Best Buy warranty vs AppleCare?

troy14 said:

I almost feel like this question is a bit absurd to ask...but I can't find any good threads with the information I need (maybe I am just a bad searcher..).


I just purchased an open box retina 13 macbook pro and I loveeee it. Applecare is $180 and best buy offered me their warranty for 1 yr $150.. 2 yrs $200 I think... it includes accidental damage etc.

Now, I love AppleCare. Have it on my Mini and used it 2x already on the logic board....on my iPhone, etc. Their service is amazing and they give you no problems no matter what the issue you bring it in. They say OK, fix it, and you are satisfied. This is how it should be!

Now - Geek Squad, is that an entirely different ballgame? I have never dropped or spilled liquid on my computers but I can't stop thinking how it COULD happen (i'm in college) and how devastated I would be. How hard are they to deal with? If I wanted a new computer couldn't I just dump water on my computer and get one?

Thanks everyone!

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I am guessing Best Buy Warranty and AppleCare are different from each other. One plus I see on the Best Buy warranty is the accidental damage coverage With AppleCare, as far as I know, there are some restrictions. A Mac sales staff told me if there is one screen deal pixel, Apple will not fix it. The dead pixels has to be more than 3 to qualify. My friend's iMac had smudges/dirt on the screen. He brought it in for warranty on the screen and his screen had rust aside from the smudges. Apple would not fix the screen as they considered rust as user's fault.

In my case I use AppleCare and satisfied with their service. We just need to clarify the restrictions involved with AppleCare

vs. Major Credit Card...

which automatically doubles the manufacturer's warranty

Don't do it. I feel like I wasted $99 on my iPhone 4S for applecare+. I haven't used it at all. That and the fact that most credit cards doubles the mfg warranty for another year makes applecare useless to me. If you use your device for business, then I would do it. If just personal use, don't waste your money.

With that out of the way, I'm going to buy applecare for my macbook air only because I have no idea how to fix a laptop that has soldered components and it adds 2 additional years of warranty.

I have had Applecare on each of my two Apple computers (a 2008 15" MBP and a 2010 13" MBA) and used it on both, so it more than paid for itself (the HDD - astonishingly - went on the MBP, and the Magsafe and keyboard both needed to be replaced on the MBA).

For iPods, or something similar, I really don't see the point of buying Applecare, but for a computer, it allows peace of mind for three years, (as my experience is that Apple honours such warranties) especially given the cost of repairs otherwise.

AppleCare - unless you use your Mac around liquid.

troy14 said:

....

Accidental damage always scares me. I think i'll just go with the Applecare though.

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I have no experience with the Best Buy warranty, so can't compare. However, one of the things about AppleCare that no one has mentioned yet is that AppleCare is not just about repairs, it also includes tech support. For 3 years you get to call (or Chat, I assume) Apple to ask questions about Any Apple software issues.

One of the other things I like about AppleCare is that the phone centre can pre-authorize a repair. A couple of months ago my nephew's MBP was exhibiting weird, but intermittent, problems. I was pretty sure it was the HDD starting to go... but he had already taken it in to an Apple Store, and since it was intermittent the tests hadn't found anything. While he was visiting his system exhibited the problem, so we immediately called AppleCare, and I kept them on the line and they asking me to run this test and that test, some of which ran fine and some of which threw an error message. Eventually they just pre-authorized a HDD replacement. When my nephew took the machine to the store, they couldn't duplicate the error - of course - but since it was already pre-authorized they replaced the HDD regardless.

Check your credit cards. Some cards include insurance that is very similar to BB's coverage. It may be possible to get essentially both coverages if you use that CC and then buy AppleCare.

If you read comments at Best Buy's Facebook page, many people are unhappy with the quality of service they get at Geek Squad. What might take 20 minutes to get diagnosed at Apple could take days at Geek Squad...

Apple care...Y E S

with A.C. you get telephone support that is quality...do U get that with Best Buy....with A.C. they will repair or replace any part of the computer...BB...."gee the part hasn't come in yet...check back in a week"...this is a no brainer.

One thing to consider is the financial state of Best Buy. I like them, but if you google their financials, they are on shaky ground at present. Will they exist when you need the warranty coverage? Ask someone who purchased Circuit City extended warranties if they are covered.

The advantage to Best buy is the accidental damage warranty. I certainly wouldn't want to take my apple computer there for service (and I don't think they work on anything apple in-house), but if you're concerned a out breaking your machine, best buy warranty is good.

cosmos said:

One thing to consider is the financial state of Best Buy. I like them, but if you google their financials, they are on shaky ground at present. Will they exist when you need the warranty coverage? Ask someone who purchased Circuit City extended warranties if they are covered.

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Thanks for the heads up as I was not aware of Best Buy's financial status. I would choose AppleCare between the 2 choices. AppleCare gives the latest parts/model available as replacements in case the old model is already discontinued.

I would stay away from Best Buy, from all the headache I have heard people going throught.
Apple care is the best bet by far, if I would to get one, I would only go Apple care.

Bought the 3 year warranty on my first 2010 13" MBP. Went through hell to get Geek Squad to replace it. They did finally replace it after a month of fighting for a 2012 13" MBP. And I think I'm going to purchase AppleCare in the next couple of weeks since I can afford it now, and I'm within my first year of owning this MBP still.

I don't know if this is too late to help you, but I work for Geek Squad and I know all the ins and outs of Geek Squad Protection.
If your computer gets damaged, it will be covered, but it is not a replacement plan which not a day goes by that I have to fight with an angry customer because I have to send it out for repairs. All of our repairs go to Geek Squad City which is in Kentucky. Typically you will be without your computer for about 12 days, but it can take longer. If the damage exceeds the value of the laptop, you will be approved to get a new one, otherwise they will repair the damage and send it back. If the damage is "excessive" such as extreme dents, extreme cracks or damage that doesn't simply occur from being dropped or liquid being spilled on it, it won't be repaired. So if you drop your computer off a balcony, run over it or shoot it, we won't accept it. Also if the issue is just cosmetic and doesn't affect usability it won't be repaired. If your computer is repaired three times, it will also be eligible to replace. Usually the process for sending off your computer is pretty easy. You go to any Geek Squad, they will look up your plan by your phone number, create a work order, have you sign, and then ship it out. Then once it is in, they will give you a call, you come in with your photo ID or work order copy, you sign a paper and leave with your repaired laptop. Side note: Geek Squad City is approved to work on Apple electronics and they won't void your manufacturer's warranty. Also speaking of that, you can go to Geek Squad and have them send out your computer under MFG warranty for repairs at no cost to you.

NOTE: This is what it is like at my Geek Squad, we are actually competent, I know there are some that don't know anything or won't help you.

I think I covered everything, but if you have further questions, let me know.

The Best Buy replacement is at the managers discretion as to what constitutes an appropriate replacement. So if you bought a $1,500 Macbook Pro and that model is no longer available it does not necessarily mean that you get a new $1,500 computer. Rather what the manager thinks is acceptable criteria for a hardware equivalent replacement.

The accidental damage plan is also no guarantee that you will get a replacement. They may consider the damage being due to negligence on your part voiding the warranty. Which liquid damage would fall under. Just because the sales person says something doesn't mean they are correct about what is covered.

Finally for repairs you don't know how long they can take. Often times none of the Geeksquad staff are qualified to work on Macs. So they ship them off and you hope the low paid tech under a lot of pressure to work quickly gets the repair right the first time without causing further damage.

Of the two I'd just get the Apple care and don't keep a drink next to your laptop.

Frankly I would not get into the bad habit of buying warranties. Companies make at least a 60% profit margin off these. If you look at how much you'd have spent over a lifetime you'll have spent a whole lot more on warranties than the value you receive in repairs. Instead of buying warranties put the money in a rainy day fund. Eventually you'll find quite a surplus has built up which you can use for other nice things.

I'm not sure if my reply is too late for you, but I hope it will help others looking at the thread. I've had a fairly positive experience with the Geek Squad protection plans. I had one for my Dell from Hell that I got before heading off to college. Needless to say, the protection plan paid for itself after they considered my computer a "lemon" (hinge was always breaking, HDD died 2x, crappy manufacturing job in general). I will agree with the person who stated above that it's up to the manager's discretion as far as a "comprable" computer. My mom paid nearly $600 or $700 for my Dell, but I got nearly $600 back for a machine similar to mine with specs, not even two years later. Used that to buy my macbaby (2010 13" MBP) that I'm using now.

I did buy the protection again, simply because it did cover liquid damages, and their repairs would typically take 2-3 weeks max for the more serious repairs on my Dell, and it was never anything out of pocket for that. If I didn't have the protection plan for my Dell, they would have charged me out the wah-zoo for it all. My protection plan for the macbaby expired last September, and I had contemplated on getting it extended or not. I decided against it simply because I was too broke and my macbaby has been working just perfectly since I brought it home. The only issue I've ever had was with the magsafe cable...the rubber casing split a few inches from where it connects to the computer. Apple store replaced that no questions asked.

I also had the protection on my Blackberry that I had for less than four months. It died on me (literally), I took it in, they admitted it was a lemon, sent it off and gave me a refurb/reconditioned one that I immediately sold back to buy an iPhone (we had multiple lines up for upgrade).

I've yet to have a really negative experience with them. I'm not sure how well Applecare works in terms of speedy fixes, but Best Buy's Geek Squad seems to do a pretty decent job if you have one in your city. Hope this can help you make a decision!

My Thoughts on AppleCare vs. Geek Squad

I am also planning to purchase an insurance plan for my new iPhone5s and came here looking for information that compares AppleCare and GeekSquad. The one thing to consider which no one has discussed is that AppleCare is a one-time upfront charge of $99 that covers 2 incidents with a deductible of $79.00 for each incident. BestBuy's Geek Squad Protection used to be $14.99 per month (I believe this has been dropped to $10 per month) but you pay this for as long as you want the coverage. Then the deductible for the repair of 1 incident is $149.00.

So simple math tells me that after two years with NO incidents, AppleCare would cost me $99 and GeekSquad protection would cost $240.00 (assuming it is now $10 per month).

With 1 incident requiring repair, AppleCare after two years would cost $178 ($99 + $79) whereas GeekSquad would cost $389 ($240 +149).

Smorgie84 said:

I am also planning to purchase an insurance plan for my new iPhone5s and came here looking for information that compares AppleCare and GeekSquad. The one thing to consider which no one has discussed is that AppleCare is a one-time upfront charge of $99 that covers 2 incidents with a deductible of $79.00 for each incident. BestBuy's Geek Squad Protection used to be $14.99 per month (I believe this has been dropped to $10 per month) but you pay this for as long as you want the coverage. Then the deductible for the repair of 1 incident is $149.00.

So simple math tells me that after two years with NO incidents, AppleCare would cost me $99 and GeekSquad protection would cost $240.00 (assuming it is now $10 per month).

With 1 incident requiring repair, AppleCare after two years would cost $178 ($99 + $79) whereas GeekSquad would cost $389 ($240 +149).

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Aside from high cost, GeekSquad is known to pull time for as long as they can when you make a claim. I once got their warranty for a camera (I was young and stupid) and when it did break, all said and done it took them 2 months to replace it, with several back and forth trips to the store. It's just not worth the hassle they are gonna give you at claim time.

In general, when the cost of "protection" is such a large fraction of the cost of a new device, you're better off just putting that money into a separate savings account in your own name, and keep it to pay for replacement if and when the need arises. If you do this for several devices (for example, all phones and cameras in your household), chances are they will not all break at the same time, but if one does, you'll have enough money to buy a new one with no effect on your cashflow.

AppleCare vs. Geek Squad Protection

So what did you get? I just bought a MacBook Pro 13.3" Solid State Drive laptop and am curious. $150/yr vs. $200/yr correct?

troy14 said:

Thanks guys, I appreciate the replies. The question isn't if I should get one, I will get a warranty - just don't know if it should be Best Buy or Applecare. I was hoping someone might be able to share insight on their experiences with Best Buy and (expensive) Apple Products.

Accidental damage always scares me. I think i'll just go with the Applecare though.

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I heard of Square Trade And $180 for 3 years have you heard of them?

troy14 said:

I almost feel like this question is a bit absurd to ask...but I can't find any good threads with the information I need (maybe I am just a bad searcher..).


I just purchased an open box retina 13 macbook pro and I loveeee it. Applecare is $180 and best buy offered me their warranty for 1 yr $150.. 2 yrs $200 I think... it includes accidental damage etc.

Now, I love AppleCare. Have it on my Mini and used it 2x already on the logic board....on my iPhone, etc. Their service is amazing and they give you no problems no matter what the issue you bring it in. They say OK, fix it, and you are satisfied. This is how it should be!

Now - Geek Squad, is that an entirely different ballgame? I have never dropped or spilled liquid on my computers but I can't stop thinking how it COULD happen (i'm in college) and how devastated I would be. How hard are they to deal with? If I wanted a new computer couldn't I just dump water on my computer and get one?

Thanks everyone!

Click to expand...

[doublepost=1458245852][/doublepost]I've had both warranties on different Macbook's I've owned. But mostly for Apple Care, I just use the free first-year warranty that comes standard. My experience with Apple and the Genius Bar have always been outstanding. I've had extra issues fixed that I wasn't even asking for. They've changed the whole shell casing over minor scuffs and scratches. I've had the whole keyboard replaced over some sticky keys, etc. But on the other hand, those issues were few and far between. My Macbooks have held up remarkably well. So $250 can seem like a lot, but it's also nice to have peace of mind. As far as Geek squad's warranty: this has always been a must for me. I have a propensity for having drinks spilled on my keyboard largely due to my two cats as well as my tendency to having a large cup of something close at hand. And then there is just my bad luck. I've had almost all my Macbooks replaced due to this issue. At first, when I've brought in my damaged laptop it seems like this was going to be a hassle, cause first thing they say is we have to send it in to have it looked at to decide what is going to be done. They tell you it can take up to 2 weeks or so. But fortunately, what has ended up happening is I get a phone call 2 days later telling me to come to the store to chose a replacement laptop of equal value. Now what I've done at these times, if circumstances allowed, was to put in an additional money in order to get a higher model then what I've had. Also, since this is considered a new laptop I am able to pay for a new warranty. So because of my cat's and my bad luck I've been able to get a new and higher model laptop every year or so. The only downfall being once your laptop is replaced your current warranty is closed. So if you damage it 2 months into your warranty, you have to start over. But at least, you'll have a new laptop that wouldn't have been replaced if you only had an Apple Cares warranty. Sorry for such a long response, I don't get out much... ha ha
[doublepost=1458245923][/doublepost]

troy14 said:

I almost feel like this question is a bit absurd to ask...but I can't find any good threads with the information I need (maybe I am just a bad searcher..).


I just purchased an open box retina 13 macbook pro and I loveeee it. Applecare is $180 and best buy offered me their warranty for 1 yr $150.. 2 yrs $200 I think... it includes accidental damage etc.

Now, I love AppleCare. Have it on my Mini and used it 2x already on the logic board....on my iPhone, etc. Their service is amazing and they give you no problems no matter what the issue you bring it in. They say OK, fix it, and you are satisfied. This is how it should be!

Now - Geek Squad, is that an entirely different ballgame? I have never dropped or spilled liquid on my computers but I can't stop thinking how it COULD happen (i'm in college) and how devastated I would be. How hard are they to deal with? If I wanted a new computer couldn't I just dump water on my computer and get one?

Thanks everyone!

Click to expand...