Should you get AppleCare+ for your iMac?
Best answer: For most people, it's worth investing in AppleCare+ to protect their iMac because of its extended three-year warranty, access to 24/7 tech support, and much lower repair fees.Small starter: 21.5-inch iMac (2019) (From $1,099 at Apple)Large and in charge: 27-inch iMac (2020) (From $1,799 at Apple)
Like any insurance plan, AppleCare+ provides peace of mind for your device
Even though your iMac probably doesn't move around nearly as much as a MacBook, it's still essential to keep it protected. It could get pulled off of your desk by its power cord, or short out during an electrical storm. Something might happen to the display, or you might encounter some kind of other hardware trouble.
In these cases, it's worth having AppleCare+ on your device if you need to have Apple repair or replace some aspect of your Mac. Problems can crop up at any time, even well past the standard warranty lifetime, so it's good to have that little bit of additional insurance that your purchase will be safe, or at least that you won't have to pay full price if it's damaged. With AppleCare+, you'll pay a lower price to repair any damage than you would without that coverage.
What is Apple's standard warranty?
Apple's standard warranty offers 90 days of free technical support, as well as a one-year limited warranty. If something goes wrong with your device within the first 90 days, you can call 1-800-APL-CARE to get help over the phone for your problem.
If something goes wrong with your Mac that isn't your fault, Apple will repair or replace your device or device part. Issues like these can include RAM malfunctions, drive errors, graphics processor trouble, and more.
So, if you turn on your Mac for the first time and the screen has strange vertical lines running down one side, or the speakers have a weird crackling noise emanating from them, then Apple would replace it at no extra charge. But if you do something to your iMac and need it repaired, you'll want to have AppleCare+.
The benefits of AppleCare+
AppleCare+ works as an extension of your device's existing warranty, and it provides the same benefits, no matter the device. Not only do you get additional coverage, but that coverage lasts a lot longer.
With AppleCare+, you get the following:
- A three-year limited hardware warranty
- Three years of 24/7 technical support
- Coverage for up to two incidents of accidental damage (subject to a service fee)
The cost of AppleCare+
There are different prices for AppleCare+ depending on the type of device you have. For the iMac, you'll pay $169 for the additional coverage of AppleCare+.
If you have to use the accidental damage coverage that AppleCare+ provides, know that Apple will charge you a service fee for any damage you cause to your device. Apple's service fees under AppleCare+ break down like this:
- $99 to repair any screen damage
- $299 to repair any other damage
That $299 might seem steep, but it's less than you're likely to pay to fix accidental damage if you're not covered by AppleCare+.
A great small desktop for most people.
Coming in either 1080p or 4K resolutions, the 21.5-inch iMac is a great everyday computer for most people, even if it's missing the more powerful configuration options of its big sibling.
Apple's powerhouse all-in-one gets a major upgrade.
The new 2020 27-inch iMac sports the same big beautiful 5K display that it has for years, now with a new nano coating option for reduced glare. You can load it with up to 128GB of RAM, an 8TB SSD, and a 10-core Intel Core i9 10th-generation processor.
