«Real life experience»
You've got a new MacBook Pro. Let's face it, it wasn't cheap. The standard 90 day telephone support / one year warranty seems pretty long. Buying a protection plan seems like unnecessary expense. These things work incredibly well and are incredibly reliable.
So what do you need Applecare for?
Well first of all your MacBook Pro is going to last a lot longer than one year. I have had my 17" MBP for over two years and it runs like it is just out of the box (try saying that about any Windows notebook). But it is a computer. It has moving parts. It is in other words a mechanical device. Any mechanical device can fail.
Now someone posted a review that said Applecare isn't insurance. That reviewer is right. But it is a very generous warranty. I have sent my MBP in three times (twice to my local Apple Store which can do repairs locally many times) and once to the service center. Only one problem was critical-a dead display. The others were for issues I had taken to the Genius Bar only to learn that I needed replacement parts. One was a HD issue (even though the HD was working) and the other was a keyboard problem. Total cost? Zero dollars.
My stepson has the same model MBP as I do, and got his at the same time. He did not buy Applecare and so far has been very lucky. But he did have a dead display which was initially slated to go to the Service Center for repair at a cost around the same as Applecare. Fortunately the store opened the case before shipping it out and found a loose connection. The cost for cracking the case and pushing a wire into a slot? $80 (still a lot cheaper than a trip to the Service Center).
So bite the bullet and get Applecare. It may not be insurance but it certainly is peace of mind.
[Monday, January 05, 2009]
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«Recommended to anyone who spends over 1k!»
Didn't buy through amazon but I must say this is a must if you spend over 1k! I bought a macbook pro and just recently had issues with the screen. Took it in and they fixed it without questions! If I didn't have this plan I would have been forking out $800+!
[Monday, December 08, 2008]
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«AppleCare...a must have for laptops»
I had the AppleCare plan on my Powerbook G4. The laptop was 2 years and 9 months into the warranty when the hinge loosened up. The lcd lid would wobble back and forth about an inch. Not a big deal but since I had the warranty I sent it in for repair. Three days later it came back with the hinge tightened up but a couple weeks later it was loose again. Sent it back again and this time they replaced the hinge and three days later it comes back with a new hinge. Unfortunately in transit some dirt had gotten behind the LCD panel and so back it went. This time on the fourth day I got a call from Apple saying the new replacement LCD panel was delayed and asked if I wanted to wait or accept a brand new MacBook Pro instead. It took me all of about a NY minute to make up my mind and I'm now typing this ion a brand new MBP. The initial frustration was minor compared to getting a three year newer laptop with twice the RAM and HD space and, four times the processing power.
Apple then called to say that the remainder of my AppleCare warranty on the old computer would be refunded. I don't know how their math works but I was refunded a third of the AppleCare Plan cost. As I said, I only had three months remaining. I used that refund and applied it to a new AppleCare warranty for my new MBP.
I am still amazed at the turnaround time for the repairs. Three days from my door to my door is incredible.
Three Thumbs up for AppleCare.
[Sunday, September 07, 2008]
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