My step-son will be starting his freshman year in college in a few weeks and we would like to get him a laptop since everything done by the university is done through email. We are looking at buying one through BestBuy since we have one local to us and we have purchased electronics from them in the past with good luck (knocking on wood now).

My question is the optional Service Plan which runs roughly $130.00 extra. Is it worth it? Keep in mind the kid is 19 years old and is more than likely going to use it to play fantasy football and surf for **** with his buddies when he should be working on his school work. I have come to accept this fact but his mother has not. (Yes, she needs to wake up and smell what he's trying to shovel at her).

The university has computer support (to an extent) but if he happens to trash it somehow, we would like to have some back up.

Any suggestions would be helpful as we are going to be pulling the trigger on the purchase soon.

I have read through previous posts about this with mixed results.

 

Skip it. If your son is going to a halfway decent university then any of his friends will be able to fix it if/when something goes wrong in exchange for some beer.

 

Funny you should mention beer. The campus is a wet campus. Any student 21 years or older is allowed to have either a six pack of beer or one fifth of liquor in there room.

During our tour of the campus in the spring, our tour guide showed us several apartment style dorms that they offer. There was a sixer of Bud on top of one of the kid's dressers when we walked in. You could hear the parents' heart beats just stop. It was funny as hell. Believe it or not, your kid is going to pound some brew when they go to college. It's gonna happen.

Back on track. Thanks Zaairman!

 

I agree with the Z man here, I havent had to have a computer professionally serviced ever. My friends are able to fix about any problem I run into and usually in under 30 minutes.

 

if he doesnt have friends then the university should have some sort of computer repair place or tech support type of thing there, about the only problem that could happen to make it worth the money is physical damage

 

That's what I'm afraid of. I'll rip his arms off and beat him with them if he breaks it.

 

I say skip it as well. Best Buy and other similar places (Circuit City, CDW, etc...) usually make a pretty penny off of those warranties and they usually aren't that good to begin with. I use to work for CDW back in the day (Computer Discount Warehouse, based out of Chicago) and I've sold my share of warranties, and have had my share of pissed off customers when they realize things that they thought were covered, aren't.

I would suggest investing in some good Anti-virus software though, especially if he's going to be surfing **** sites. Anti-virus software like Nortons, MacAfee, etc... are pretty good, and reasonably priced. He'll more than likely get a free 30 day trial with the laptop anyway. But it's worth the extra $ to pick up a permanent license.

 

Thanks guys. We're hoping to head up to BestBuy sometime this weekend. Kids are frickin expensive.

 

I've been servicing laptop, desktops, installing and configuring LAN's for about 8 years now. I use to work for a large university here in NYC (education) now I work for the government and I will tell you that the warranty is more than worth it but their is a catch. The catch is, who's provding the warranty? Bestbuy or the computer manufacture. If bestbuy is providing the warranty what does it cover. The reason I ask this is b/c warranties usually just cover hardware. Meaning if his computer is infected with spyware or a virus you will have to pay to have it fix even if you have a warranty. If the computer manfacture is providing the warranty does this warranty cover accidental damage? Ex. Spill and drops. For $130 I think that it is well worth it but if you can try and get the warranty through the computer manfacture. Also how many years does the $130 warranty cover. Im not here to slam any company's out there but when it comes to repairs and receiving parts Dell, IBM and Apple lead. Dell just has bad customer service. Your decision is your decision but take it from me b/c I've worked on 3 college campuses. Its not him that you have to worry about its his roommates.


I always would get students telling me what my roommate stepped on the cord and it fell or that my roommate spilled beer on it. If your not purchasing a Dell, IBM or Apple make your purchase in this order

HP
Toshiba

If you need to purchase a printer only purchase HP.

If I can be of anymore assistance please PM me. This is what I do for a living, sleep, eat, chit and breathe

 

Thanks pmason. That's my biggest worry, that it's going to get dropped, spilled on or something like that. I need to read the fine print for BestBuy's warranty.

Craz - where did you buy your laptop at and how much was your "anything" warranty (if you don't mind me asking or if you do shoot me a pm)? I don't mind paying extra for something that is actually going to help me out when I need it.

 

skip it. i didnt buy it when i went to college. been here going on 3 yrs and no major problems so far. friends or the it help desk is always available to help out if something does go wrong.

 

Yeap, defiantly skip it.

I was one of those "friends" in college that was constantly taxed with fixing internet-**** lovers computers. Gladly fixed computers for some green reimbursement (no.. not money.)

 

For Anti-virus load AVG, its free and works great

 

Get the warranty from the computer manufacturer. If you go the their sites they list the warranties they have and what they cover. I'd go with a Toshiba, but thats just me.

Link to standard warranties, scroll to bottoom of page.

http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/t...ceghdgngdgnj.0

Link to upgraded/extened warranties i.e liquid spills, drops etc...

http://www.toshibadirect.com/td/b2c/...4&ccid=1291043

If dropping it or physical damage is a concern then I'd get the longest yr warranty any company offers that covers drops/liquid spills/cracked LCD screens.

 

the "anything warranties" are fun. I work for Circuit City, and 100% honest to god truth on this. We replaced a customers laptop ($1200 sony vaio) because her dad backed over it. We didnt ask how, but in she came with a flat vaio with tires marks and walked out 30 minutes later with a new and better one (old one was a year and a half old).


People are walking accidents, its happens. Thats why we have insurance, why not protect a valuable investment?

And for the record, im not in sales at CC. I did sales, hated it....never had good numbers (IE selling warranties) and I hate salesman go figure.

Id rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.