While modern computers are incredibly reliable and built to a very high specification and quality standard that minimizes the chance that you’ll ever need a warranty, it is still useful to be able to understand what you can expect from the different warranty types that are offered from computer makers.
There are a few different types of warranty on offer, each with its own set of pros and cons. Here are the four basic types of computer warranty and what they will mean practically for you.
Carry-In Warranty
The standard and most basic of laptop warranty is the carry-in warranty. You’ll find this warranty most commonly on entry-level consumer laptops and student discount computers. It might sometimes be called different things, like a depot warranty, but all the different names mean essentially the same thing.
If something goes wrong, it will be up to you to get it back to the manufacturer or a repair centre to be repaired. If you don’t live close to one, this might mean paying for shipping, but at the very least it’s going to be somewhat inconvenient because you’re likely not only going to have to drop it off, but you’re also going to have to fetch it when it’s repaired. They’re the most cost effective but be prepared to be inconvenienced if something goes wrong.
Collect, Repair and Return Warranty
A hybrid warranty offering of sorts, and one that over time has not been offered nearly enough as manufacturers and dealer repair centres have expanded in accessibility, and thus not a very popular offering, is the collect, repair and return warranty. As the name suggests, the laptop maker offers a service whereby they will collect, repair, and return the device to you.
This type of warranty puts the responsibility on the manufacturer to collect the laptop from you, return it to their depot or repair centre and once repaired, ship it back to you. You’ll still be without the laptop during the repair process, so if you need your device every day you may want to opt for a better laptop option like an on-site warranty, but you won’t need to worry about the logistics.
On-Site Warranty
The on-site warranty usually comes with the biggest additional price tag, but usually it’s worth it. If your laptop has an on-site warranty, the vendor will send out a technician or contractor to repair the system at your home or business instead of it having to be shipped or taken away.
In general, most issues can be resolved on-site, but more serious ones might still need the laptop to be taken away. The on-site warranty usually has a response time stipulated, so be sure to check how long you can expect to wait before someone attends to your problem.
Next Business Day Warranty
The next-business day warranty is the best warranty option available to general computer consumers. It guarantees that the response time to any support requests will be done during the next business day, which is Monday to Friday.
Depending on the device type, the response and contact of next business day may be followed by additional wait time for a new part or repair, but in general if you need your laptop to be running every day, the next business day warranty is the one you’ll want to opt for.
International Warranties
If you travel a lot for business or pleasure and spend some of your time out of the country, you should ensure that the device warranty supports international service and repairs. Most devices do, but it’s still important to check. If you work in a specific area or country when not at home, have a look at the repair centres and facilities around that area too so you can rest easy knowing it won’t be too much of an inconvenience if something does go wrong while you’re abroad.
The computer warranty is something like an insurance policy for your device developing unlikely faults during its warranty period. Like we mentioned, laptop computers and modern computing technology is so reliable that the chances of you ever actually needing a warranty or having issues with your device are very, very small – but on the off chance you do run into trouble, you’ll be thankful you have the right warranty for your device and needs.
