Getting ready to purchase an M1 mini Mac. Long time Mac user from performa days to multiple iMacs, iPhones, and tons of other Mac products. Just a Mac nerd. I have many times bought apple care. Not for tech reasons, my son is an apple tech. But for damage that can and will happen. Phones, iPads, dropped ear buds that get run over. Not for desktop Macs until now. In the past I always thought my son and I could, if needed, open the case and try to fix it. From the sound of the new M1 there is no serviceable or replaceable parts.
I have used apple care a few times. The last when my wife dropped her iPhone 11 and cracked the screen. Cost was around 300 bucks if I remember. With apple it was I believe 99 and covered from that day for another 3 years.
Spending a grand for a new M1 with all new tech etc. I will think long and hard about getting apple care. Not for the physical damage. Its just going to sit on my desk, but if something after a year or thre craps out that I can't fix, makes me think