Macbook Buying Guide – December 09

The new Macbooks are better than ever. Macbook, Macbook Pro, and Macbook Air product lines have all gotten upgrades with faster CPUs (and SD Slots with premium Macs). You can always purchase your Mac from Apple but why would you want to when you can get a lot of freebies and better prices from other retailers. The following Macbook comparison matrix lets you find the lowest prices on latest Macbooks (prices include rebates and discounts but do not include freebies such as free Parallels software):

The above Mac prices are based on the latest updates from retailers.

Macbook Buying Tips:

• Don’t forget that Apple charges you sales tax as well so the total price will be much higher whereas ClubMac or Macmall don’t charge you any tax.
• Don’t forget about the rebates on printers and other goodies
• Don’t forget to get your Parallels software for free when it’s offered.

AppleCare Protection Plan – MacBook

To buy an extended warranty or not to buy a warranty. That’s the question. At least that’s the case when it comes to PCs. Most PCs won’t last you more than a couple of years anyway, so there is so much you can do to protect your PC against accidents. With Macs, you get superior devices that will last you for a while. So buying warranty for your Mac is actually a tougher decision.

AppleCare Protection Plan protects your Macbook for up to 3 years. It does cover AirPort Extreme Card, AirPort Express or AirPort Extreme Base Station, and Apple RAM included the coverage, but more importantly it gets you phone support to help you get out of tight spots.  Here is how you can get on with repairing your Macbook:

• carry-in service (to Apple retail stores or Apple Authorized Service Providers)
• direct mail-in service
• onsite service (for desktop computers)
• Do-It-Yourself (DIY)

Should you get a warranty for your Mac? If you plan on using it for the next few years, you really must. Macbooks may be superior to PCs, but you can’t avoid unfortunate situations that could end up killing or reducing your Mac’s performance. The fact that it will cost you only $60 a year is a big plus too.