My computer, which I’ve had for about three years, is starting to act up. Should I fix it ? Or just replace it ?
If your computer is still under warranty, you should see about getting it repaired. If not, here are some guidelines to determine if it’s worth repairing or ought to be replaced from Donna Tapellini, author of the Tech Check column in the September issue of ShopSmart ($ 4. 99 ), published by Consumer Reports: Don’t fix a computer that’s more than 4 years old. It’s not worth sinking any more money into a system that old. A 3- to 4-year-old computer could be worth repairing, depending on the cost and on whether the system still meets your needs. A computer that’s less than 2 years old is probably worth fixing. Don’t bother with repairs — regardless of the computer’s age — if you have to spend more than half the price of a new system.
Computers are among the most repair-prone of all the products followed by ShopSmart. About 40 percent of laptops and 30 percent of desktops needed repairs within three or four years of their purchase. Worse, most tech-support services have a well-deserved bad reputation. Here are some ways to avoid having to deal with poor tech support: If you buy an Apple, you’ll probably be in good hands. It has the best tech support, and it’s free — but only for 90 days from the date you purchase your computer. If you live near an Apple store you can count on its in-house Genius Bar service to help you. Advice is free; repair costs depend on the problem and your warranty coverage. If you don’t live near an Apple store, consider buying an extended warranty for tech support.
If you’re buying a Windows system, consider a Dell. Its tech support is rated above average at problem-solving in ShopSmart’s January survey that tracked 10, 000 computer-support requests. Lenovo is a standout for laptop problem-solving, followed by Dell, Toshiba and Gateway.
It generally doesn’t pay to buy an extended warranty from any company other than Apple. But if you need a little extra hand-holding, some companies’ extended plans promise premium levels of support. Dell’s and Gateway’s extended plans are especially good at problemsolving.
If you buy an extended warranty, don’t spend more than 10 percent of the PC’s purchase price for each extra year of coverage.
FEEDBACK:
Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online
