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Is AppleCare really necessary??

Y

Yizhimao

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 17, 2010
30
0
I'm planning to buy a low end 15" since I won't be doing much editing and stuff.. I've been wondering if there is a need to get the AppleCare since I heard stories of how the 15" tends to overheat.. Then again, the AppleCare doesn't cover much does it?? For example, any physical damages caused by fall will not be covered.. Correct me if I'm wrong pls.. Oh, on another hand, is it worth the money to get the HR MBP or the 500Gb 7200rpm hard drive?? They both costs the same.. Please enlighten me ppl!!:(
 
AppleCare Protection Plan for Mac or Apple Display
AppleCare Protection Plan
Apple Warranty: Installing Memory, Expansion Cards, User Installable Parts Does Not Void Warranty

No, AppleCare doesn't cover damage from accidents. It's a warranty, not insurance. As to whether it's worth it or not, that's a matter of opinion. You'll find lots of opinions on both sides. If you want more information, here are just a few of many threads on this topic, found by searching the forum with MRoogle:

Is AppleCare Worth It?
Is AppleCare Plan worth it?
applecare worth it?
Is AppleCare worth it?
Is AppleCare Worth It?
Is AppleCare worth it??
Applecare? is it worth it?
Is Applecare worth getting???
Is Applecare worth it for MBP?
Is AppleCare worth it?
Applecare - if ever you thought it wasn't worth it
Is AppleCare or extra warranty really worth buying?
Applecare for MBP is $349. Is it really worth it?
 
It's like insurance - you only need it if there's a problem.

Nobody's going to give you a warranty that covers dropping the thing, if they do they deserve to lose their shirts.

If it were me, I'd buy it. Small price to pay for the peace of mind you get from not worrying. :)
 
Yes and no. Know that you can purchase Apple Care within the first year of purchase.
Accidental damage is not covered.
I would go with the HR screen, as I can (and you too) replace the HDD whenever I want.
And please take a look at least at one of the threads you got linked to.
Maybe official information by Apple can also help: http://www.apple.com/support/products/
 
I have not bought Apple Care (yet) on my 13" MBP but I am undecided because i got it for $999 from Microcenter so it might not be worth it. IF I had paid the money you are looking at spending on the 15" I would get it without a doubt, but you also can add it anytime before the 1 year period is up. As for HDD vs HD screen...go with the screen for sure thats something you cannot ever upgrade later and will make a world of a difference IMO.
 
Tomorrow said:
It's like insurance - you only need it if there's a problem.

Nobody's going to give you a warranty that covers dropping the thing, if they do they deserve to lose their shirts.
If it were me, I'd buy it. Small price to pay for the peace of mind you get from not worrying. :)
Click to expand...

Actually, Best Buy does give you the option of Accidental Damage or Spills. and guess what? They are losing their shirts!
 
Thanks a lot people!! As much as I would want to get it, the price of the applecare is equivalent to upgrading to the higher end 15"... In my opinion, that's a much better investment!! But you guys are right though.. I can't foresee the future so i think it'd be wiser to get the applecare especially for the overheating problem.. I'd wanna get the HDD too.. Damn, this'll cost me a bomb!! Oh btw, if I were to install a 3rd party HD later on, wouldn't that void the AppleCare?? I'm planning to up my RAM too later on when I realise the comp's starting to slow down..
 
You don't have to have it, it's just nice to have. It's a real bummer when the standard 1 year Applecare expires and something goes wrong with a logic board or a display. Some parts can and do cost several hundred dollars plus every hour of labor it takes the technician to replace the parts.

When it comes to accidental damage I cant think of any computer manufacturer that covers that. Don't use your laptop in the tub because Applecare wont cover that.
 
Yizhimao said:
Oh btw, if I were to install a 3rd party HD later on, wouldn't that void the AppleCare?? I'm planning to up my RAM too later on when I realise the comp's starting to slow down..
Click to expand...
Read the 3rd link I posted
 
I am a first time apple notebook user and just got my 13 MBP yest. I did'nt get the apple care for two reasons:

1) The 13" was 1100$...maybe a 100$ more than I was hoping for (with student discount). + tax = 1301$ CDN APple care would be nearly 300$ more. Too much money since the idea of getting a MBP was...hey...its not 1500$ or 2000$, 1000$ roughly and a nice work laptop.

2) As ppl mentioned, its not an insurance. However, there is an option to get it later before the first year finishes. So, if I plan on NOT replacing my 2011 MBP with a 2012 MBP.. I might buy it before the warranty runs out.
 
Last edited:
I don't know if it is necessary for you. But note the following points:

1. AppleCare is much more expensive for the MacBook Pro comparing with that of iMac and Mac Mini (15-20% of purchase price)

2. AppleCare is NOT an insurance, it's a warranty. And, it does not cover batteries.
 
Tomorrow said:
Nobody's going to give you a warranty that covers dropping the thing, if they do they deserve to lose their shirts.
Click to expand...

State Farm does. They only charge 25-30 dollars per year too (and it covers loss and theft and pretty much anything the warranty does not cover). And no deductable. And covers the full 1200 price tag.

I'm pretty sure State Farm, whose sole business is insurance, has the people to figure out if it is profitable to insure that kind of thing and what to charge (when they insured the iphone they would actually charge you more cause more likelyhood of theft or dropping).
 
tigress666 said:
State Farm does. They only charge 25-30 dollars per year too (and it covers loss and theft and pretty much anything the warranty does not cover). And no deductable. And covers the full 1200 price tag.

I'm pretty sure State Farm, whose sole business is insurance, has the people to figure out if it is profitable to insure that kind of thing and what to charge (when they insured the iphone they would actually charge you more cause more likelyhood of theft or dropping).
Click to expand...

I wonder how they do it. Are they going to send an adjuster to see if that's really an "accident"? and they'll probably just look up the "trade-in" price on sites like gazelle.com and give you whatever quote they get from them.
 
tigress666 said:
State Farm does. They only charge 25-30 dollars per year too (and it covers loss and theft and pretty much anything the warranty does not cover). And no deductable. And covers the full 1200 price tag.

I'm pretty sure State Farm, whose sole business is insurance, has the people to figure out if it is profitable to insure that kind of thing and what to charge (when they insured the iphone they would actually charge you more cause more likelyhood of theft or dropping).
Click to expand...

Insurance isn't a warranty. It won't pay for a repair if the video adapter goes bad, the processor overheats, or the battery suddenly gives up.
 
If you are paying with a credit card most double the manufacturer warranty and therefore you would get an extra year free.

AppleCare would be less of a hassle though to work with.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
AdamRock said:
for experienced users its pretty much wasting 300$
Click to expand...

Yeah I agr....wait what?

I like to consider myself experienced. I'm not an AASP and, as far as I know, I can't call up Apple or login to GSX after my warranty expires and order up parts on the cheap.

a replacement logic board will cost an end user $1200-$1500, regardless of experience.
 
I'd definitely buy it. In my 35 months of owning my MBP 15", I've gotten the following changed for free.

- WLAN card
- Battery (within the 1 year warranty period)
- Adapter
- Screen

WLAN card couldn't connect to my home network, but I think it was just the drivers lol.

The battery had extremely low full capacity charge, but I think it was really me who spoilt it from leaving it in all the time and not calibrating it monthly.

The adapter was spoilt because some idiot in my school decide to put their bag on top of it while my computer was rendering something. The adapter overheated and stopped working.

As for the screen, there wasn't really anything wrong with it. There's a thin white paper between the LCD panel and the lid casing where the Apple logo is. It kinda came off by itself somehow and Apple counted it as a manufacturing defect and decided to replace my screen for free. Why argue with them? :p
 
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I would've said no, probably not.

Then the logic board on my 2 1/2 year old MBP went out.

Now I say yes.
 
When I bought my iMac I decided not to get the Apple care at first. I figured I would wait a year and see how things go. Well when my 1 year of support was almost up I decided to go ahead and get it. 3 months later the display croaked on my iMac. So I took it in and the estimate to fix it was $700.00. Man was I glad I bought Apple Care just in time. My total cost with Apple Care $0.00.

Yes it is a lot of money but you just never know when something can go wrong. Would you rather spend $250.00 now or $700.00 later? I know not all repairs will cost this much but it is one real world example.

I will always be buying Apple Care in the future. In fact I just bought a 13" MBP 2010 Refurb for my wife and I bought the Apple Care right away. I'm happy knowing we will have peace of mind for 3 years. It is one less cost I have to worry about sneaking up on me when I least expect it.
 
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