4 Electronics That Are Too Unreliable for the Price Tag
Written by
Laura Bogart
Edited by
Gary Dudak
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Technology is supposed to make our lives easier. From smartphones to Fitbits, our electronics help us work and play more efficiently. They give us vital information (even if that information only exists to confirm that we’re right on a trivia answer) and can help us improve our health and wealth. When they’re working correctly, that is.
Unfortunately, electronics that are prone to breaking down or malfunctioning end up making our lives harder. The time and money we have to spend repairing or even replacing them can feel like a significant investment — on top of the frustration and inconvenience.
To help you get a sense of the electronics that aren’t worth your time, money or trust, GOBankingRates did a little digging to find some brands and products that are more prone to issues. Here are the top four.
Fitbit Charge 5
Once one of the biggest names in wearables, Fitbit has experienced a bit of a slump recently. According to Techradar, the brand has taken a hit with its long-time users who are disgruntled over controversies in how the company handled confidential user information, as well as a series of underwhelming releases.
In particular, the publication said that users are frustrated by updates within the Charge 5: “Reports are surfacing that Fitbit Charge 5 devices are being rendered ‘unusable’ recently, allegedly by Fitbit’s most recent firmware update, with one of the most common complaints being a shortened battery life. Not all Charge 5s are affected, but there have been outcries from hundreds of users that are left with a dud device…”
With the Fitbit Charge 5 priced at $138.90 on Amazon, you’ll want to do your due diligence on whether this wearable is right for you or if there are other options that better suit your needs.
Punkt MC02
When reviewing this smartphone for SlashGear, writer Adam Doud said this attempt to be a significant rival to iOS and Android ultimately fell flat, in part because it’s not exactly user-friendly.
He wrote that the home screen is not customizable, and the OS comes with a few bugs, from typos in copy to an inability to create folders with your apps in the top row of icons. As for the hardware, Doud wrote: “So, let’s just say it doesn’t seem like quality craftsmanship was high on the priority list.”
Retailing at a whopping $749.00 on the Punkt website, this phone doesn’t seem like a worthy investment if you take stock in the SlashGear review.
MacBooks
A MacBook may come with a sleek design and features that appear to broad demographics of users, but according to the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), it lacks one key feature: It’s not easily repairable.
As the American consumer advocacy organization compiled its analysis of laptops based on how easy they are to repair, titled Failing the Fix, PIRG found that MacBooks had some of the lowest scores around repairability on the market. In fact, it was rated the worst laptop brand for repairability and the lone company to score a D.
That’s not a score you’d want to see if you dropped upwards of $900 on a MacBook.
Chromebooks
Despite their popularity and lightweight ease, Chromebooks didn’t fare well in the Failing the Fix survey either. The brand had a lower than average repair score of 6.3, compared to the average of 7.0 for every other type of laptop.
The report stated that while Chromebooks are generally seen as more affordable options for individuals or even classrooms, they are “on average less repairable than other laptops.” While you can get a Chromebook for only $159.00 at some Best Buy locations, you might ask yourself whether you want to potentially incur the cost of replacing and not repairing it.
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