Anyone used the Microsoft Store warranty?

[charging_krogan]

Hey everyone

I'm looking to buy a new HP laptop to replace my budget Toshiba. It looks like the Microsoft Store has some good prices compared to Bestbuy or similar.

 

The problem is I'm not sure about the warranty. They're offering a "PerformanceGuard" protection plan which gives a 2 year extended warranty. Anyone have any experience with this? How does it compare to warranties from Dell and Apple?

 

[GoodBytes]

7 hours ago, charging_krogan said:

Hey everyone

I'm looking to buy a new HP laptop to replace my budget Toshiba. It looks like the Microsoft Store has some good prices compared to Bestbuy or similar.

 

The problem is I'm not sure about the warranty. They're offering a "PerformanceGuard" protection plan which gives a 2 year extended warranty. Anyone have any experience with this? How does it compare to warranties from Dell and Apple?

 

I only have the experience of Microsoft Extended Warranty for my Surface Pro 2 over the phone. I read online that if the store has the unit in stock (so you use the warranty before the product is replaced by the next gen), they'll just swap yours with a new unit (of course, you'll need to arrange to transfer your data before.. as Surface products can't be opened to pull the drive out, if you can't and didn't, even if you ship it for repair, they'll just give you a refurbished unit, so bye bye data), If it not in stock, it is like phone service, you ship it (MS pays shipping, but it is up to you to arrange to get a box and protecting it, like any typical RMA service with free shipping, OR they can put a hold of 500$ (if I recall) on your credit card, and they ship you a refurbished unit, and they'll remove the hold once they have the unit back and check it out). Now that is how it works for the Surface line.

 

My experience is as follows:

• Past 1 year and half or so my audio port broke due to an accident. I had Microsoft extended accidental damage protection.
• Normally, I should have been charged 50$ (as per term and condition if you pass something under accidental damage)., but i wasn't... probably a mistake on their part.. not complaining...(I did read people being charge though.. maybe because I was registered to be a student to get a student offer? I don't know)
• No Microsoft Store near me (6h drive just to get to the city entrance where there is a MS Store)
• They asked me to ship only the device.
• They did NOT tell me to backup my data first and that they'll just ship me a refurbished unit. But I knew this well in advance due to research, and I used for school, so all my important stuff (class notes/documents, etc) where sync via OneDrive in any case.
• The first time I sent it, I got it back, they could not identify the problem.
• I contacted them again, first guy on the phone was an ass. Called back to get someone else, and he said no problem, he will put a note to pay attention to the broken audio port which kinda works and not.. depending on how you position the headphone plug. I suspect that the person checking the device didn't check the audio plug, he just turned it on, maybe check the speakers, looked that everything was fine (beside the audio plug) and returned it to me. Or the person did try it, but the position was fine and worked for him/her.
• I never paid shipping. Microsoft took care of everything. They e-mailed me a pre-paid shipping label, I just put in a box that I did need to find as I can't use the original box, and bubble wrap, close it up, and use transparent box tape to stick the label printed from them.
• It took 2 weeks to get my replacement this time.
• I got back a big box that had:
  • Surface Pro 3 with the same storage and RAM specs as my Pro 2 unit. It looked new and worked perfectly well.
  • A new keyboard cover (as the Pro 2 one is the wrong size as they changed the device size with the Pro 3)
  • A new pen (as the Pro 2 pen used Wacom technology, and the Pro 3 uses N-Trig)
  • A new power adapter (as the Pro 3 uses a different one from the Pro 2)

So I don't know how it works for non-Microsoft Surface product. Giving the benefit of the doubt on them not identifying the problem and returning it, and not incompetence, I would rate the service 8/10.

• You can't beat Logitech service which just send you a new non-refurbished product, in the retail box with everything, no question asked beside e-mailing or faxing them your bill if it is a premium product and address. But understandable why they can't.. I mean it would be abused so much.
• They did give me not only a newer model, but they didn't try and make money on me by going "Oh! Too bad for you, buy the SP3 overpriced keyboard cover, power adapter, and pen". They gave all those things for free without me asking.
• They should have warned that the data would be gone, even if I knew well in advance.
• They should be doing more extensive device testing.

 

As for Dell. Dell is similar, where you ship the system to them wait 2 weeks or so, and either get it repaired or refurbished depending on the device. UNLESS you have Dell's Next Business Day On Site service. This service involves having a Dell trained technician come at your place, at the day and time you want (within reason), and the person will come with part(s), depending on what is believed to be part that causes problem based on the conversation you had with Dell over the phone, and fix the system in front of you, making sure that the problem is solved before he or she leaves, and you are up and running. No downtime. Before my SP2, I had a Dell Laptop, fantastic service. I would give it a 10/10. BUT you need to get this service. To me, it is worth the premium price, if it doesn't come with the system already. Please note that this service is not available for all regions, so check before ordering directly from Dell.

 

As for BestBuy.. they'll try and fix your system using their GeekSquad service. So expect a near minimum wage worker fixing your system in a rush as he/she is over worked. They might ship it to third party company to fix it, expect the same service. Expect glue or hot glue, missing screws, and generally poor job, unless you are lucky, but it will work. Parts replacement like optical disk drive or desktop hardware or fans might not be genuine branded. This is  based on reading. Never experienced this service personally. I usually go with the manufacture warranty directly.

 

However, if you got a device like an iPad or Surface, based on my readings, because they can't service it, they'll just give you a new latest model replacement of similar specs. But don't expect a new keyboard and pen (power adapter is included in the box of the new Surface), if your current one doesn't work (or wrong size, in the case of the keyboard) with the newer mode, though. But you have a new device and not refurbished... so pick.

 

That is all I can say about warranty.

 

I do have experience with Apple, but that was before they had a store in my area. It involved calling them. I called with my iPod Nano 1st gen (so MANY years ago). The issue is the screen showed full white only. All I got was them quoting me terms and condition to not cover me, and saying how I have to prove to them that the device is not working for me, without servicing the device.  Basically, because the screen is not black, or that the device technically not working. In my case, it is considered that music could be played (if you remember the menu by heart as the display just shows white bu the rest works), the device is considering "in working order" so I am not covered. The screen turning white is also not covered by the Apple warranty. They also wanted me to prove that the issue would have occurred if no one used the device, because in their eyes, I missed used the product, so that is why I have this issue. I tried calling several times, I got different persons, same experience.  Deny deny deny deny.... And no there was no water damaged, yes the device was in a good case protected, no it was never dropped. I was ready to e-mail them pictures of my device, and again, they never saw the device to know anything about it.

 

Now with the store, people say to me,that they just go there to take an appointment, to come back another day at a specific time, only to wait in line. Then they can show the problem and if they can't fix it (not software related), they'll send it for repair. They may or may not give you a """"new"""" unit (refurbished which they call: "new"). They will help you transfer your data between system if your broken system is in a state that allows them to do so, else, like all other companies, no data recovery.

 

[charging_krogan]

5 hours ago, GoodBytes said:

 

I do have experience with Apple, but that was before they had a store in my area. It involved calling them, as my iPod Nano screen showed showed white only, and them quoting me terms and condition to not cover me, and saying how I have to prove to them that the device is not working for me, without servicing the device.  Basically, because the screen is not black, or that the device technically not working. In my case, it is considered that music could be played (if you remember the menu by heart), just the screen is full white, that the device is considering "in working order" so I am not covered. The screen turning white is not covered by the Apple warranty. They also wanted me to prove that the issue would have occurred even if no one used the device, because in their eyes, I missed used the product, so that is why I have this issue. I tried calling several times, I got different persons, same experience.  Deny deny deny deny.... And no there was no water damaged, yes the device was in a good case protected, no it was never dropped. I was ready to e-mail them pictures of my device.

 

 

Yeah that seems pretty typical. I've heard a lot of bad stuff about Apple refusing to honor warranties. It feels like I'm the only one who had a good experience dealing with their support. But this was quite a few years ago.

I dropped my iPod touch in the sink and the screen cracked in the corner. Like 3 days later, there was no touch functionality, even though the device turned on. Called Apple support and after some troubleshooting, they OFFERED to replace the unit. I was very surprised to say the least because a) it was most likely water damaged b) it was my fault. Maybe I was just fortunate dno.

 

But thanks for the info about the Microsoft warranty. I think I'm gonna go ahead and buy the HP from the Microsoft store then, because it's a pretty good deal.