Best Buy & Geek Squad Policies

[raveonette]

Hello,

I have a laptop with a 3YR ADH NTBK BTP. How many pixels must be dead on the screen before Geek Squad will fix it?

Also, just to note - the laptop is an HP, and is no longer under the manufacturer's warranty.

[Mbrguy Emerging Expert · Accepted solution]

Plan Coverage.

• This Plan covers parts and labor costs to repair your

  product in the event your product fails to properly operate due to:

  1. Defects in materials or workmanship;

  2. Normal wear and tear;

  3. Dust, internal overheating, internal humidity/condensation;

  4. Power surge/fluctuation; or

  5. Defective pixels for those products that have a pixel-based display. Pixel repair will be based upon three (3) defective pixels located in a group less than one half (1/2) square inch or five (5) defective pixels throughout the entire display area. 

[raveonette]

Perfect, thank you.

Another question - how do you tell how many pixels you have out? I took my laptop into Best Buy today and the Geek Squad member said that it - and I quote - "looks like it's just one" but he couldn't tell me exactly how many were out. It's not a terribly big spot, but considering how tiny pixels are, it looks to me like it's more than one. Is there any way to tell how many are out without looking at the screen under a magnifying glass?

[Mbrguy Emerging Expert]

The technician at the Service Center would be able to determine how many pixels you have out.  

[raveonette]

I understand that. What I don't understand is why the GS member looked at my laptop and said "it looks like it's just one pixel" as opposed to actually telling me how many were out, you know? Like, if it's just one, it's just one... but I'd like a definite number.

[Mbrguy Emerging Expert]

The Geek Squad Agent in the store doesn't have any special equipment to determine how many pixels are out.  All they can do is exactly what  you can do, which is look at the screen with their own eyes and try to count.  As such, they cannot make that determination.  The technicians at the Service Center are the ones who can determine exactly how many are out.

For a "definite" number, you can send it to the Service Center to have a Service Technician look at it.  Understand, however, that if the pixels are under the threshold for repair, you may be responsible for the cost of the diagnostic which is typically $35.  But if there are enough pixels out and the Service Technician repairs it under Black Tie, there would be no additional cost for you.  

[hydrogenwv]

I'd give the "magnifying glass" method a shot first...