Some things need to be carefully considered when you own a MacBook. As a premier and popular brand, MacBooks basically get expensive each year.
So in an instance when your MacBook needs to be repaired, you might come to the point of mulling over if it is a better decision to buy a new one than to have it fixed.
It primarily depends on the type of damage incurred by your laptop. If it happens to be minor, your first impulse could be to just have it repaired. Then again, you should think it over deliberately because, in the long run, you might realize that it is more practical to purchase a new MacBook.
If the warranty of your MacBook is expired, the cost of your repair will apparently be impacted. You’ll be charged for the repair service mainly because it is no longer covered by the warranty. What if your laptop got damaged because of a drop or a spill? You’ll be surprised by the repair charges, and that’s almost half the price of buying a new laptop!
What Are Apple Repair Tiers?
There are three different tiers to categorize the repair of MacBooks. Normally, it is called “repair”, but for the most part, this procedure involves the swapping or replacement of laptop parts and components.
If, for example, your laptop chassis got broken or scratched, the technicians at the Apple repair shop will not pull out the damage to be repaired, but you will be instead charged for the chassis replacement.
If you spill coffee on the logic board, then the logic board, as a component, will be replaced. Each of these two situations is an example of tier 1 repair.
When three components need to be replaced, then the repair will be upgraded to tier 2. The pricing for this is also of the same category, the tier 2 rate.
It cannot be specified as to how much exactly you would pay for a MacBook repair because of laptop year and model variations. But below are the details of the different tiers of repairing a MacBook:
First Tier
Replacement of minor components such as feet or screws, cables, brackets, and reseating.
Second Tier
Repairs include assemblies and the swapping of minor boards. Typically, these involve the replacement of the inverter, the power supply, and the interconnects board. Aside from these, there’s also the switching of an LCD polarizer and other enclosure components.
Third Tier
This refers to any hard drive replacements.
Fourth Tier
This encompasses any significant and detrimental repairs such as those that relate to the major logic board, or if the screen needs to be replaced.
Repair Of Broken or Damaged MacBook Screen
It’s an overwhelming issue if your MacBook screen gets damaged. It’s because although your laptop may still function, it becomes annoying and inconvenient to use it. Over time, the damage worsens as well.
A broken MacBook screen is quite a common problem, and it accounts for ¼ of the total number of repairs performed in an Apple repair shop. This issue often occurs because of a drop, a sudden pixel glitch, or dropping something hard on your computer.
The rate that you’ll be paying for a MacBook screen repair accords with the tier and the year and model of your computer.
Liquid Damage On Your MacBook
The cost of this repair is based on the tier. If you spill coffee on a 13-inch Apple laptop, this will be categorized as tier 4 repair and costs quite a lot. Astronomical, in fact, and this means 60% of the price of a brand new Apple MacBook Air.
When Should You Repair Or Sell Your MacBook?
Not all issues about your Apple laptop are expensive to fix. Cases when having it fixed is more practical include:
When It Is Better To Repair
- Your computer running slow. It may mean that your hard drive is worn out, and replacing it is affordable.
- A corrupted OS. This tends to be caused by improper shutdowns or updates. Repairing this problem is not hard on the pocket.
- Malware. A small bug or virus might have attacked your computer. Malware-infected Macs are a common repair issue in Apple repair shops, and this is a budget-friendly fix.
When It Is Better To Sell and Buy A New MacBook
- A broken screen is a complicated issue, and it’s better to sell if it happens to your Apple laptop. It is a better option especially if your computer has a Retina screen. A replacement for this component costs half the price of a brand new MacBook. Instead of paying a huge cost for its repair, sell your laptop instead and use your earnings plus your budget for the repair to buy a new one.
- Your computer doesn’t turn on. The problem usually has something to do with the motherboard, and repairs for these are likely to be costly.
You may also want to read;