In sharp contrast to warranty options on desktop PCs, consider advising your clients to purchase the maximum extended warranty coverage they can with a new notebook PC purchase. Even beyond a potential hard drive failure on a notebook, consider the cost of replacing the LCD screen.

Potential Costs for Replacements

Unlike a conventional PC monitor, notebook PC LCD screens are highly specialized for particular notebooks. If a client needed to replace a standard 17" or 19" monitor that's out of warranty, your client would generally have no problem finding equivalent products at local retail outlets for relatively modest prices of about $200 to $300.

For a notebook PC LCD screen, your clients would almost never find the parts in stock locally. And the LCD screen, related assembly, and cable purchased separately easily could run $1,000 or more.

Ask Questions

As a consultant, you should ask questions of your client and the warranty provider before making any recommendation. For example, ask:
Are the notebook PCs that your major clients own typically used more in the office or in the field?
Can you get a copy of the notebook PC system warranty statement?
How does the notebook PC warranty statement differ from the desktop PC warranty statement?
Does the warranty specifically include or exclude certain hardware components?
Are there any warranty restrictions regarding replacement of the hard drive or LCD panel?
What is the duration of the included warranty coverage?
Is your PC vendor the one selling and honoring the extended warranty policy? If the extended warranty is subordinated to a third party and the third party goes out of business, will your PC vendor still honor the warranty?

The Bottom Line about Notebook PCs

So because of the risks of hard drive and LCD screen failures on a notebook PC, buying an extended service plan becomes a no-brainer for most of your clients. This is also the primary reason extended warranties on notebook PCs cost a lot more than comparable extended warranties on desktop PCs.

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