How reliable are Macbooks? - Should I get Apple Care

I just got a Macbook (The White 2.2ghz/2GB RAM/Super Drive model) to replace my ageing XPS M1210

I am absolutely loving this thing so far

However, I am in two minds about getting the 3 year extended apple care on the thing

I got the machine for 55K INR (~1250 USD)
3 year extended apple care will set me back by another 12K INR (~280 USD)

The idea of spending ~25% of the price for just addl. warranty is putting me off a bit but then I also expect to hold this thing for at least the next 2 years

How is the rleiability of the macbooks and how prone are they to failure?

 

everyone thinks their chance of having a notebook that last is very high and there is roughly 20% chance that your notebook fails in the first year so if you don't want to take chance then get the warranty. nobody not even apple knows how long your laptop will last. if macbooks are made from same parts used for pc's and have similarly engineered design for chassis then why would it be any different.

 

I've had quite a bit of experience in MacBooks, and to be honest, they are very reliable machines. As long as you take care of your laptop, you'll be absolutely fine.

But again, if you are prone to accidents, then the added warranty wouldn't hurt (well, it might hurt your wallet!).

 

Over the years and after owning many Macs, both notebooks and desktops, the only Mac ever to give me a problem was a MB. The troubles began after 8 months of ownership and the machine functioning very well (and I loved that machine - perfect size for me, and a great screen). Things got so bad with the MB, though, that I finally gave up, returned it and received a refund which was applied toward the purchase of a new MBP. So, I recommend to anyone with sufficient funds for Apple Care, to get it with the MB.

FWIW: I'm aware that it's possible to get a lemon from any builder, and that's what I had, unfortunately. But it was the only bad machine I've ever received from Apple; it was so bad I briefly considered not doing any further business with Apple, but Macs are irresistible. LOL

 

I'm not convinced that notebooks in general are perfectly reliable devices, no matter how much you pamper them. Recently my MB's harddrive simply died on me, at a highly inconvenient time. Earlier, I had sent it in for a broken fan. I don't know about Apple Care, but I just meant to say that one should always keep backups for these machines.

 

I bought 11 iMacs (1st generation) 3 years ago. 3 of them went down in the first year. One has just got down 2 wk ago.
I had a number of IBMs before that without this level of problems.
Having said that, perhaps it was simply that I bought the early buggy models.
Laptops are subject to much more wear and tear---buy the Applecare.

However, note that Apple (at least in Canada) does not store parts.
When I had my IBMs, if I needed service, IBM would have a part to me the same day and the computer would be fixed.
For Apple (even if you have on-site service<--which they really hate to authorize) after a diagnosis is made (that's at lest 2 days) they then have to order ANY parts, which can take up to a week.

So be warned, yes, get Applecare, but make sure you can be without your computer for a week if it needs a part.

 

I work in IT, I've never had any problem with my own PC laptop yet, and at work, we only have PC laptops too (Dells), and hardly any problem that require to ring Dell to solve.

But my PowerBook broke 13 months after I purchased it, the hard drive problem to be exact. I had to swap the hard drive out myself, and I broke my casing.

 

I purchased a Macbook earlier this year. This summer, I had a problem where Time Machine started causing kernel panics. I called AppleCare and they took care of me and talked me through a solution. I looked at my dates and saw that I was on the fringe of expiration so I purchased AppleCare. If I never have to call again, I might question the cost. But if I have any issue between now and the time I retire my Macbook, it will be money well spent.

I purchased CompleteCare on the last Dell I owned. I didn't end up using it, but it gave me 3 years coverage. In hindsight would I have not bought it? I don't think so. Products like AppleCare and CompleteCare are first and foremost insurance. They are relatively overpriced. The insurance industry is known for 40% and even higher profit margins. But the concept of being able to toss the thought of paying for hardware repairs out of my mind is worth something, though I'm not prepared to argue how much it's worth.

Would I advise everyone to buy AppleCare? No. It's 20% added cost. I certainly wouldn't buy it at the same time I bought the machine. But a few months later, the cost isn't so hard to swallow.

I had planned to wait almost the entire year before buying AppleCare but the scare I experienced over the summer convinced me to buy it sooner. The reason I tend to purchase warranties on laptops has less to do with my perception of build quality than risk. The stresses a portable machine sees make it more likely to experience some hardware issue than a desktop. I don't want to be in a position where I'm arguing with Apple or writing a check to get something fixed. For me, this alone is worth the extra 20%. Just not from Day One. It's worth sending in the extra 20% some time during the first year of ownership, when I've had some extra time to scrape the money together but before Apple would refuse to take my money.

 

That's an important point. And neither can you find parts for sale in Apple stores. The most minor hardware issue that requires a visit to the Genius Bar means that you'll be away from your computer for at least a couple of days.

Last year there was apparently an epidemic of sudden MB harddrive failures: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=960977&start=0&tstart=0

I considered myself lucky then; but about exactly a year later the exact same thing happened to me----everything was going well, then I got the spinning color wheel, tried shutting off-restarting, and got the 'folder with a question mark' instead of the Apple Inc. logo at the start.

 

if you use your notebook regularly and havent notice any damage in the first year, chances are your macbook will be reliable.

 

I had the palm rest on the right crack. a little sliver of plastic came right off. I took it to apple today and well lets just say that its safely in my hands now and working great. So if something does go wrong Apple will take care of you.

 

If you have the extra money, get it. Macs are relyable, but you never know. Can't be too safe imo.

 

You need to get the warranty if you expect to have the machine for over a year. Computers are complex and you can take care of them all you like, but when they fail, they fail. It is very likely for your macbook to have hardware issues(especially cosmetic) and the extended warranty is definitely necessary.

 

I've had my Macbook for nearly 2 years. Had a couple of issues during the first year (cracked keyboard issue, dead superdrive due to firmware update). Both were replaced, along with the fan just because I mentioned it was running a bit loud and that I had spent time in Mongolia, a very dusty country. My computer was returned to me the next day from an Apple store in Canada.

I purchased the extended warranty near the end of my first year since my computer travels a lot with me and the cost (with student discount) was worth the additional 2 years coverage, especially considering the service I received from Apple. That the coverage is international is also valuable to me.

 

Generally I'd say yes, get it. I haven't found Apple's laptops to be that durable so I think it's a wise purchase. I'd get an extended/upgraded warranty for any laptop though, even those I've had no problems with (like my Thinkpads, I still got 3 years of their accidental damage protection with the warranty on my new one). Reliability on them otherwise is pretty average so should be alright but still, if you carry it around I'd say get the warranty.

 

ah the applecare question.

i always get applecare with my apple computer purchases.

 

Yes, Apple Care is worth the money - but it off ebay though, it will safe you atleast 100 bucks.

 

^^concurred. But beware of shoddy sellers.
And yes, i consider macbooks reliable - one does get a lemon once i a while, like with any other brands

cheers ...

 

I'm not going to go off and say Macbooks are junk. But, my Macbook experience was nothing but trouble. I had to send that machine in for service six times in the first seven months of ownership.

That was a first gen Macbook, though, and I'm sure Apple has worked through a lot of the issues I had. But, I do know that some things, like the case cracks, are still happening.

That being said, I'd get the Applecare if I had the money.