TR Forums

Hello,

Right now I'm considering the purchase of a laptop.

Yet, like anyone else I've discovered the model I'm interested in and am ready to buy it, yet two options have become available to me.

Pay a high price and get medium grade parts BUT with an extended three year warranty.

Or...

Pay a slightly lower price for HIGH grade parts YET get only a one year warranty.

Right now, I'm not really sure what to do and I'm curious if any of you have found the an extended warranty wasteful or useful.

I'm not really sure about LCD life, or what else, but I'd like to hear your expierences with this sort of thing.

In short, is it just a marketing gimmick?

Thank you,

Draal

I would say it depends on how you treat you equipment. If your one of those who baby their equipment, always being gentle with it, cleaning it, buying the overpriced padded case etc.. it's not worth it. But if you a little more careless with your gear like I am; tossing it in the backpack, eating with it on your lap, sitting on it occasionally, taking it everywere.. get the warranty it was worth it for me. (2 new dell ultrasharp lcd's so far)

BTW: lcds on a laptop will last for several years, (mind buddies have old thinkpads from 7-8 years ago and lcd's are fine.)

Warranties are totally worth it in my opinion for laptops. You never know when you'll need it and it's not that easy to repair laptops (plus, getting parts is a bitch). Warranty from Best Buy even covers batteries. You can get up to like one a year I think. The only thing it doesn't cover is accidental damages and software problems (such as viruses and spyware). The warranty from Dell I believe does cover accidental damages (but not intentional damages) but does not cover batteries.