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Is AppleCare worth it?

I have purchased AppleCare before and never used any of them. My products have never broken. I don't understand what AppleCare would do anyway...

Posted on Jul 22, 2012 8:52 AM

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Posted on Jul 22, 2012 8:55 AM

AppleCare extends the "free repair" for manufacturing defects from 1 year to 3, and allows free siftware telephone support.


As even a single SuperDrive costs $180 (last I heard) for an MBP, much less a complete logic board, I consider the $350 AppleCare purchase for my MBP worth it.

10 replies

Jul 22, 2012 8:57 AM in response to Jason Spain

Well, if you never have an accident, storm damage, etc you don't need car insurance other than most states insist on it. Same with AppleCare, it provides insurance in case something does go wrong. I too have never had occasion to use it, but for my computers I still buy it just in case. It just costs less than major repairs will cost...at something like $700 for a logic board replacement, it would pay for itself.


For something like my iPad, I didn't bother because the thought was the life would be about the same as a couple years of AppleCare so why bother. But for the MacBook Pro and iMac, that is different story.


It really is a personal decision, and you are right, the products are really good.

Aug 17, 2012 12:03 AM in response to Jason Spain

In my opinion (even as a student), it's not worth it. I've had my great-uncle (who is an active prosecutor in the US courts) read the apple care warranty with me and answer any questions I might have had.


Apple care covers only manufacture defects. Which means anything that was wrong with the computer because something went wrong in the factory, or shipping to the store, or any handling before you bought it.


These defects are going to be found within a year. In fact most are going to be found within a month of purchase. It's much better to stress test your system once. If everything is green then apple care won't cover anything else.


Drop it in the pool? Kid scratched it up? Typhoon ruined it? Got in a car crash? It's not covered.


Trust me on this. You're processor isn't going to randomly start over heating 2 years from now due to a manufacture defect (it might from something else though, but that's not covered)


If you're buying something that offers Apple Care+ (aka: Apple Care Plus) then YES definitely get it. That thing covers pretty much anything? Frayed cords, broken screens, water damage. You name, they fix it (for a $49 service fee). It's not offered to computer products.

Aug 17, 2012 4:06 AM in response to skyscan

skycan, a lot of what you say is just not true...statistically electronic components fail early in life, true, but that is a statistical statement. There are many that fail later in life also. For example, this discussionthat started today deals with a logic board that failed after the first year of use but would have been within the time frame of AppleCare. Unfortunately for the poster he does not have AppleCare and must pay the price of a new logic board, on the order of $700. Last week or the week before there was a similar post about a logic board failure, and that person did have AppleCare, and the board was replaced free of charge...the couple hundred dollars for AC was a brgain compared with $700 for logic board replacement.


Further, some computer systems use heat sinks to cool the cpu...and the heat sinks make thermal contact with the cpu through a thermal compound. There have been problems with that thermal compound breaking down over time resulting in cpu overheating, not an initial operation phenomenon. Apple has been quietly repairing those units by injecting new thermal compound between the cpu and its heat sink.


It is true that the warranty and AppleCare do not cover accidental damage...but that is not news except to those who have dropped their iPhones in a swimming pool and think Apple should replace them for free...the analogy is the automobile warranty...crash your car and no auto manufacturer is going to replace it for you, that is why you have insurance. Apple has gone a step further, as you note, by offering AppleCare+ for some iDevices. A special form of the extended warranty that offers a one-time replacement at reduced cost for accidental damage...note that it is a one-time deal, don't coniually drop your iPhone and ask for a replacement.


While part of what you say is right, part needs to be tempered and understood a little differently.

Aug 17, 2012 11:36 AM in response to Ralph Landry1

I'm curious about this discussion. I'm haven't gotten a new Apple product since 2009, and have never used AppleCare...but I'm planning to get at least one new machine in 6 months to a year.


I skipped AppleCare on my 2005 iBook. It did great, until it was about 3.5 years old (past AppleCare timeframe anyway) when the logic board gave out. I took it to the Apple store, who offered to replace a lot of stuff (I think it was logic board, hard drive, and something else) for a flat $300 fee. (Note, this is in the US.) The repair had a 90 day warranty on it. The logic board gave out again in that timeframe, so they did it again for free. And another time. Possibly a third time, I don't remember. Finally they realized that because they were repairing the machine with refurbished parts, the repair might never work properly. So they got tired of doing that, and gave me a 2009 MacBook instead of doing another repair.


The outcome was that I got a new MacBook for $300. Even if that hadn't been the case, the $300 flat fee to replace most of the important parts in the case of a defect or damage seems more worthwhile than having AppleCare in the first place. So I'm curious, do they still do this? Or does a logic board alone really cost $700 now?

Aug 17, 2012 11:53 AM in response to andbeonetraveler

Reports of users on here have said a logic board today is around $700 (US) to replace by Apple or an Apple authorized service provider. Compared with the cost of AppleCare that is a good deal.


The policy as it has been explained on here is Apple will attempt to repair three times. If unsuccessful after three atttempts they will replace the unit...this applies to computers, iDevices are different.


This is what users have reported their experience to be.

Aug 15, 2014 11:13 PM in response to yizidas

I have a 4 month old Mac Book Pro 15" with a retina display. The display developed problems and brought it into a local Authorized Service Provider and they fixed it under warranty. I asked them how much would it cost if it had no warranty, it would be more than $1000. Furthermore, if it is out of warranty (or applecare) and you bring it in suspecting a problem, it costs more than $100 to run the diagnostics, even if there is no problem.

Aug 16, 2014 3:55 PM in response to Ralph Landry1

AppleCare is NOT insurance. Read the terms of AppleCare. It helps in event of manufacturer defect. Very rarely do you see Apple fixing a machine under AppleCare for an accident. Usually what has happened is that a nascent defect which has been documented before it had the accident. This happened to me years ago with my Powerbook G4 1.33 Ghz. They addressed the issue that was there before the fall, and not the issue that was there due to the fall. That I had to get repaired separately at my own expense.

Aug 18, 2014 1:22 AM in response to tokorobam

This topic, in a PowerPC thread, is amazing in that it was two years old to begin

with just a few days ago before these new additions to it. And still not relocated.


One would suspect a 2012 dated thread would not be concerned about AppleCare

in obsolete products that are not covered anyway. More than six years after Intel-

based Macs were available, this was first posted in the PPC iMac ASC discussions.


That said, many Apple Store locations with Genius bar will perform diagnostic tests

and inspect products out-of-warranty for free; and give advice on service repairs

even though they may be not able to do the work anymore at an Apple Store. The

authorized Apple service providers who can work on vintage computers can be

contacted and if you are able to get a diagnostic performed by Apple at Genius bar

then that information can be helpful in further efforts to repair a product.


{In some instances, a diagnostic may help pin-point what parts may be needed,

and a handy-person could make use of online guides to attempt a DIY repair.}


Sources of information include authorized resellers, service providers, apple user

groups, and some online mac-centric databases, plus reputable parts suppliers

whose web pages may have how-to articles and video anyone can use for free.


However, some vintage and obsolete products are limited to refurbished parts or

repairs, or in some few cases, new replacement parts (common off-shelf for pc

or mac) can be used where applicable.


Yet it does strike me as odd how an older and sometimes even ancient thread

in these ASC discussions can be resurrected to walk like a zombie. After a time

some discussions are archived and locked to prevent resurrection.


Certainly there's little forward momentum for this, and wonder if the O.P.

gets notice & visits, to see what the ruckus is about at such a late date...


Oh well! 😝

Is AppleCare worth it?

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