A WORD ON WARRANTIES
Almost every laptop you might buy today is backed by at
least a one-year warranty on parts and labor. Extended
warranties are also available, but whether they’re
worthwhile depends on what kind of user you are.
For starters, the standard warranty doesn’t cover
accidents caused by a spilled drink or a hard fall. Most
manufacturers sell accident coverage as a separate plan,
on top of extended warranties that supplement a
standard one, so you might end up spending close to
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maximum three-year extended warranty ($250), while
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four years.
In our opinion, if the warranty costs more than 15
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spending the money on backup drives or services that
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course, you can’t put a price on peace of mind. In rare
instances, the logic board or the display—the most
expensive pieces of a laptop—can fail and cost you half of
what the laptop is worth in repairs. Faulty components
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that is probably more about regular wear and tear.
READY FOR OUR RECOMMENDATIONS?
So, what’s the best laptop to get for school? There are
more choices on the market today than ever before, and
slogging through them can be daunting. No worries,
though: We did the work for you. Read on to check out
the hottest laptops to grace the dorm room, classroom,
and quad for this school year. (We kept the pricing below
$1,000, with the exception of the latest MacBook Air,
which we consider the best value in the current MacBook
Pro line for most Apple-loyal students who don’t need
heavy processing power.)
If the warranty
costs more
than 15
percent of the
price, you’re
better off
spending the
money on
backup drives.