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Warranties - A Brief Introduction |
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A laptop WAR(ranty), what is it good for! (with apologies to Edwin Starr). Few people look at it, fewer understand when they do, but is this right? Should we be more aware of what is in these wordy documents that read like a less exciting version of mrs Miggins' monthly shopping list? Of course we should, so here is a brief round up of the wonderful world of warranties. Get a nice big pot of hot coffee ready, and take regular leg breaks. |
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In short notebook
warranties can be summed up in six words "How big are your brass
balls?". It's all about risk management, playing the numbers game,
looking twice before you cross the street, and any other
probability related clichés that come to mind. The chances
are your brand new laptop isn't going to burst into flames
anytime soon, but it's all down to your ability to trust the
manufacturer, and the cruel hand of fate. Every new laptop, at the very least, should come with a one year warranty. Then if something goes wrong with it, as long as you haven't damaged it on purpose, spilt a deliberate hot toffee nut latte on it, or opened it up to see if it's being pedal powered by a super intelligent hamster, you should be covered from a whole year from purchase. Think of a laptop warranty as a thank you from the company for buying their product. If something they have had a hand in goes wrong you're covered. The small print varies with each maker, so it's important to check the tiny writing at the bottom of the warranty before you start protesting outside their corporate headquarters. Extended laptop warranties are a mixed bag though. An extended warranty is, as you might have guessed from the title, an extension to the one year warranty, usually for three years, and this is where the brass balls and a little common sense come in. These extended warranties cover a lot more than the first year, but, are they worth it? A good guide to go by is if the extended warranty is over 25% of the total cost of purchase then it's not a good deal. If you're going to pay over this it's probable you could get your broken laptop fixed easily for less. A word of warning about the extended warranties in store bought laptops as well. The spotty faced assistant, straight out of school will probably suggest you take out an extended warranty with them. Perhaps they'll make veiled threats that if you don't PC Armageddon is just around the corner. Don't be duped by these tactics. These chaps are invariably on commission and you can sometimes get a better deal by going directly to the manufacturer. Another tip is if you pay for your laptop with your credit card it's possible you can extend your warranties for free anyway, check with your credit card distributor for special deals. So in short if you decide that you can't sleep at night worrying that your notebook will freeze, or get the blue screen of death at any second, take out an extended warranty. But, remember to shop around for the best deal. Good luck! Read - Indepth Laptop Warranty Guide By Ian Bandy - Laptopical Friday, August 11, 2006 |
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