RESCUECOM this week announced the results of its third annual Computer Reliability Report, an unbiased analysis that compares computer vendors’ market share with consumer service call data from RESCUECOM’s 1-800-RESCUE-PC call center. Results of the report – based on a sample of more than 36,000 service calls to RESCUECOM – provide computer users with unique insight about the likelihood that they will require support beyond what is provided by the computer maker’s warranty.
“Computers are an important investment and in today’s economy, more than ever, it’s important for consumers to know the reliability of the product they are purchasing,” said David A. Milman, founder and CEO of RESCUECOM, in the press release. “We created the RESCUECOM reliability survey to inform computer users about what they can expect before – and after – they purchase a new computer.
“RESCUECOM has no allegiance to any hardware manufacturer (we call this being manufacturer agnostic), so we can provide an objective and unbiased rating of computer hardware reliability based on real-world experience.”
The Report calculates the “Reliability Score” for each computer vendor based on the calculated difference between overall U.S. market share, from January 2008 to October 2008, and the percentage of calls requesting service received by RESCUECOM’s call center. Higher scores indicate that fewer calls for service were received for the specific computer vendor versus expected levels based upon market share estimates (scores are in parentheses).
• Apple (700)
• Panasonic (489)
• Lenovo (393)
• Toshiba (299)
• HP (184)
Reliability Scores are based on a comparison of RESCUECOM’s call center data with IDC’s third quarter U.S. PC Shipments report: November 2008.
Other notable findings from the data include:
• Apple ran away with the number-one spot in the reliability survey once again, beating its closest competitor by more than 200 points.
• In a climate in which notebook sales overtook desktop sales, Panasonic made huge market share gains while keeping reliability high – thereby rocketing the company to the number-two spot in the ranking.
• Toshiba, not even a performer last year, took the number-four spot, beating the next closest vendor by more than 100 points.
• HP, also not a performer last year, took fifth place, removing DELL from the top 5 reliability report.
• Lesser-known brands and generic PC’s performed notably lower than better-known brands.
“Based on the results, consumers should stick with known brands and carefully research extended warranty options,” said Milman.
In response to the rapidly changing PC marketplace, RESCUECOM plans to issue quarterly updates to its Reliability Report from this point forward.
RESCUECOM provides on-site computer repair and support, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. RESCUECOM services everything from home computers to super computers, wireless Internet to global networks, hardware to software, e-mail to enterprise resource planning (ERP). In addition to one-time, on-site solutions, RESCUECOM provides ongoing IT management services for businesses.
Source: RESCUECOM
[Attribution: Computerworld. Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “KingMel” for the heads up.]
pers fost?
So where’s Dell on the list?
I am sad to say this, but I guess Apple is loosing it. Or I am waking up!
My gf has a Macbook that she bought last year @ Dec 1st with no Apple care. Last week the DVD died on her and went to the Apple store(Calgary, Canada) to see what they can do. She was shocked to hear that it would cost her $342 (=$US 300+-). That’s almost a Netbook. She missed the warranty by 15 days and now she has to live with her laptop without a DVD/CD. Is that right? How come it’s that expensive to fix/replace spare parts? That’s just not right.
Wow, what a concept, you get what you pay for. Cheap is crap and more expensive items are better built. Someday maybe even the Wal*mart shoppers of the world may figure out the concept that a $350 laptop won’t last long…
@ Hmmmmm,
Save a few bucks:
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/superdrive/MacBook_13
This happened to me as well, but with a PowerBook, and it was a year and a half out of warranty. Not as annoying… but it does seem sometimes that parts are on a timer to break down.
Here is what I did…
1. Buy a brand new SuperDrive online. I got one for $99.
2. Pay an authorized repair shop to do the installation. It will take less than an hour for them. I paid $80, and picked up the new computer 2 days later.
Now I have a better optical drive, so I didn’t feel too bad about it, but I do see that your situation is more disappointing. At least this way you can save some cash.
Buy a laptop DVD/CD player and install it yourself. Much cheaper. There is a reason why there is a one-year warranty. They guaranty that everything will work properly for one-year. If you want coverage longer than that, you have that entire year to purchase extended coverage.
But here’s a helpful hint. I buy my expensive electronics with a credit card that will double the warranty for no charge. Usually ones with a platinum level will have that. Maybe you have that too?
Dump your gf, get a new gf with a new Macbook.
Get an extended warranty, this time though as <strike>breakups</strike> … breakdowns do happen.
Yours truly
Agony Aunt
So where’s Dell on the list?
Kinda says a lot when Dell can’t even make the bottom of a reliability list…
If only Apple’s stock was as reliable as their products!!!
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@ouch
Kinda says a lot when the difference in score between 1st and 5th is 516 points. Any chance this is a logarithmic scale?
shouldn’t the score be based on RESCUECOM’s users and not total US market share. I think most Apple users call Apple for support and not RESCUECOM. I’m an Apple fan, but even I can see through these faulty statistics that assume that Mac users use Rescuecom service as much as PC users.
One should take in account this survey is biased from the start. They are comparing customer service calls to a third party company rather than the manufacture. One reason Apple scored so high is because they have great customer service hotlines as well as customer service stores which ever other company lacks. Apple will always be on top of this survey cause who with a Mac would bring their computer to a place other than Apple? Same concept goes for any manufacture just so helps that Apple’s customer service is in America which is better than any of the others and they have another solution like their stores. If you want a real survey compare Mac and PC sales from a store that offers a warranty through their company and their own customer support and repair like uhhh hmmm …BEST BUY???
Go away trolls!
Who are the trolls?
I agree with Statistical Mac: the survey is widely biased in favor of Apple because who of us (ANYONE on this list?) has ever called RescueCom? I mean, really?
I bought a reburbished MacBook Pro shortly after they came out 2.5 years ago. Fortunately, I also bought AppleCare (on ebay for $200 instead of the retail $350). Boy was that the best investment I ever made! After the first year was up, I’ve had the following replaced by Apple for free:
– Screen (twice!)
– Hard disk
– Logic board
– Battery
I cannot imagine what this would have cost if I had not had AppleCare. But the point is that AppleCare is a MUST (sadly) and, consequently, it seems that Apple’s use of standard PC hardware is taking its toll on reliability and quality.
I just bought a new unibody MBP. Let’s see how long before I start replacing parts on it… (it’s only too bad that Apple doesn’t let you extend AppleCare beyond 3 years…)
My PowerMac G5 2×2,0 made it just short of 5 years when the motherboard died a week ago. The funny, well, thing is that it was a replacement for the first which was declared DOA. Pity, I had plans to make it a server in the basement. Now I’m on lookout for a new Mac, thinking on a 24″ iMac, but then again I think I’ll wait a few weeks to see if it may become updated soon. In the meantime I’ll use my wife’s MacBook Pro for email and surfing the web.
Anybody who has any thought on if its wise to wait for an update on the 24″ iMac?
Macdriller,
Yes. Wait. MacWorld is/was a consumer oriented show. The iMac is a consumer oriented computer. Wait a couple of weeks.
And in other news Sony reports that they are getting very few service calls for Panasonic TVs.
We can’t understand it, a Sony representative bemoaned. Sony TVs seem so unreliable compared to Panasonic TVs based on the relative number of service calls our company gets for Panasonic TVs.
Another case of lies, damned lies, and statistics, eh?
I wouldn’t say that the results are biased, but that there are other factors that RESCUECOM did not have access to which may have led to spurious claims here.
But taking those other factors into consideration, my interpretation of a more in-depth study (as some have proposed) is that Apple would end up in an even better situation. I mean, it could show that not only do Mac owners not go in to 3rd party shops as often as others, when they do have to go in they choose to go to Apple and not a 3rd party. More power to Apple.
“But taking those other factors into consideration, my interpretation of a more in-depth study (as some have proposed) is that Apple would end up in an even better situation.”
What would possibly support that assertion? Your second sentence seems to suggest the other hypothesis, that measuring support at 3rd party outlets would always under-count Apple problems.
Lets face it, if you have a generic PC you can probably get it serviced anywhere because they use standard form factor cases, power supplies, motherboards, drives and so on and the technicians work on standard PCs every day so understand them.
Apple uses more non standard parts (often to achieve their more unique form factors) and are generally poorly understood by generic PC service houses, so are best serviced by Apple.