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Is applecare worth the $$$?
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Applecare is absolutely worth the money. Even if you never use it, knowing that you have the option is a great feeling. You can also use phone support or chat with a tech support person for free when you have applecare. I've had a few problems with my macbook, mostly with the screen, and so did my brother and apple care covered it all. I've heard of people getting great service with applecare. It'll pay for itself if you have even one problem. Go ahead and get it.
Apple did 1100 worth of repairs to my laptop and finally replaced it with a new model ... all covered by AppleCare. I'm probably going to extend mine when the limited one runs out.
It's hard to say if it is worth it or not, but I'm just going to buy it anyways so I'm safe.
It's hard to say if it is worth it or not, but I'm just going to buy it anyways so I'm safe.
If nothing bad happens to your Mac in 3 years, then Applecare would've been useless. But if something bad happens to your Mac between years 2-3, you would've wished you bought AppleCare.
Better to be safe then sorry. I didn't buy AppleCare for my Mac, but my next one I will.
Edit: I think you can buy AppleCare anytime before your warranty runs out, so you'll have a year to decide for yourself.
Better to be safe then sorry. I didn't buy AppleCare for my Mac, but my next one I will.
Edit: I think you can buy AppleCare anytime before your warranty runs out, so you'll have a year to decide for yourself.
Statistically, no.
But is it worth the money if anything goes wrong? Absolutely.
Am I getting the Applecare? no.
Should you get the Applecare? Well, maybe. It's up to you. It's a risk either way: Applecare guarantees you're covered with a nice warranty. Not buying Applecare guarantees you save a fair bit of $$$.
You're covered by 1-year warranty anyways. If you want to buy Applecare, simply sell your Macbook in 1 year's time and buy a new one
. That's another option (a third possibility).It is absolutely NOT worth the money and anyone who buys it is clueless. If you use a credit card like American Express they automatically extend your warranty by one year anyway. There is absolutely no reason to pay for Apple Care which is basically only an extended warranty.
A few reasons to buy AppleCare:
1) Increases resale value
2) Apple Geniuses are great but they seem to go the extra mile for AC owners
3) AppleCare is an umbrella over Apple peripherals so your Magic Mouse/Trackpad, Time Capsule, Keyboard etc also get 3yrs coverage (I used this to replace a dead Airport Express)
4) Warranties give you peace of mind so you can treat your computer like a tool rather than a delicate artifact
5) MBA blocks users from accessing much of the innards so IF something goes wrong then you can have it fixed without voiding the warranty.
Personally, I've been using Best Buy protection plans. They cost too much but after 3 repairs they replace it and I've been taking advantage of that for my last 5 computers. Thats finally running out now and my defective MBP just got replaced and I got $2100 Store Credit. But they now raised their rates to $349 for only 2yrs so I'm done with them and will go AppleCare for my Air.
1) Increases resale value
2) Apple Geniuses are great but they seem to go the extra mile for AC owners
3) AppleCare is an umbrella over Apple peripherals so your Magic Mouse/Trackpad, Time Capsule, Keyboard etc also get 3yrs coverage (I used this to replace a dead Airport Express)
4) Warranties give you peace of mind so you can treat your computer like a tool rather than a delicate artifact
5) MBA blocks users from accessing much of the innards so IF something goes wrong then you can have it fixed without voiding the warranty.
Personally, I've been using Best Buy protection plans. They cost too much but after 3 repairs they replace it and I've been taking advantage of that for my last 5 computers. Thats finally running out now and my defective MBP just got replaced and I got $2100 Store Credit. But they now raised their rates to $349 for only 2yrs so I'm done with them and will go AppleCare for my Air.
As another poster mentioned - selling before your Standard 1 year warranty runs out is another great option. For about the price of that extended warranty you will have an upgraded computer with a brand new warranty.
Doesn't Applecare also cover battery replacements if they are less than 80% charge? Since the battery isn't user friendly to replace, It seems like a good deal to get it for the MBA. I imagine you'll probbaly get your battery replaced once or twice in 3 years if you are mobile a lot.
No.
Notebook Owners
Your one-year warranty includes replacement coverage for a defective battery. You can extend your replacement coverage for a defective battery to three years from the date of your notebook purchase with the AppleCare Protection Plan. However, the AppleCare Protection Plan for notebook computers does not cover batteries that have failed or are exhibiting diminished capacity except when the failure or diminished capacity is the result of a manufacturing defect. Apple offers a battery replacement service for all MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro notebooks with built-in batteries. You can purchase replacement batteries for late models of Apple notebooks directly from the Apple Store.
http://www.apple.com/batteries/replacements.html
Battery replacement is $129 for MBA in the US. http://www.apple.com/support/macbookair/service/battery/
If you can afford it, do it. I've gone through 3 chargers in the 3 years I've had my macbook. After a year or so, they all simply quit charging. No abuse or anything. Apple was also not helpful in any way when when my disc drive suddenly stopped working with only 3 days left in my 1 year. They just jammed something in there and said it was fixed...if fixed means it kind of works with a loud screeching noise every time I try to put in a CD. I'm actually buying myself a new Air this weekend and will be buying applecare when I have more money. It's always the little things you don't think about that end up costing you the most.
I couldn't disagree with you more. I've only bought it once but when I did it turned out to be an absolute saving grace. I bought an iMac G5 on launch and it was an absolute lemon. I needed it repaired three times so in the end Apple gave me a brand new Intel iMac and refunded me the rest of the Applecare coverage.
Also the Amex warranty won't cover repair from an Apple store; they'll send it to some local computer tech.
The price of Applecare has gone down for the Macbook Air so it's now $250 which works out just over $10 per extended month.
I am normally a huge advocate for AppleCare. I have had over $2,000 in repairs to my late 2007 15" MacBook Pro (logic board, hard drive, keyboard, monitor - twice)
However, this time around I purchased my Air on my AmEx card so I get an extra year beyond Apple's one year warranty. This would mean that for $249 ($211 at Amazon) I would only get an extra year of coverage. By then who knows what the Airs will be like with Ivy Bridge (or beyond?) Plus, I'll likely be ready to upgrade at that point as well.
However, this time around I purchased my Air on my AmEx card so I get an extra year beyond Apple's one year warranty. This would mean that for $249 ($211 at Amazon) I would only get an extra year of coverage. By then who knows what the Airs will be like with Ivy Bridge (or beyond?) Plus, I'll likely be ready to upgrade at that point as well.
Same here.
I never bought Applecare, just added the second year by buying it with my AMEX card.
Most repairs occur in year 1 (iMac screen, SuperDrive).
Statistically it is a bad bet - of course like other posters said it all depends on how much 'peace of mind' is worth to you. My strategy is to NEVER buy an extended warranty on any product and, hopefully, from the savings on that help pay for repairs/replacements as needed (hopefully rarely, which has been the case so far, knock on wood).
As an example - imagine you are buying 10 macbook airs for, say, students or employees. Would you really spend a few thousand on applecare for each unit? or would you save that few thousand banking on the fact that it is quite unlikely even 1 will need replacement/repair, let alone 2 or 3 of them. To pay $250 for a warranty on something that is only $1000 to replace (or less depending on depreciation), means that you require an extremely high failure rate to make worth it.
Like I said though, we all put a different value on peace of mind.
As an example - imagine you are buying 10 macbook airs for, say, students or employees. Would you really spend a few thousand on applecare for each unit? or would you save that few thousand banking on the fact that it is quite unlikely even 1 will need replacement/repair, let alone 2 or 3 of them. To pay $250 for a warranty on something that is only $1000 to replace (or less depending on depreciation), means that you require an extremely high failure rate to make worth it.
Like I said though, we all put a different value on peace of mind.
NOOOO. Applecare IMHO is not worth it.
Do this. Go put that $250 you would spend on Applecare and put it in your savings account. Than when your warranty is running out sell your laptop. Than take the proceeds from the sale and the $250 and go buy yourself another macbook. You will most likely not have any out of pocket expenses. Thats what i do.
Do this. Go put that $250 you would spend on Applecare and put it in your savings account. Than when your warranty is running out sell your laptop. Than take the proceeds from the sale and the $250 and go buy yourself another macbook. You will most likely not have any out of pocket expenses. Thats what i do.
Yes. Worth it. I have had replaced at no charge screens, keyboards, all manner of problems that happened to have cropped up. I once had a pre-unibody that wound up banged up and had it's issues that eventually Apple traded it for a new unibody; Apples's suggestion, that I jumped at. No charge. Because of Applecare.
Same here, although where I live you have the put another $50-$200 down to upgrade. Then you get a new computer every year!
You're 100% wrong.
1. If you bought a lemon it's covered under the standard 1 year warranty and would be replaced anyway (had the same thing happen with my MBP from 2006 and it was replaced by Apple with no AppleCare)
2. Amex warranty will sometimes cover the cost if it can be repaired but if not, they will send you a BRAND NEW COMPUTER of the same make and model. They did that for me on my 2008 MBA when the screen failed after the 1 year standard warranty expired.
Please don't spread false information when you don't know the facts.
Note that a lot of credit cards (Visa Signature and AMEX, for example) will double the original manufacturer's warranty, giving you another year of protection (though some more paperwork since you'll initially need to pay Apple in year 2 and get a refund from your card company). Also, there are third party warranties (e.g. Square Trade) that cover accidental damage in addition to defects. You have a year to decide whether to get AppleCare, so don't get rushed into purchasing it by the salesperson. Just take your time and consider your options.
Exactly. Apple wouldn't sell it if they didn't make money on it. That said, extended warranties on computers and flat screen TVs tend to be slightly lower margin than warranties on other electronics. Those products have a fairly low probability of failure, but a higher cost of repair when a failure does occur. The $40 warranty that a big box retailer tries to sell you on a $200 aftermarket car radio or printer is almost pure profit, though.
Exactly. Apple wouldn't sell it if they didn't make money on it. That said, extended warranties on computers and flat screen TVs tend to be slightly lower margin than warranties on other electronics. Those products have a fairly low probability of failure, but a higher cost of repair when a failure does occur. The $40 warranty that a big box retailer tries to sell you on a $200 aftermarket car radio or printer is almost pure profit, though.
Another option is to get AppleCare and sell the computer just before the 3 years is over, using the proceeds to buy a new one. This will be less expensive than upgrading every single year like you mention, plus I think 3 years is a more realistic upgrade cycle. It's kind of a hassle to have to sell a computer every year.