Apple Care
Posted on: March 2, 2009Author: Cali
2 comments so far (is that a lot?)
A lot of people ask me whether they should buy Apple Care or if they can do without the additional expense. I always suggest getting Apple Care. Here’s why. Unlike most warranties, where you have to mail your computer in for repair and wait, and wait…and wait, Apple Care is extremely convenient (provided you live close to an Apple Store) when something breaks. Make an appointment online, bring your phone, iPod or computer to the Genius Bar to let them have a look. They troubleshoot the device, and more often than not, they’ll provide you with a solution quickly. Sometimes they’ll fix it while you wait, sometimes they need to keep your computer, and other times they just replace your iPhone. You can go to the Genius Bar regardless of if you have Apple Care or not, but a lot of things are covered under the warranty, and they know your time is valuable, so they work to get you taken care of quickly. For example, I sent this tweet out when I arrived early for my Genius Bar appointment:
And I left approximately 30 minutes later with a replacement phone.
Because of my job, I put a lot of strain on the devices I use. I push them to their limits, so my local Apple Store Genius Bar knows me well! I probably take advantage of my Apple Care more than you might, but it’s that one time that something doesn’t work and it’s easy to solve that makes it worth it. If you buy the first production model of any device (think iPhone and iPods), you’re at a higher risk of having something go wrong.
Keep in mind your devices come with a limited warranty for a year (and 90 days of phone support), so you don’t have to make the decision when you buy the device.
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March 6th, 2009 at 9:18 pm
Hi Cali,
I have to agree with you when it comes to purchasing Apple Care.
I have always bought it as like you, l give my computers one hell of a bashing in my line of work.
My last MacBook had a screen replaced, 2 or 3 hard drives, a CD Rom, the bottom besel about 5 or 6 times and the keyboard twice, so most definitely worth the extra money for it.
My new MacBook was replaced DOA 4 times in the first 2 weeks due to dust under the glass, no real fault with the hardware, just hard to photoshop and work when you’re constantly trying to photoshop off dust that is on the screen no the photo!
Greg
March 12th, 2009 at 11:26 pm
I just had my first experience with the Genius Bar and Apple Car, and it was great. When I bought my MacBook Pro about a year ago, I asked Neal if I should get Apple Care. He said he never bought extended warranties, but he always got Apple Care. With that recommendation I decided to get it. A couple of nights ago, my computer just shut down while I was using it. It had the distinct look of a flat battery, but I’d been plugged into the wall. I double checked that it was plugged in, noticed the brick was VERY hot, and the little light on the magsafe plug wasn’t lit. It looked to me that the adapter wasn’t passing power. I took it into the Apple store the next day, and after a five minute wait and a two minute examination the guy behind the bar agreed with me and gave me a new adapter. In and out of the store in about ten minutes! An outstanding support experience.