Dec. 8, 2009 ---

Written by Russ Levanway, SLO Chamber TAC Committee

Warranties for computers come in all shapes and sizes. Consumer systems come with a warranty between 90 days and 1 year in duration. Business level computers usually come with 1 or 3 year extended warranties. The cost of an extended warranty is often 10% or more of the total cost of a computer. While you can get a warranty that covers support for software on your computer, most computer warranties are only useful if you have a hardware issue.

Below are some questions we are often asked about warranties:

How long should the warranty on my computer be?

We recommend 3 years. This is the expected lifespan of a computer in a typical work environment. Computers can be used longer in environments where they are only used for basic tasks or by home users, but typically, 3 years is the rule. 

Also, avoid seemingly inexpensive systems, such as those you can purchase at your local office supply stores. These typically have a 90-day warranty. These computers tend to have cheap build quality, especially laptop systems. Since laptops often have to be repaired by the manufacturer or a licensed repair facility, a single diagnostic and repair is likely to cost around $250, thus negating the cost saved up front by purchasing a lower grade system 

What’s the point of a warranty if I have a technician on call to repair my computers?

Usually, replacement parts for computers are cheap and it’s the installation labor that is most costly. Having a technician replace a broken part on your computer will likely take a minimum of an hour. At $100 for the labor and $50 for the part, that one repair probably cost the same as a 3-year warranty for your computer.

Another potential problem to take note of is that many “break/fix” computer repair companies don’t verify if warranty service is still available for a computer. If you don’t keep track of the warranties on your computers, you may end up paying for the warranty AND for a local technician to repair your computer. This would be a waste of money, so be sure to track your warranties or have someone reliable track them for you.

What’s the point of having a technician if I have a warranty?

This is a great question. Typical warranty service covers defects in parts or workmanship on your computer. If your hard drive dies, for example, the warranty repair technician will install a new hard drive, but won’t re-install all of your programs, applications, or restore your files. You are still going to need that additional work to be performed. In addition, proactive technical staff should be expected to keep track of your systems warranties and manage relationships with your computer vendors. In that case, the technician should only bill for the time to send in the warranty request, and if necessary, the recovery of a system after a warranty repair is performed.

What about those warranties that cover software installation and troubleshooting software on my computer?

These are usually not worth it. Most major computer manufactures have outsourced call centers to handle these support issues. Your odds of getting a person who will help you resolve the problem with the minimum amount of time and frustration are slim. Not to mention, you will usually have to stand by the entire time they work on your issue, which is also a waste of your valuable time.

Here are three key recommendations in regards to computer warranties:

1. Get a warranty that fits the time frame you will be using the computer, typically 3 years in business environments.
2. Make sure your technical staff keeps track of all system warranties and utilizes them first for any hardware issues.
3. Avoid spending extra money on extended warranties that cover software installation and troubleshooting.