<p>Just as a side comment, the $400 Windows laptops from Best Buy and such are no match for a MacBook Pro class machine if one compares specs side by side… There is an ‘Apple Tax’, granted, but not as huge as one may think. Likewise, there are $400 Windows laptops and there are $1400 Windows laptops.</p>
<p>Having said this, if you plan to keep the MacBook Pro for ever the Applecare is worth it - in my daughter’s case (Lenovo Thinkpad T420) the similar long term plan was too expensive and since she’ll get a new laptop in 2 years (employee discount is nice :-)) no point getting a 3 or 4 year plan.</p>
<p>bumping this for “yay Applecare”
My adapter wasn’t charging my macbook pro even though I had straightened out the cord as much as I could ( I suspect one of the wires was bent)
They gave me a new one yesterday cause it was still under warranty ( only 2 1/2 yrs old) I was surprised because I didn’t think the adapter was covered.</p>
<p>DD’s graphics card went after about 4 mo and the warranty took care of that. Applecare is worth it, considering the average Mac lifetime. She had a problem with a cracked screen, which is not covered. That was her fault. She can still use it just fine.</p>
<p>To some extent, laptops are like cars- you can get a lemon, no matter how cautious you are. And, dorm insurane won’t cover a laptop malfunction not caused by some dorm issue.</p>
<p>^when it hapened, she swore she did nothing. I googled and found many complaints about this. Some were lucky and Applecare covered it, most not. Now, she admits she stepped on it. Bottom line, apparently, there are multiple screen layers and a surface crack shouldn’t cause any risks of dust entry or etc. </p>
<p>D2 got another brand. I do think Macs are needed for some heavy-use fields- art, engineering, complex mathematical processing, some gaming. But, for the average word processing and internet person…</p>
<p>Applecare is definitely worth it. We wouldn’t consider buying any Apple product without it (and with 5 of us, there are a lot of Apple products). Case in point: DH owned one of the very first MacBook Air computers (4-5 years old?) As he purchases for work, and work demands software to be run on windows simultaneously, he gets a new laptop approx. every 2 years. Macbook Air is passed down to computer science major son in college, who runs that computer practically 24/7. Fast forward to June when CS graduate gets a new job in programming, which comes with ts own computers etc. Macbook Air comes back home to 17 year old, with the caveat that there is a mysterious bulge in the case and the old computer isn’t running too well. We have Applecare. For the heck of it, 17 year old take Macbook Air to the genius Bar. Battery has exploded (who knew batteries, at the end of their life, expand). Apple fixes computer, installs new battery, and gives new case and whatever else FOR FREE. 17 year old has a great laptop for school. And that’s just one story. I had an iPhone 3Gs that lost the on/off button after 2 years. With Applecare, they gave me a brand new iphone 3Gs</p>
<p>I haven’t read all the other posts, but absolutely get the Applecare. My daughter’s Mac had some issues and Apple put a lot of work into it. My own computer had a mysterious problem and it took a lot of detective work to get it resolved and, along the way, Apple replaced a lot of parts. I would have been out of luck without the Applecare. They are more willing to replace chargers, etc. if you have it. Also, sometimes I have just needed help from tech support to figure something out. If you have Applecare you can call as much as you want, if you don’t you have to pay a fee to talk and that fee gives you one month of call privileges. I think it’s $45 but I’m not sure. That makes the Applecare seem like a good deal.</p>
<p>By the way, Applecare does not cover a computer that was dropped and damaged. Also, you should know that if you make a enough claims on your dorm insurance due to a computer, they will drop you as soon as you graduate (some plans offer an additional year.)</p>
<p>We swear by applecare. We are, admittedly, a Mac family since 1984 and in all those years have never been sorry we bought it - over 25 years we have had about 20 macs. Traded in and down to each other (there are four of us), resold some, use an old one as a jukebox and made some other people (family, friends, schools) happy passing them on. The only thing we ever have paid for really (other than the machines themselves) are power cords and an incidental battery. All repairs and service have been great.</p>
<p>Applecare is like any other warranty program, it extends the standard warrantee and that is always for defects in materials and labor…abuse, like dropping it, etc, are not covered. If you can get insurance that will cover anything, that is great (if you buy by credit card, a lot of them have buyers assurance that for a certain period will replace it). I have a smartphone with insurance on it, that if it goes for any reason, they will replace it because they are really expensive.</p>
<p>And believe me, it is worth it. My son’s macbook had its network port go (no big deal, right?), but it is built into the main board, and if it hadn’t of been covered, would have cost 800 bucks to replace it…things like hard drives can be expensive, or the screens, and they do go sometimes. Conventional wisdom is extended warranties generally are offered because they mostly aren’t needed, but with a kid at school and so forth, worth it.</p>