Mac shopping advice
In our recent story, we talked about the new
rules involved in picking your perfect Mac. Once you've made that decision,
however, there are still some things to ponder before pulling out your credit
card.
Where to Buy
You have many choices to consider when you're shopping for a Mac.
Apple Retail Stores Apple has made a massive retail push in recent years--both
online and with its brick-and-mortar Apple Stores. And shopping with Apple has
its advantages. An Apple Store lets you test-drive the computers you're interested
in. And if you want more information, the well-trained Apple Store salespeople
can provide it. It's worth remembering, however, that Apple Stores don't carry
all third-party peripherals and software. (Visit www.apple.com/retail to see
if there's a store near you.)
Apple.com Shopping with the online Apple Store has its advantages, too.
People who preorder items from the virtual Apple Store as soon as those items
are announced are likely to receive them before they're available from other
online outlets. Apple.com is the only place to order a custom-configured Mac.
Also, the online Apple Store offers refurbished Macs at a savings of US$200
to $400 on current models, and you can save even more on previous-generation
computers. These Macs come with the same warranty as new Macs, and you can extend
support for them with AppleCare, making them a good alternative if you don't
need the latest model or would like to get a little more computer for your money
(as long as you don't mind the fact that these systems once had something wrong
enough with them to require their exchange).
Everywhere Else Apple tightly controls the price of its computers, so
you won't get a substantial savings by shopping elsewhere--but some discounts
do exist. For example, you may save just $5 when you buy a MacBook at Amazon.com,
but as we wrote this, Amazon.com was offering a $75 rebate on that computer,
as well as a 25 percent discount on AppleCare for the MacBook. Some online stores
also offer free RAM upgrades, software, or printers when you buy a new Mac (free,
that is, after you send in mail-in rebates, as with the Amazon.com deal). And
you can often save sales tax by ordering online, although shipping charges can
negate much of those savings. For people who want a new Mac today and don't
have an Apple Store nearby, stores such as Best Buy and Fry's carry them (just
be sure to do your homework before you go, since the staff probably won't be
as knowledgeable about Macs as the staff at an Apple Store). And while many
Apple Authorized Resellers
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