Ars Technica Does Coverage of 2008 Computer Reliability Report

Apple Tops Reliability Report for Second Consecutive Year

ARS Technica
By Chris Foresman
December 18, 2008:


Rescuecom names Apple most reliable for second year in a row

Rescuecom, a national chain of IT support service centers, has released the results of its third annual computer reliability report, putting Apple in the top spot for the second year in a row.

The report relies on Rescuecom's "Reliability Score," which compares a computer maker's market share to the percentage of support calls received at Rescuecom's call center. Due to Apple's markedly increased market share over last year and a reduction is support calls, the company sits in the number one slot, with over 200 points separating it from number two Panasonic.

The top five companies and their scores are:

  • Apple (700)
  • Panasonic (489)
  • Lenovo (393)
  • Toshiba (299)
  • HP (184)

As we noted last year, Rescuecom's methodology isn't necessarily the best to determine reliability. For instance, how many people are just going to the nearest Apple Store for service? Most other PC makers don't have a network of retail stores to provide such service.

However, Rescuecom CEO David Milman notes, "RESCUECOM has no allegiance to any hardware manufacturer, so we can provide an objective and unbiased rating of computer hardware reliability based on real-world experience." Considering the results are comparable to this year's Consumer Reports rankings, which also put Apple in the top spot, it can serve as yet another metric to consider when thinking long-term about support.

Google Reviews

Carli Wittkowski
Carli Wittkowski
in the last week
Amazing service! This is my first time with Rescuecom and I am extremely pleased. Great Customer se
...Amazing service! This is my first time with Rescuecom and I am extremely pleased. Great Customer service and so very helpful. I would most definitely recommend. less
Karen Beller
Karen Beller
a week ago
Rescuecom is excellent. I was scammed and Roy cleared my desktop. Excellent service and Roy was very
...Rescuecom is excellent. I was scammed and Roy cleared my desktop. Excellent service and Roy was very knowledgeable. Thank You. less
Robin Penick-Funderburk
Robin Penick-Funderburk
2 weeks ago
A hacker with the alias "DEATHRIDGE" entered a company Teams meeting via someone invited as a guest,
...A hacker with the alias "DEATHRIDGE" entered a company Teams meeting via someone invited as a guest, and started taking control of my computer and my life. They sent emails pretending to be me that really looked like they were coming from me. They tried to take control of our corporate bank accounts, added themselves as a user to my Microsoft account, and locked me out of my computer as my passwords no longer worked. My ability to run a telecom company ground to a halt, and all my company and personal information was at their fingertips. I felt so helpless, and I needed folks smarter than the hacker(s) to do battle for me. Our typical computer pros couldn't handle it, and neither could other "experts" I called. Lucky for me I called RESCUECOM, and they immediately got to work. They didn't complain though I was asking for help in the middle of the night, but immediately got to work and worked non-stop to restore everything and protect me going forward. The team at RESCUECOM are my knights in shining armor, and they're the absolute best! less
Krishna Kambhampati
Krishna Kambhampati
2 months ago
Roy was very helpful for fixing my booting issue. I called really late (10pm) and there was someone
...Roy was very helpful for fixing my booting issue. I called really late (10pm) and there was someone to answer my call. I would recommend them to anyone that needs tech support. less
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