Really expensive repair

[UltraMega]

So I do computer repair. I'm not super busy with it, more of a niche thing. Most of the customers who find me are looking for cheap repair because I advertise free diagnostics, they have or think they have a really specific issue and want to talk to someone about it to figure out what's going on, or they are gamers who are novice PC builders trying to get their first PC working. 

 

Today though, I got a call from a customer who has an imac that failed to do an OS update. It's almost 7 years old so I figure the hard drive is probably failing since not much else would really cause this kind of issue, unless its just a software glitch in which case replacing the drive and reinstalling the OS should clear that anyway. It's also a standard hard drive to it's slow... So I quoted the customer for the repair, woulda been about $300 for labor and a replacement 1TB drive, not too bad for an imac I think. Then when she arrived it turned out the screen was cracked. Because it's an imac, the screen has to be removed to replace the hard drive and then re-glued back on after. Not always the case on older imacs but all the newer one are this way. You really can't just replace the glass on these things either, or at least I can't and I don't think hardly anyone else out there does it, so the whole screen needs to be replaced. Because it's an IPS screen for an imac, they are really expensive. The screen itself is $550. Then it turned out this imac actually has a 3TB hard drive and the customer is actually using most of it so they need to replace it with a 4TB ssd since there are no 3TB ssds and that is another $400. So just in parts the customer is spending almost $1000. 

 

I didn't think they would want to do the repair with the cost of the screen but turns out they think that getting a new imac will be a lot more expensive, and they're probably right if they want one with a lot of storage. This is probably the most expensive repair I've ever done. Occasionally I get customers who want a custom build and they can spend more, but that's not for a repair so it's a little different. Just found it a kinda interesting. 

Edited October 8, 2021 by UltraMega

[Snakecharmed]

Was this a 27" iMac? Guessing it is because of the 3TB hard drive.

 

If so, sure, a new 27" iMac with a 4TB SSD requires you to configure it from the highest spec Core i7 iMac which brings the price to $3500 with the 4TB, and now is the absolute worst time to buy a brand new Intel-based Mac product. If that were me...well, I wouldn't have an iMac in the first place, but I would have gotten a smaller SSD and an external hard drive because there's no way I would have nearly 3TB of applications.

 

I can't imagine spending $3500 on a new machine and not getting an RTX 3080 or RX 6900 XT as part of the deal, even at scalper prices.

 

Lately I've been discovering how damn expensive Macs are from cycling through MacBook Pros for work. If I ever wanted one for myself—and the 16" MBP coming soon with the M1X is the closest I've ever come to remotely considering the idea—there is no part of me that would want to spend the money for one when I feel I could get better value in spending that amount at the casino or on the next meme stock, or a Zen 4 Ryzen 9 and an RTX 4080 or RX 7900 XT.

Edited October 9, 2021 by Snakecharmed

[ENTERPRISE]

It has and continues to hurt me when I see the part prices for Mac. Bloody theft IMHO.

[UltraMega]

15 hours ago, Snakecharmed said:

Was this a 27" iMac? Guessing it is because of the 3TB hard drive.

 

If so, sure, a new 27" iMac with a 4TB SSD requires you to configure it from the highest spec Core i7 iMac which brings the price to $3500 with the 4TB, and now is the absolute worst time to buy a brand new Intel-based Mac product. If that were me...well, I wouldn't have an iMac in the first place, but I would have gotten a smaller SSD and an external hard drive because there's no way I would have nearly 3TB of applications.

 

I can't imagine spending $3500 on a new machine and not getting an RTX 3080 or RX 6900 XT as part of the deal, even at scalper prices.

 

Lately I've been discovering how damn expensive Macs are from cycling through MacBook Pros for work. If I ever wanted one for myself—and the 16" MBP coming soon with the M1X is the closest I've ever come to remotely considering the idea—there is no part of me that would want to spend the money for one when I feel I could get better value in spending that amount at the casino or on the next meme stock, or a Zen 4 Ryzen 9 and an RTX 4080 or RX 7900 XT.

Yea it's a 27 inch. 

 

All good points on the cost. I didn't know you had to get the high end model just to get a lot of storage. 

 

I don't think apple really cares much about the PC market anymore and they just maintain a selection of super expensive PCs along with some token laptops and ultra portable devices for people who are willing to pay for apples style of computing. But it works for them so I don't mean that as a knock on them, it just is what it is.