Apple 15-inch PowerBook G4

Service and support of Apple 15-inch PowerBook G4

Design: 9 Features: 9 Performance: 9 Battery life: 6 Service and support: 6 Apple's warranty is a fairly standard one year for parts and labor, but the free telephone support lasts only a disappointing 90 days. You can extend both the warranty and the phone support to three years for an extra $349.

Apple does, however, put resources into self-help. The PowerBook comes with an Apple Hardware Test CD to aid in help diagnosing hardware problems, and Apple's Web site includes an extensive knowledge base and a large discussion board. The 120-page paper manual provides good information on connecting to the Internet and to peripherals, adding memory, and replacing the battery, along with various troubleshooting topics.

To find out more about how this product's warranty really stacks up and what you should look for in terms of service and support, take a look at CNET's hardware warranty explainer.