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Do I REALLY need AppleCare?

mrat93

mrat93

macrumors 68020
Original poster
I plan on getting a 15" MacBook Pro for college this fall.

I currently have a 3 1/2 year iMac with AppleCare. In the time I've owned it, I've only had one problem: a dead hard drive. Though the hard drive itself probably only cost about $40, I wouldn't dare try putting it in an iMac myself, so AppleCare helped me out there.

However, the MacBook Pro is a completely different story. My brother has a MacBook with AppleCare which came in handy a couple of times for RAM and hard drive issues. Unlike him, I actually know how to replace those parts easily (I also plan on upgrading them myself, so even if they die, Apple won't replace them.)

So basically what I am asking is... Is AppleCare worth spending around $260 (education discount) for? Are there common issues that occur other than HD/RAM failures? Give me some examples from your experiences. Has AppleCare saved you from a repair that would have cost you hundreds? Or did the expensive warranty do to waste?

Thanks!
 
I'd get Applecare on notebooks simply because they are mobile and all of my apple branded peripherals (which are numerous) are also covered as part of the deal.

I also had a few issues with my previous MBP on the second year and was given an updated top range model. That's not a given outcome but it's a common occurrence, just look at all the threads of people posting about theirs getting replaced.

So i'd get it. Especially if you plan on using it for a full lifecycle. It's not about how easy it is to replace the parts (I could reassemble my old MBP from memory) but rather the cost of the parts. A logic board replace will set you back atleast $1200-$1500
 
Take care of your comp and you won't have problems. Haven't had any issues with my mid2009 MBP.
 
I have never had an Apple notebook that didn't need some kind of service within the AppleCare warranty period.

2004 PowerBook G4 12" - dead hard drive, dead logic board (2 separate incidents)
2006 MacBook Pro 15" - broken fan
2008 MacBook Pro 15" - dead logic board
2008 MacBook Air 12" - broken hinge (whole upper clamshell including the LCD was replaced)

All covered under AppleCare with no questions asked.
 
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Eddyisgreat said:
I'd get Applecare on notebooks simply because they are mobile
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That is pretty much the size of it. Mobile devices see less controlled environments, deal with more kinetic energy, are usually subject to greater thermal stresses. Getting AppleCare for a laptop makes a lot of sense. I strongly encourage it.

tctony said:
Take care of your comp and you won't have problems. Haven't had any issues with my mid2009 MBP.
Click to expand...
This is a flawed philosophy. Plenty of machines fail in various ways no matter what sort of care you take of them. Commonly the Superdrive and fans in MBPs. Plus you have peace of mind. Less stress is worth money.
 
As with all insurances, the only time you *need* it, is when you need it.

I buy AppleCare only if it looks like I'm keeping a machine over a year. I don't need phone support, so I still get the benefit of if hardware breaks down it gets replaced under the 1 year warranty. As the date of the one year warranty draws close, then I buy AppleCare to cover it for 2 more years.
 
mrat93 said:
I plan on getting a 15" MacBook Pro for college this fall.

I currently have a 3 1/2 year iMac with AppleCare. In the time I've owned it, I've only had one problem: a dead hard drive. Though the hard drive itself probably only cost about $40, I wouldn't dare try putting it in an iMac myself, so AppleCare helped me out there.

However, the MacBook Pro is a completely different story. My brother has a MacBook with AppleCare which came in handy a couple of times for RAM and hard drive issues. Unlike him, I actually know how to replace those parts easily (I also plan on upgrading them myself, so even if they die, Apple won't replace them.)

So basically what I am asking is... Is AppleCare worth spending around $260 (education discount) for? Are there common issues that occur other than HD/RAM failures? Give me some examples from your experiences. Has AppleCare saved you from a repair that would have cost you hundreds? Or did the expensive warranty do to waste?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Two components: Screen and motherboard. One of those go out and your apple care pays for itself at least 1.3 times, probably more. I advise all my clients to purchase 3 year warranties on mobile PCs.
 
yes, get AC - BUT if you are strapped for cash just buy it before the one-year warranty ends - like month 11. No need to buy it as soon as you buy the computer, unless you really think you will need the phone support
 
Does apple care cover the computer for 3 years in addition to the 1 year manufacturer warranty or does it just extend it to 3 years total? I forget..
 
Apple gave me a new quad i7 to replace my early 08' due to AC! i personally wouldn't have a MBP w/o AC
 
Here is the big reason to get it, RESALE VALUE

The applecare is transferrable so if you keep your machine for 2 or maybe 2 and 1/2 years you can put that on eBay with either a 6-12 month solid warranty or as-is no warranty... What would you buy? Check the prices, the covered machines sell for a lot more, as they should.

Added bonus, you can take it to the :apple: store just before you sell it, be sure to mention your are prepping it for sale so you can come back and buy a new machine😉, they will replace anything that they can, got a few dead pixels? New screen, buttons stuck? Let's swap out that keyboard. That also adds value to the machine you're selling.

Not to mention you're covered 100% if you actually have a problem.

Don't buy coverage on eBay but do check Amazon, :apple: will honor plans purchased there.
 
Owned a couple of macs over the past few years and never got applecare, luckily that was something i do not regret 🙂
 
Mr. Chewbacca said:
Here is the big reason to get it, RESALE VALUE

The applecare is transferrable so if you keep your machine for 2 or maybe 2 and 1/2 years you can put that on eBay with either a 6-12 month solid warranty or as-is no warranty... What would you buy? Check the prices, the covered machines sell for a lot more, as they should.

Added bonus, you can take it to the :apple: store just before you sell it, be sure to mention your are prepping it for sale so you can come back and buy a new machine😉, they will replace anything that they can, got a few dead pixels? New screen, buttons stuck? Let's swap out that keyboard. That also adds value to the machine you're selling.

Not to mention you're covered 100% if you actually have a problem.

Don't buy coverage on eBay but do check Amazon, :apple: will honor plans purchased there.
Click to expand...

You know, I never really thought of it that way. Thanks for the insight, Chewie. Another reason why AppleCare is definitely worth it for the MBP.
 
mrat93 said:
Thanks for the quick responses! Better be safe than sorry! I'll get it!
Click to expand...

I'd get it. I wouldn't want to pay around $2000 and then have the LCD, mobo, or keyboard die on me 2 years in. If you're buying a $999 cheapo laptop, another $250 is a lot. If you're buying a $2000+ laptop, $250 is not as onerous.

The only Apple computers I don't get AppleCare for are mac minis...because in the mini, you can spot-replace almost anything that would ever break. I'm especially looking at cheap things, like keyboards and mice. How much would it suck to have a $2500 laptop and the keyboard dies? I suppose it's possible to get the parts you need, but it would be a few degrees of magnitude more annoying than just ram or the hard drive.

Plus, you'd be buying a fresh model at the start of its cycle. These are using a new CPU architecture and new mobo designs. The odds of problems are higher than mature models. In the past, Apple has taken care of customers--even out of warranty--if it was a widespread probably AND it was Apple's fault (e.g. logic boards), but sometimes it takes them a while to enact that policy (i.e. sometimes it takes them a while to take responsibility). If you had AppleCare, they'd just take care of it right away.
 
2006 Macbook going strong here. Just had to replace a battery. The screen is broken now due to my own doings, but makes a great desktop for the kiddo!

Never had to call Apple once. I wouldn't buy the extended warranty, but I know how to fix simple little things such as replacing a hard drive or a stick of memory.
 
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