[X4U] mac mini (2009) and applecare

[Zane H. Healy]

Using my logic, you wouldn't repair a Mini, you'd go out and buy a new one.

The question really is, is it reliable enough to take this risk.  On any
other Mac I think the whole question of the cost of the computer, the cost
of Applecare and the risk of not having it all translate to getting
Applecare.  I view it as insurance that says, this computer will last at
least 3 years.  If we knew the failure rate of Mac Mini's it would be easier
to make a better risk assessment.

Also someone pointed out that in the US Applcare on a Mac Mini is about
$150, that is $50 per year, or roughly 1/5th the cost of a Mac Mini.  I
believe the original poster lives outside the US, and he quoted the cost at
1/3 the value of the Mac Mini.  Even by my own reasoning, in the US, it
probably makes sense to get Applecare.  The Mac Mini comes in at the price
point where I personally find buying an extended warrenty a really hard
choice.

Something else to consider is this, can you afford the financial risk of not
having Applecare.  If you can't then you should get it.  For me personally
the whole question can be summed up as follows.  If I am going to spend
about $3,500 on a Mac Pro then I simply can not afford not to spend $250 on
Applecare.  I pretty much view Applecare as a mandatory part of the cost of
a new Mac.

It is all a matter of risks and gains, and realistically it is something
that each person has to decide for themselves.

Zane



On Thu, 16 Apr 2009, zapcat wrote:

> I respectfully disagree with that statement.
> 
> when Mac gear fails and you are outside of the 90-day warranty, and without
> apple care, you then pay whatever rate Apple decides to charge you for the
> parts and service.
> 
> Since the mother board basically IS the computer, you can expect to pay a
> pretty penny for that, plus whatever hourly rate the procedure costs.
> 
> while it's easy to compare the applecare cost against the cost of a computer
> which is relatively inexpensive to purchase, that purchase price is NOT an
> accurate predictor of the potential cost to have that computer REPAIRED.
> 
> A technician who charges $65/hr for computer repairs is not going to lower
> her/his rate simply because you bought an inexpensive Mac. Same goes for the
> prices of components.  
> 
> the economies of scale which enable the sale of inexpensive computers do not
> transfer to the repair of individual computers.
> 
> zc
> 
> 
> 
> On Apr 16, 2009, at 9:52 AM, Zane H. Healy wrote:
>
>       When something like Applecare costs 1/3 the price you really
>       have to
>
>       question its value. 
> 
> 
> 
>