IBM Ram Question & Warranty

Hey guys looks like im settling on getting a R51 from IBM. Doesnt have alot of bells and whistles for laptops in the same price range, but it will be a work horse (I hope).
Im going to go with the 2883ARU model with the intel integrated graphics. (use- word-excel-databases-publisher programs-internet and websites..No games)

But wanted to get more ram than the stock 256. To boot me up to 512

Is crucial ram compatiable with the ibm ram?
or should i just drop the extra money and get it from ibm when i place my order.

Crucial is 49.99
Ibm is 68.40

Also is ibm warranty upgrades worth it, ive never been a extended warranty person but dont know with laptops whether its worth it.


Thanks for the help

 

Crucial is compatible with IBM. The selector process on crucial makes it pretty clear which module fits. As for the warranty, my own experience has been to get the extended warranty (3 years) through IBM. My Gateway Colorbook failed in the second year (cost to repair was prohibitive). My Toshiba laptop had a system board failure in the third year. The Dell had to be returned in the 3rd month. In other words, laptops tend to be less reliable and more unpredictable than desktops. I would rather pay $130 more for the peace of mind rather than regretting it when the bill comes to $800 for repair.

 

as far as the warranty goes, I'm not opposed to manufacturer warranties, as nmzak says it gives peace of mind and you just never know. i am not a fan of retail store replacement warranties though, they tend to be way overpriced and the fineprint makes some of them a bad deal...plus the rules seem to be interpreted differently from one store to the next within an electronics chain.