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AppleCare for 2012 Mac mini - is it worth it?

mjoshi123

mjoshi123

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 14, 2010
451
5
Okay I've never got Apple care but most of time have opted for Squaretrade warranty and that has been pretty good so far for me. I've question if Apple care is even worth it for Mac-mini considering it is just $799 machine and Apple is asking for another $149 to top it. It is desktop so chances of things going hay-wire with it is less as there is no moving for the device.

What exactly Apple care provides apart from regular repair in case of mal-functioning ? If you've Applecare could you sign-up for some of those one-on-one classes on certain software in Apple store ?
 
mjoshi123 said:
What exactly Apple care provides apart from regular repair in case of mal-functioning ?
Click to expand...
AppleCare
AppleCare Protection Plan for Mac or Apple Display

  • You can buy AppleCare any time during the first year warranty period, so you don't have to buy it at time of purchase.
  • You can check your remaining warranty and/or AppleCare coverage here
  • AppleCare will extend the 1 year warranty for an additional 2 years, for a total of 3 years coverage from the date of your Mac purchase.
    It also extends telephone support from 90 days, which is included with your original warranty, to a total of 3 years.
  • You cannot buy AppleCare again or renew it once it expires.
  • Neither the Apple Warranty nor AppleCare will cover damage from accidents, spills, etc. They only cover manufacturing defects.
  • AppleCare+ provides some coverage for accidental damage, but is only available for the iPad and iPhone, not for Apple computers.
  • Neither the Apple Warranty nor AppleCare will cover batteries that have worn out. They only cover defective batteries.
  • You can buy AppleCare from Apple or from other sources, such as Amazon, B&H Photo Video, L.A. Computer Company and others. Exercise caution when buying from sites such as eBay, as some AppleCare offers have been scams.
  • For more detailed questions, read the AppleCare Protection Plan (pdf) agreement.

As to whether AppleCare is worth it or not, that's a matter of opinion. You'll find lots of opinions on both sides, with roughly 75% saying it's worth it. You really need to decide if it's worth it to you. If you want more information, you can search the forum, where you'll find dozens, if not hundreds of threads asking "is AppleCare worth it?" The overall consensus seems to be about 75% in favor of it.

mjoshi123 said:
If you've Applecare could you sign-up for some of those one-on-one classes on certain software in Apple store ?
Click to expand...
One to One training is not covered by AppleCare and costs $99/year.
 
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Thanks guys for your help, I'm still not sure if I want it for a mini. I'd probably wait for sometime to decide.
 
AppleCare for MacBooks is about 50:50. OTOH, for Mac minis its an absolute waste of money. The main failure point of the mini will be the hard drive which is dirt cheap these days. You can make a better case for the new iMacs as they're very difficult to work on.
 
magbarn said:
AppleCare for MacBooks is about 50:50. OTOH, for Mac minis its an absolute waste of money. The main failure point of the mini will be the hard drive which is dirt cheap these days. You can make a better case for the new iMacs as they're very difficult to work on.
Click to expand...

that is exactly what I think, for laptops or iMac applecare is worth it as you dont want $1500 worth of brick sitting on your desk. With Mac-mini price is not that high so buying Applecare makes very little sense to me. I'm not denying people who are buying it for their own peace of mind.
 
As long as you don't pay full retail for it, it's worth it in my opinion for the three year coverage and phone support and the additional "leverage" it usually carries when having an issue. I got mine for $99 and thought it was a decent deal. I only had to use it once with my 2009 iMac, but it was a lifesaver.
 
fhall1 said:
As long as you don't pay full retail for it, it's worth it in my opinion for the three year coverage and phone support and the additional "leverage" it usually carries when having an issue. I got mine for $99 and thought it was a decent deal. I only had to use it once with my 2009 iMac, but it was a lifesaver.
Click to expand...

As I mentioned above iMac and MacBook are special cases due to their almost disposable designs. Otoh, the Mac mini doesn't have a screen that can go bad and it's real easy to get inside vs a iMac.
 
GGJstudios said:
Auto insurance is required by law. Extended warranties like AppleCare aren't.
Click to expand...

Either way, I want to protect my wallet witha minimal investment.

The extra 149.00 allows me to rest easy knowing that if the mac mini stops working for whatever reason, it will be covered by Apple and I don't have to spend the 400+ to replace the board or anything.

Different folks; different strokes.

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magbarn said:
Is an uninsured computer user going to hit your computer and damage it? Does AppleCare cover theft? Apples and Oranges lol
Click to expand...

Analogies, ever heard of them?

My point is, AC will help cover the expenses that will incur if something was to happen to the system. 149 AC compared to 400+, I'll stick with the AC..
 
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mjoshi123 said:
Okay I've never got Apple care but most of time have opted for Squaretrade warranty and that has been pretty good so far for me. I've question if Apple care is even worth it for Mac-mini considering it is just $799 machine and Apple is asking for another $149 to top it. It is desktop so chances of things going hay-wire with it is less as there is no moving for the device.

What exactly Apple care provides apart from regular repair in case of mal-functioning ? If you've Applecare could you sign-up for some of those one-on-one classes on certain software in Apple store ?
Click to expand...

I would say definitely not unless you think you might need the technical support.

The Mini is mostly solid-state. If it's going to fail, it will do so in the first 90 days and you'll be covered by the standard warranty. Other than that, the only parts that are likely to fail are the hard drive and the fan, both of which you can replace yourself fairly easily for much less money than you would spend on AppleCare.

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mwhities said:
Do you buy insurance for your car?

I buy it and AC for my systems too.
Click to expand...

Whether or not you buy insurance should be a simple math equation, i.e., the cost of the insurance vs. how much it will pay for times the chance of having to use it.

Let's say AppleCare will buy you a new Mini ($800) in the case that it breaks (let's say the chance of that is 5%, to be pessimistic). $800 * 5% = $40. If AppleCare costs more than $40 (it does) then it's not worth it.

Of course you have to also factor in whether or not you can pay for the thing you're insuring out-of-pocket, which is why almost everybody buys car insurance and health insurance, because a loss of a car or a major health problem can easily lead to crippling financial burdens. But hopefully we are all doing well enough here that we can buy a new Mini if we have to.
 
mjoshi123 said:
Okay I've never got Apple care but most of time have opted for Squaretrade warranty and that has been pretty good so far for me. I've question if Apple care is even worth it for Mac-mini considering it is just $799 machine and Apple is asking for another $149 to top it. It is desktop so chances of things going hay-wire with it is less as there is no moving for the device.

What exactly Apple care provides apart from regular repair in case of mal-functioning ? If you've Applecare could you sign-up for some of those one-on-one classes on certain software in Apple store ?
Click to expand...

I had considered the Square Trade warranty on my new iPhone until I actually read the coverage. They only cover up to the cost of the item. My iPhone 5 actually just had to be replaced for a hardware failure. Apples cost for the replacement was $229. If it dies again and I had S.T. coverage, they will only cover the first $70 ($299-$229), then the policy is done. AppleCare will replace the unit as many times as needed (regardless of price) for the live the 2 years.

When it applies to the Mini, parts are pretty expensive and toss in labor, you could run out of coverage with S.T. AppleCare again will cover for the 3 years.

Where S.T. does make sense is on used computers. I'm selling my old 2009 iMac that has a potential GPU issue. I made it clear up front what the problem was suggested the buyer get a 3-year warranty from Square Trade since it's only $99 and would cover the repairs.
 
Okay I know everyone have their opinion on warranty and there is nothing right or wrong with either of it, so please dont try to make it personal.

Coming back to comparison part of AC & ST , I've upgraded my mini with aftermarket SSD on my own and have 1TB HDD in there. So if I get AC will they still cover my mini ? or because I upgraded to SSD without paying them "apple-tax", they wont cover my mini anymore ?
 
mjoshi123 said:
Okay I know everyone have their opinion on warranty and there is nothing right or wrong with either of it, so please dont try to make it personal.

Coming back to comparison part of AC & ST , I've upgraded my mini with aftermarket SSD on my own and have 1TB HDD in there. So if I get AC will they still cover my mini ? or because I upgraded to SSD without paying them "apple-tax", they wont cover my mini anymore ?
Click to expand...

If your Mini breaks then just take out the SSD before taking it in for AppleCare service. How will they know you had it in there?
 
The L.A. Computer Co. is the best place to buy AC from an authorized dealer. It consistently meets or beats Apple's education discount price. You don't have to buy a Mac to get the discount. Stay away from eBay unless you like getting ripped-off...

$95 http://www.lacomputercompany.com/cgi-bin/rpcart/index.cgi?command=dispitem&type=sku&sku=19343

I always get it for portable Macs since they tend to have more problems. The new iMac innards aren't accessible by the user so it is probably a good idea... The Mini? So much can be repaired by the user I'm still on the fence...
 
motrek said:
I would say definitely not unless you think you might need the technical support.

The Mini is mostly solid-state. If it's going to fail, it will do so in the first 90 days and you'll be covered by the standard warranty. Other than that, the only parts that are likely to fail are the hard drive and the fan, both of which you can replace yourself fairly easily for much less money than you would spend on AppleCare.
Click to expand...

But you may not just have a hardware issue, AC also extends phone support to 3 years....I used them in the third year for my iMac when I was having kernel panics and exhausted all my internet sources on how to fix them. The Apple rep stayed on the phone nearly an hour walking through things to look at and things to fix....in the end, the KP's were gone.
 
AC good option for whole desktop purchase

I purchased Apple Care with my Mac Mini purchase and I also got TB display, magic mouse and Apple Keyboard and it is all covered by Apple Care for $99 for 3 years. I believe that is a good coverage with piece of mind. And if I am not wrong, adding second disk or replacing memory are all user upgradable options so I think AC should still be valid on it. AC for TB display itself is for $79 so the whole deal for $99 made sense to me personally.
 
I've been buying computers for nearly 30 years. Never once bought applecare and never once needed it. If I had bought it, I would have wasted $1200 (12 Macs).
 
It was certainly worth it on my 2009 MBP. In the 3 years of coverage I had to replace the HDD, screen, and logic board. It also covered my time capsule when it failed. Plus all the free phone support I ever wanted. I just ordered a mini (should be here today!) and applecare also. I like the peace of mind.
 
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