It’s no secret that these warranties are big money makers for retail giants. They work well for the stores because only a small percentage of them are ever used. For most people, the manufacturer’s warranty is more than enough. For others, however, the added peace of mind is well worth the extra cost, especially if something happens outside of the manufacturer’s warranty period. I’m sure many of us have bought an item from a retail store and requested warranty because it wasn’t that expensive. Now that I brought it up, you’re probably wondering if you’ve ever used it. If you’re like the majority, that warranty is collecting dust while the retail stores are collecting huge profits.

I’m sure if you’ve ever bought a console at a store like Best Buy, you’ve been offered an extended warranty of some sort. More than likely, you tell the clerk that the manufacturer warranty will suffice, purchase your new console, and go on with your day. Have you ever given the extended warranties serious thought before purchasing them? In this article, we’ll go over the manufacturer warranties from Microsoft’s Xbox 360, Sony’s Playstation 3, and Nintendo’s Wii and see how they compare to various extended warranties.

Microsoft
Let’s start with Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and discuss their service and length. The Xbox 360 has a unique case when it comes to it; the Red Ring of Death (RRoD) has plagued many consoles and caused many customers heartache and money. Microsoft stepped up and extended the warranty and also reimbursed people who paid for repairs. Microsoft initially increased their warranty from 90 days to one year, following complaints of the RRoD. Since the complaints never died down, they extended it further to three years for consoles experiencing it.

This means that people who purchase a new console will get a one year warranty. If they experience the RRoD, then their warranty goes to 3 years. If you have a warranty issue, Microsoft ships you a box so you can send them your unit for repair. Some people don’t like this because there’s a delay in getting the box, then sending it back, then getting it repaired, and finally receiving it. For most customers, however, this isn’t a big deal because the turnaround time isn’t that long, usually 1-2 weeks. During the prime of the RRoD returns, the turnaround time was sometimes as long as 4-6 weeks. This seems to have dropped back down since the majority of consoles have been repaired or replaced.

Nintendo
Nintendo offers a one year warranty on newly purchased Wiis. If you register your Wii, you get an extra 90 days added on to the warranty period. Nintendo does offer an advanced replacement, depending on the issue, and the average turnaround time is 11-16 days. With advanced replacements, the customer purchases a new system and once Nintendo receives the defective one, the money is refunded. Advanced replacements bring turnaround time to just days, as you only need to wait for the new unit to arrive.

Sony
Sony has taken a beating with their warranty service in the past. They allegedly denied a repair for ‘excessive dust’ and for using a surge protector. The claim for excessive dust was filed under customer neglect, which after viewing the pictures, is quite obvious. The claim for the surge protector was denied by Sony and has since been resolved. Sony offers the lowest console warranty out of the three. As mentioned before, Nintendo offers one year + 90 days, Microsoft offers one year with a three year bump if the customer has the RRoD, and Sony offers one year.

Turnaround time for Sony is between 1-2 weeks, which is reasonable. Repaired consoles are under warranty for 90 days or for the remainder of the 1 year warranty, whichever is longer. Technically, you can extend your PS3 warranty to an extra 90 days if you return it to Sony a few days before the warranty expires.

Console Conclusion
Overall, the warranties are fairly evenly matched. Aside from Microsoft’s boost from one to three years, all companies offer at least one year, which is great. The turnaround time for all consoles is, again, evenly matched. Nintendo does come out ahead with the advanced replacement, but that only covers certain issues. I couldn’t get a clear cut answer from the customer service representative as to what problem falls under this ‘certain issue’ category, but it’s safe to say the option is there for the people that qualify.

There have been complaints regarding returns to the manufacturers and I’ll go over those a bit later. For now, though, be content that there are no glaring issues with the warranties offered by Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony. Let’s continue on to the extended warranties offered by a variety of companies and retail stores.