Now, this is a very interesting one. I know that my employer, pays for a support contract with a company to support our computers (and they pay a pretty penny too). Do I need that kind of coverage?
Let’s go check out the DELL web site, since they are a good example of where normal folks buy computers (I buy them from shadowy characters in stores, and we speak in code, so I am not a good example to work with right now).
Say we buy a Dell Dimension 3000 (it’s the current system on sale) for $499 (plus tax plus shipping). This system comes with 1 year on-site hardware service warranty, that’s pretty darn good. So for a year, if your system breaks, someone will come to your house and try to fix it! (Remember to do backups, run anti-virus, anti-spy and PAY for your software too, no pirated stuff, eh?).
To extend that warranty by 1 year it would cost me $79 (plus tax). Well, I have found that stuff on a computer will BREAK within the first 3 months of getting it (again, your mileage may vary). If the CPU goes, or the Motherboard, this is expensive to fix and you may as well buy a new system. A hard-drive crash? Unless you are running a porn web site on your system, your hard drive shouldn’t crash within a year. Do you extend the warranty? I wouldn’t but again that is just me (and I can fix these things myself).
Remember also with computers, in 3 years your system is a BOAT ANCHOR. Getting a warranty past that, means you are supporting a machine you most likely will want to replace!
Here is another good discussion (and real world example) from my buddies at Lockergnome.
Think about this kind of stuff guys!
Warranties
- Warranties? why would you get one? Maybe you just need a good support structure?
- Warranties (Part ii) for cars? Are extended warranties worth the money? Yes, in my case.
- Warranties (again) are they worth having? More discussions on that topic.
- Warranties and Computers – should you really pay for this? I don’t but I can usually repair it myself, except Apple products.
- Warranties a Final Thought – what parameters should you consider in your decision
- Extended Warranties: An Update explains why the extended warranty on my van saved me.
That’s why you buy clones made with parts that carry 3-year manuf warranties(actual manufacturers’, not the guys who assembled the final PC), especially hard drives. Yes, I know hard drives now come with 1 year warranties, but check the product catalogues, you’ll find still plenty of quite-affordable drives with 3 year manuf warranties. CPUs, too, come with 3 year warranties if you buy the boxed versions. I don’t know about motherboards, but I believe most good manufs give 3 years.