I can use.

Bought a nice case for the MacBook and I even put a hardcase on it and a screen protector.
Two days ago I took the MacBook and it slipped making a dent on the lid.

I can live with some user marks on it, but this dent was too much.
Contacted apple and a authorized repair center, new screen around €580.

Decided t sell the MacBook for parts (I don't want an off-brand screen) got a decent price for it still.
And instead of spending 580 I spend way less+the air money for a MacBook Pro m1.

A higher end or new air m2 didn't fit in my budget and I was always curious about the Touch Bar (I love it) and the air always felt too delicate with the wedge design.
So in the I am happy with this MacBook Pro m1, but it raises the question if I want apple care.

I decided to not put any more screen protector or hard case on it and just enjoy the design as it is. Ofcourse I still use the carry case.

The chance of breaking this delicate screen is real in the 3 years that apple care is valid.

€ 270 for 3 years and €99 is you have damage on the screen or € 245 for other damage (water damage?)

What do you people advise me? I am leaning into taking it and just enjoy the beautiful MacBook as it is and worry a lot less.
But 270 is a lot of money...... but now I also miss out on €500 because of this accident.
If apple care is almost over I can also just have an accident and spend 245 and get a replacement model that's perfectly fine and new.

Cheers!

 

[Apple_Robert]

If you can't afford a possible repair bill in full and are concerned you might have another accident etc., AppleCare+ may be a good option for you.

 

[Dealmans]

Wondering the same for a new 14", I see you can do yearly now, what do most people do?

 

[BotchQue]

No company, computer or otherwise, will offer an extended warrantee if they won't make money on it. In other words, the odds are you'll pay more, on average, by going the insurance route than going the "wing it" route.
HOWEVER, what @Apple_Robert said is also true: if you can't do a "disaster" repair and travel a lot with it, it might be the best option for you.
That probably didn't help one bit, did it?

 

[ian87w]

Due to the highly integrated and difficulty in parts and repair process, I would get Applecare for any Apple laptops. We are no longer in the age where we can simply replace the RAM or drive ourselves, unfortunately. And the lack of schematics available for 3rd party repairs made repairs of Apple laptops more difficult.

 

[jav6454]

Always best to have it and not need it, than need it and don't have it.

 

[ihakim]

Always best to have it and not need it, than need it and don't have it.

Strongly disagree. It's money wasted if you don't use it (statistics say you won't) and after the 3 years you have zero residual value. Have discipline and put aside all the money in a rainy day fund that you would have spent on Apple Care for apple devices. I have bought tons of apple products over the last 15+ years and paid for all repairs out of pocket. Crunch the numbers and I have come thousands of $$$ ahead with this strategy vs. buying extended warranties. The rest of the world agrees as less than 3% of users buy AppleCare for iPhones (no stats readily available for Macs).

 

[Novius89]

Thanks for the replies!

I am still in the middle with my decision. I have 60 days to decide.

As always with things like this in life:
if I take it, nothing happens and I don't use/need it.
If I don't take it, the screen will break/pop off/scratch/break/disappear.
Just like with the air.

As I said before, I can just take it, and 2 months before appelcare is done I can use it and get a brand new/refurbished laptop for €500 in total. Is it fair: no? Does it feel fair: yes.
As I have some morale in life I will probably not do that, bad karma and everything.

Edit: to reply on the post above. I never looked at AppleCare. My phone has a screen protector and my watch I use without a case, only a film protector.
Only the Macbook feels like a suited candidate for me to take AppleCare.
so I totally understand and agree with a rainy day fund. But as I need my MacBook for the coming 3 years on a daily basis. I can imagine apple just sends me a (new)replacement when I have a problem with this one. And I will be faster back on track.

Repairing my air without AppleCare would take about more than a week with apple, selling my broken air and buying a new MacBook only took 24 hours, from breaking till installing the new one.

 

[TechRunner]

My thinking is similar to @Apple_Robert's here. If I can afford to easily replace/repair it, I don't bother with extended warranties/insurance. If I can't, I fork over the cash for the piece of mind. Having said that, I've invested in very few extended warranties.

 

[monokakata]

Down in the basement is a 2016 high-end 15" MacBook Pro for which we forgot about the 60-day window to get AppleCare.
Stage lights problem kicked in after about a year. Need I say more?
It's useless now -- a $3000+ boat anchor which could still be in service had we gotten AppleCare in a timely manner.

 

[iHorseHead]

Yes, they'll replace your battery when it's below 80%

 

[SalisburySam]

I am still in the middle with my decision. I have 60 days to decide.

This isn’t hard. @Apple_Robert in post #2 gave you the right answer, and really the only one that matters. Please re-read his post as many times as you may need to get this apparently agonizing decision behind you. And only you can decide which side of the equation your situation is on.

 

[calliex]

I have had a. number of Macs since 1986 and I have only used Apple care once. First laptop I bough caught on fire a week after I record it. Turns out their were a number of them made with a faulty diode. It was covered and replaced. Since then I have never needed a repair. I feel I have saved enough money not buying it to pay for repair if it happens. I have 10 year old MBP that is still in use. It need a battery. Bought M1 in March. I may be just lucky.

 

[boak]

My personal experience is that MacBooks are the devices that require AppleCare the most. iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, not so much.

Rather than getting AppleCare, I just use good cases and screen protectors for the portables. They eliminate a lot of the risks but unfortunately that also means less aesthetic.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

I never buy extended warranties. They’re a money maker for Apple meaning most consumers come out in the red.

 

[Bodhitree]

It depends how accident-prone you are… if you have safe hands and rarely ever drop things, then Apple Care works out as a net loss, while if you’re a bit of a klutz and drop stuff regularly, then Apple Care is a good way of spreading the cost of repairs and ends up being a net win.

 

[EnigmaticZee]

For a machine like MBP...sure it's worth it if you do not plan to upgrade in the coming few years specially. But when it comes to watch, iphone. I let it pass but definitely have it on airpods pro and got it replaced twice due to fault and battery issues...so it was worth every penny.

 

[theluggage]

Just looking for some opinions to help me decide.

I never buy extended warranties.

Note that in most EU countries and the UK, and other places outside the US (the OP gave the price in Euros, so...), the statutory warranty (against manufacturing defects/inadequate quality) for goods is up to 6 years (with various caveats as to how the 'burden of proof' changes during that period). So AppleCare+ is not really an extended warranty - it's almost entirely accidental damage cover (and that's how Apple describe it).

So if you're contemplating AppleCare in the EU/UK it's all about whether you think the cost is going to be worth the accidental damage cover - which it may well be for a laptop that you're carrying around daily. However - it's important to check whether you already have accidental damage cover under a household/possessions insurance policy and, if not, whether it would be cheaper to cover it that way.

The fundamental problem with actual "extended warranties" is - apart from being mostly redundant in countries with strong consumer rights - that they cover your equipment during the period when they are least likely to develop faults (see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bathtub_curve). Obviously, that doesn't apply to accidental damage - which is likely to be a fairly constant risk.

 

[barkomatic]

I've used AppleCare several times for my iPhone so it's definitely worth it for me for that device. I've never used it for my iPad or Mac (for hardware issues) but I still get it. People tend to only focus on the hardware aspect but it's also nice to call in for tech support when I have other issues. The forums here are helpful, but there are problems that come up from time to time in which calling into Apple is the most efficient option.

 

[Drowssap]

I have to admit, Apple is the only product I cover with warranty, I don't use any covers or screen protectors on any of my products and have used AC for refreshing or replacing..

 

[WeatherWeasel]

I look at it like the warranty on my car, if something needs fixing, having it covered is good. At least as of yet, no one has called about by iMac warranty expiring on the phone.

 

[MrGunny94]

Depends on you, I have insurance for accidents for my car & house. However for my devices I only have it for the Apple Watch because I actually hit the wall constantly with it, however for my Mac I don't have it as I never have any issues with it.

If I break it or something happens I'll just go out and buy a new one but in the last 15 years it has never happened to me.

 

[ElioLugaru]

Depends on you, i use AppleCare+ on my 13 Pro Max because it gives me peace of mind & having the battery covered by AppleCare+ is nice.

Also, if i'm gonna buy an expensive phone, i'm darn well gonna insure it, never know what might happen if i didn't.

 

[Funny Apple Man]

Strongly disagree. It's money wasted if you don't use it (statistics say you won't) and after the 3 years you have zero residual value. Have discipline and put aside all the money in a rainy day fund that you would have spent on Apple Care for apple devices. I have bought tons of apple products over the last 15+ years and paid for all repairs out of pocket. Crunch the numbers and I have come thousands of $$$ ahead with this strategy vs. buying extended warranties. The rest of the world agrees as less than 3% of users buy AppleCare for iPhones (no stats readily available for Macs).

I can see why Applecare is not needed on iPhones. You can put a good case and screen protector and you're good to go. I don't have Applecare on my XR but it's still fine for the 3 years that I have it.

That's not the same case with Macbooks. They have a larger footprint, not water resistant at all, and its not as durable as iPhones. You have to be extra careful when handling a Macbook than an iPhone. AppleCare is recommended for Macbooks because if it ever does break and you see the outrageous repair price, you're going to wish that you have it.

 

[Novius89]

Thanks for all the replies!

I live in the Netherlands, we have good consumer rights. But having your rights and getting them is not always as easy.

Maybe I overthink the whole thing, but at this moment in my life, with quitting my good paid job and go back to school to become a nurse ( with the financial cutback for a year or two) €270 is a lot of money.

I didn’t overthink buying a MacBook Pro immediately, so I have some lessons to learn still 😂

The saved costs and time when I take AppleCare, draws me to just getting it for the first time ever.

Compared to the watch and phone, the MacBook feels much more delicate and expensive, and it probably will give me a peace of mind.

Again thanks for the replies! Always handy to get some other opinions in!

Cheers people!