Warranty

Standard: One year, parts and labor; at least 90 days of phone tech support.
Extended: Prices range from $80 to $350, depending on manufacturer, length of plan, and computer cost. Laptop plans cost more. Most plans cover repairs and offer unlimited tech support.

Common Problems

Laptops are more prone to damage than desktops are, especially to the optical drive (the gizmo that reads CDs and some DVDs). With desktops, problems run from a faulty video card to motherboard failure. Repair costs range from $150 to $750.

Is It Worth It?

For laptops, yes. For desktops, maybe. Computers have a much higher repair rate than many other electronic devices and appliances. And if you're technophobic, the tech support alone may make an extended warranty worthwhile.