Getting a new MBP. Does optioning affect standard warranty?

[Lincoln 6 Echo]

I'm looking at going for the new 15" MBP with two upgrades: the 2.8GHz processor, and the 7200 rpm 320GB HDD. So I have a few questions since I haven't bought a new Mac since 2000, lol. I'm thinking of buying online instead at an Apple store.

1. I've heard that as soon as you customize/ request upgrades to the standard-factory models the return/exchange policy or standard/basic warranty coverage is altered. Does anyone know anything about that?

2. Do you get different standard software if you buy a non-customized model from an Apple store?

3. Also, what do you think of the machine & upgrades I plan to get? (If it were a tower I'd be more inclined to do the upgrades myself)

 

[thecritix]

In my experience getting a non custom build affects getting it replaced.

i.e if its standard and it goes wrong in 6 weeks they can easily swap it (did for my parents) if its customised, its not so easy..

Nick

 

[Macky-Mac]

....
1. I've heard that as soon as you customize/ request upgrades to the standard-factory models the return/exchange policy or standard/basic warranty coverage is altered. Does anyone know anything about that?

2. Do you get different standard software if you buy a non-customized model from an Apple store?
....

1) the warranty doesn't change but the rules for returning a customized computer are different than for a stock item.....customized products aren't returnable. If there's something wrong with it, they'll fix it or replace it under the warranty, but they don't other you the option of simply returning it

2) software will be the same

 

[ilovebananas]

off topic a bit

yep it does affect the return policy only

My advice is save some money and upgrade the hard drive yourself. Is very simple on new machines and does not void warranty in anyway.

Here in the UK the cost difference is a saving off about £25 ($37). £100 for Apple to upgrade or buy drive for £75 shipped.

The advantage of doing it yourself is you are left with a spare drive that you can either sell for a small amount on ebay or put in an external enclosure (about £10) and use for time machine/data backup.
So you are getting more storage for less.

It is very simple to either reinstall OS X on the new drive or set up the Mac with the original drive in and then use carbon copy cloner to move everything to new drive. Doing this way will also easily ket you use CCC to perform incremental backups of the system to the external drive.

Sorry if you know all this. Am just trying to save you a bit of cash in these hard times.

 

[Roy Hobbs]

How would getting more RAM or a bigger hard drive effect your warranty?