People have a long list of reasons why they like their Apple computers. In a survey conducted by Consumer Reports, Apple users cited few problems.
"Pretty bulletproof. Intuitive. Reliable. Good support," one man said.
Apple's tech support is tops in Consumer Reports' survey on the "best and worst for tech support." The survey asked about online support, phone wait time, and whether the staff was knowledgeable and communicated clearly,
And of course, whether the problem was solved.
"Acer, which owns Gateway and eMachines, got the lowest marks by far. They rated much worse than others for solving problems," Consumer Reports' Donato Vacarro said.
If you are looking for a PC, Lenovo,Toshiba and Dell had the highest customer satisfaction with their tech support when it came to laptops.
Dell and HP ranked the best of PCs when it came to the tech support for desk tops.
When it comes to computer reliability, another Consumer Reports survey covered more than 137,000 computers bought in the past five years.
With desktops, Apple shined again: needing the fewest repairs of leading computer makers. But when it came to laptops, no company excelled.
"About one in five laptops needed a repair within five years of ownership. And that underscores why having good technical support is so important," Vacarro said.
And while Apple's tech support is a standout, be aware its free phone support lasts only 90 days.
But if you can get to an Apple store, you can get unlimited tech support at its genius bar. However, you may have to pay for hardware.
Consumer Reports generally advises against an extended warranty. But if you use your laptop on the go, these plans are worth considering. As a guide, don't spend any more than about 10 per cent of the purchase price for each year of the extended coverage.
With a report from CTV British Columbia‘s Chris Olsen
