When laptops die
How reliable is your laptop? According to SquareTrade, a firm that provides independent warranties for laptops, not very, when compared to other consumer electronics. In fact, one in five laptops will automatically malfunction within three years -- and that rises to almost a third, if you include accidents by hapless users, such as dropping them.
Things are particularly bad for HP users, according to SquareTrade. Just over 15% of HP laptops malfunctioned in two years, it said, using the data to predict that a quarter of machines made by the firm would go belly up of their own accord in a three-year period. Gateway and Acer were the next most unreliable, with Apple, Dell, and Lenovo sitting in the middle.
The most reliable laptops were made by Asus. 9% of those malfunctioned in two years, with 15.6% expected to bork in a three-year timeframe. Toshiba, the next most reliable, at almost exactly the same score.
Should we be asking for more from our laptop vendors? SquareTrade thinks not. Although it says that the failure rate is higher than most consumer electronics, it points out that laptops have more sophisticated and complex sets of components than many other devices. They also tend to be treated more roughly than many other electronic devices, such as televisions, for example, which don't get banged around in laptop bags.
One thing that SquareTrade doesn't look at, though, is service. Laptops may die, but how the company treats the customer when a repair is needed plays a big part in a customer's experience. Does the company turn around the repair quickly? Is the process for returning and collecting the machine fraught with bureaucracy?
The other problem is malfunctions that may be device flaws, rather than straightforward hardware problems that kill a machine outright. For example, reports have been circulating about a flaw in Apple's bright, shiny new 27 inch iMacs. Some -- but not all -- have been having problems playing back Flash video, according to reports.
When such issues arise, it can be difficult to tell whether that is a software problem or a hardware malfunction, and while the vendor sorts it out, frustrated users just have to sit and wait. I had an Apple machine a while ago with a keyboard that simply decided to stop working, and then and started again, at unpredictable times. I had to wait until the company issued a software update before I could write properly. Not fun -- and not something you'd expect from a supposedly professional hardware and software vendor.
Anyway, one thing seems certain: the extortionate three-year service warranty packs that these companies often charge may be more important than you think. Maybe that $179 HP Total Care three-year pickup and return extended service plan is worth it, after all. Or maybe you'd like to stump up a little less dough for one of SquareTrade's warranties, instead (but Canadians can only get one if you bought your equipment via eBay US).
Have you had a bad experience with a laptop, or a manufacturer's service? Or has someone treated you particularly well? Let us know what happened.
Danny Bradbury, MSN Tech and Gadgets
Comments
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Posted by: c.k. | Nov 21, 2009 2:13:53 AM
I bought a Compaq Presario 6 1/2 years ago and it has been in and of its case many times especially with trips to Australia and back. Maybe I am just one of the lucky few but it has been a great relationship until 2 weeks ago when it finally just gave in. I bought essentially the same model in HP with way more memory, goodies and a slightly larger screen for $1200. less than the first unit. Am I happy? You bet. At least so far... And so far I'm also happy with the performance of Windows 7 which was installed.
Posted by: Di | Nov 21, 2009 12:19:03 PM
We bought two Gateway NV54's at Costco recently. The kids accidentally set the operating system on mine up in French, which apparently can't be changed by the user. The 2nd laptop was set up successfully, but someone fell asleep playing on it, and in the process of waking up knocked his glass of pop all over the keyboard. Sigh. Off to Costco we went, where they replaced mine immediately, and gave hubby a support number to call because Costco's return policy doesn't cover "stupid". After an hour on the cell in the parking lot, first with a techie, then directly with Gateway, and a $200 charge to the credit card, off we went to Purolator with the damaged goods. Excellent service, as it was back in our hands in 5 days. VERY impressed with Gateway's turnaround time.
Posted by: SJH | Nov 21, 2009 2:47:45 PM
My Gateway MX7525 bought in 2006 is still going strong. And aside from a few missing 64-bit drivers for Windows and a wired issue where having an SD flash card in the reader causes it to hang on boot, it looks to be going for a few more years yet.
Gateway's support is great though, accidentally overwrote my recovery partition when using the included restore discs and the disc didn't come with any apps or drivers pre-loaded. Emailed gateway and they sent a new disc with the full restore including Recovery partition and Apps/drivers
Posted by: DL | Nov 21, 2009 3:30:58 PM
My brother bought a Compaq Presario 2200 about 7 years ago, and only now it has been seriously infected by a virus and has shut down completely. I've dropped it several times, and have taken it on many trips and it's such a tank it can honestly take anything. For my next laptop I'm thinking of getting the same brand or a Toshiba. All in all I've had a great experience with Compaq laptops :)
Posted by: Ahmed | Nov 21, 2009 4:22:03 PM
Hp is the best laptops ever had mine for 20 years still working strong
Posted by: Irwin | Nov 21, 2009 10:30:51 PM
I've had my HP Laptop for about 6 years, bought it at Staples, It's never been in for repair, wish me luck on another six.
Posted by: martina | Nov 21, 2009 11:17:23 PM
bought my acer 5yrs ago.its been everywhere.trains,planes and riding around in my van.its dragged around the house by 2 kids under age 10 and so far 0 repairs
Posted by: Dan | Nov 22, 2009 8:57:10 PM
bought my brand new HP 14 months ago, the video card is completely destroyed and the battery reaches scorching hot temperatures, and the hinges have broken.. the laptop has been in my office and has never been moved. I use it for work purposes only, and HP wants to charge me $400 to fix it.
HP SUCKS !
Posted by: Adam | Nov 23, 2009 5:54:20 AM
I bought a Toshiba laptop about 2 and a half years ago. Directly after i bought it the thing was basically an oven. It could toast anything and was loud as an engine. @ months after buying it it would crash after 40 mins, so i took it in. They said the motherboard needed replacing (Was under warrenty) Took 1 month to get the part. I got the computer back, and things became better than expected. It does not generate too much heat, I rarely have the thing crash. and it appears not to have any issues anymore. I dont anticipate the laptop living past three years. but its still going. I think a golden rule of laptops is to assume it will wor 3 years then after that buy a new one and transition. And above all get your extended warrenty!
Posted by: acer user | Nov 23, 2009 8:28:49 AM
I bought another Acer after assurance from a friend who worked for Source that they had greatly improved over my previous Acer purchase.
I don't know if it's Acer or Vista but in less than a year it's time to send it in for repairs.
Posted by: Cookie | Nov 23, 2009 3:29:56 PM
I have an acer laptop, Love it! I have had it in to the warranty repair shop twice over the last 4 years once for a fan the second was a mother board and 2 hard drives. Still wouldnt trade it for any thing else. Ive been told that because of the programs I use the internal computer parts are not a fan of mine and they cant survive as long.
Posted by: David | Nov 23, 2009 4:43:31 PM
I've owned a MSI note book 4+ yrs. now. At the start I wasn't too computer savy,It crashed acouple
times. I took it in for a couple of diagnostics, and learned how to d my own maintiance. Like, using
disk defrag, formatting, boot protocols, and adding ram changing HDD. The MSI has been up and
down the highway in a truck and everywere else, runs fine,I reciently switched to XP pro from home.
Posted by: Sam | Nov 23, 2009 8:23:50 PM
HP replaced the motherboard on 2 occasions in less than 3 months because the wireless card malfunctioned; the laptop worked except that wireless access was not possible. After the second time, the third motherboard lasted less than 6 months and died; now HP wants almost $400 to repair the laptop.
Posted by: Al | Nov 23, 2009 10:42:56 PM
I teach at a K-12 school and buy the comp equipment. In the last four years we have bought nothing but refurbished Dells from Dell including just over 50 laptops. Every business class machine - Latitude and Optiplex - have been a dream even with the beating school kids give equipment. Every non business machine has been a nightmare. You always get what you pay for. Refurbished Latitudes @$350 Optiplex @$179
Posted by: Don | Nov 24, 2009 9:49:57 PM
Well my sister bought an HP entertainment laptop 2 years ago it still work but slow she downloaded a lot of music and droped it on numerous occasion my other sister bought an acer aspire mini droped it from 2 feet and know the ssd is destroyed some people like acer i have an hp but my sister got a lemon maquarading as an orange
Posted by: Steve | Nov 28, 2009 2:45:23 PM
I purchased a refurbished 17' HP Laptop for half price $699.00 on Boxing Day of 08 and it only lasted a little over a year. Turns out this particular series has a video chip problem and the only way to fix it was to replace the mother board at a cost of $300.00 bucks!!!
Buying HP is like playing crapshoot,...I'll just stay away from them the next time I have to replace another laptop again.
Posted by: Don | Dec 1, 2009 10:26:17 PM
I bought a HP 9000 Pavillion two years ago at Best Buy... it died (mother board failure) shortly after it's first birthday.. Maybe I should have know, HAL 9000 went wonkers in 2001 Space Odessy? In any event, for those sporting longer life HP's... maybe they were made in North America. These days laptops and celarly my HP demonstrate that you get what you paid for __________