Posted on 12/02/2015 8:47:54 PM PST by Swordmaker
Whatever brand you swear by (or at) there's good news, and bad, in the findings. But this Consumer Reports survey of 58,000 notebook owners finds one vendor has a huge edge in reliability and satisfaction - and it probably isn't yours.
Notebook computers can be one of the most maddening consumer devices ever - especially when they break. A survey of 58,000 Consumer Reports subscribers adds some welcome evidence into just how likely notebooks are to break - by brand.
Consumer Reports is the world's largest independent, nonprofit, consumer product testing organization. They buy the products they test, don't accept advertising, and don't allow their results to be used for promotion. I'm a fan of their work.
BIG PICTURE
In the survey, almost 20 percent of respondents reported a breakdown in the first 3 years of use, most of them seriously affecting system use.
Apple, as in year's past, has the most reliable notebooks by far - a 10 percent breakdown rate in the first 3 years - with Samsung and Gateway distant seconds at 16 percent, and the rest of the industry - including Acer, Lenovo, Toshiba, HP, Dell and Asus, at 18-19 percent.
Windows machines used more than 20 hours a week - average for Windows systems - have a higher break rate. Apple users report using their machines an average of 23 hours a week, 15 percent more. More hours, fewer breakdowns, what's not to like?
WHEN BREAKDOWNS OCCUR
Yet Apple buyers face problems too. While overall reliability is good, Apple notebooks have a consistent 3-4 percent annual breakdown rate, while Windows machines are much more likely to fail in the first year, often under warranty.
While Apple notebooks break less often, when they do they are often more expensive to fix. That's one reason why CR advises Apple buyers to consider the Apple Care extended warranty, especially since Apple's phone support is highly rated. On Windows machines, they advise you to save money by skipping add-on warranties.
However, Windows machines are more likely to be lemons: among those that broke, 55 percent did so multiple times. The figure for Apple was 42 percent.
CUSTOMER SAT
Psychologists have found that an early negative experience takes many positive experiences to overcome. A rational economic actor - if there was one! - might think that sure, Windows notebooks fail more often, but they cost less, so OK.
But people aren't rational.
High early failure rates may be a key factor in another of CR's findings: 71 percent of Apple notebook owners were completely satisfied with system reliability; only 38 percent of Windows notebook owners were. Ouch!
THE STORAGE BITS TAKE
The survey results - 58,000 is a big sample size by any measure - should end the argument over whether MacBook hardware is better or not. It is. Get over it.
But you - and probably the survey respondents - can buy a $400 Windows notebook, so I'd like the results better if they'd controlled for product price. Maybe a $850 Windows machine is just as reliable as an $850 MacBook Air.
One would hope!
Thanks for letting us know what a bigot you are.
There you go again, bolobaby, spouting your lies and ad hominem attacks. Give it a rest.
My nephew got a gaming Asus before he went to the sand three years afo. Still going strong
My apple laptop is 7 years old, replaced the battery is all.
Gets light use, use it for motorbike trips and in the garage for tech manuals.
It has over 30,000 miles in the topcase of my motorbike.
Bigot? Seriously? Did you just say that? Because I have disdain for Mac fetishists? WTF are you doing on a conservative board? You’re obviously also a high priest in the Cult of PC.
Mac fetishes and PC devotion usually do go hand in hand. Let me close by really giving you the vapors: I have no time for your faggotry.
But, the guy said no problem, we're sending it back to the regional service place and replacing anything that is not 80% perfect for free anyway.
New Logic Board. New Port Strip. New Touch Pad. New Keyboard. New Top Body, Bottom Body. Anything that didn't perform up to 80% of tests. ALL that stuff was working fine when I brought it in.
I know for a fact that they would have replaced the battery had it not been about perfect ... because exactly 4 days before a guy a work with -> wife went though same thing - many major parts replaced, and they did the battery.
They must check to see how much money you've spent with them - and appy an algorithm of 'we need to keep this guy' (me not all that much - although I had iPhone 4 years ago, now Android for 4 years, and have iPad. Had 2400$ Mac Pro that I dumped a glass of water in 5 years ago (the one time I brought a drink and computer onto futon at the same time) (no free replacement there)).
All Free, though - the stuff not totally my fault. I have to assume Best Buy, on a Windows machine would have said 'well, you're screwed'. But ... it's a 1200 computer, and frankly the logic board should not mysteriously just die after 2 years.
That's just info - not necessarily praising or not praising Apple.
Thanks for proving the point. You are a bigot, making assumptions without foundation, and resorting to ad hominem attacks and insults when you have no evidence or facts. Pathetic. . . and ignorant. . . plus sadly stupid.
Your projection on that last accusation is very telling.
stop typing so hard. banging the keyboard is no answer; you’re going to bruise your only friend.
Great article. I still use my 2006 white MacBook with a “60W MagSafe Power Adapter” which was huge at the time.
Wow. Congratulations on an excellent roster of Apple devices.
“Apple II.” Very impressive.
“Mac SE.” Yup. Been there, done that.
“Quadra.” It’s official: You are a real pro.
The Surface Pro is great——so far.
Mac user since 2004- G4, MacBook, MacBook Pro. No Apple toys, none to come.
I’m hard on them- cigarette ashes, mass quantities of dog hair, the occasional drowning or falling over. Or crumbs. My issues have been user error, mostly. After the warranty/ AppleCare runs out, find a private shop- but under warranty, support is fantastic. My MacBook (finally) went into repair yesterday, so I will report to the Apple list how that worked out. $150 to replace the screen.
They are ultra simple to use, practically self repairing if you stumble across a bad site, super fast- worth their weight in gold for the frustration you save over “the evil ones”. You do get what you pay for with them, imho.
That said, this is the last for me. The MB Pro is not my favorite & i think the focus on toys is going to hurt the computers (+ losing Steve Jobs).
Oh duh. This *is* the Apple list.
One would hope!
Yes, one would, and one might find the answer in the detailed survey results, but they seem to be behind the Consumer Reports paywall. I wonder how Consumer Reports defines "break down" and "fail."
my Acer is great too.....yes, I’ve had it several yrs and its getting slower....but aren’t we all...
WOW! Doubling down with the insults. Total lack of civility, John. . . and total lack of facts or evidence. You are the one who entered this thread to TROLL. If you don't like the topic, there are thousands of other threads you may prefer. Read and comment on those. You'll be more welcome there. You don't do insults well.
troll? you can’t troll worthlessness, which is what your threads are; worthless mac marketing threads that are whoring themselves out in the service of selling apple goods and services.
you’re a walking, talking, constantly posting advertisement for apple.
I bought my first Macbook in 2008 and haven’t looked back. What a relief to have a computer that doesn’t get a virus of the week. It is wonderful. Yes it is expensive but the old saying to get what you pay for is definitely the correct statement in this case.
Look, idiot. There are 700+ members of the Apple Ping list who disagree with you. I manage that list and each and every single one of those 700+ of your fellow freepers have asked me personally to post these threads or to ping them to threads about Apple that others have posted. YOUR irritation with Apple threads is outnumbered by their desires to read and participate in these threads. This thread and others are NOT advertisements. . . nor is this thread or any of the others intended to sell Apple products but to inform the Freepers who are members of the Ping list of something THEY are interested in learning about. The members of the Apple Ping list freely chose to buy and use Apple products. YOU didn't Fine, I can live with it. Why can't you live with their choice?
There is also a Windows Ping list run by dayglored for the same purpose for Windows users, an Android Ping list run by ThunderSleeps for Android users, and a general Tech Ping list run by Shadow Ace. Live with those as well. Now quit being an asshat and give it a rest.
If you don’t mind being tethered to google then a Chromebook is a much better value than a Macbook. Chromebooks have very long battery life, are lightweight. Go for a 14” or 13.3” model.
Amazon customer ratings are a good guide. Check out the exceptional ratings and low prices
http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-CB35-B3340-Chromebook-Celeron-HD-Screen/dp/B00N99FXIS/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1449133045&sr=1-2&keywords=Toshiba+CB35
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