Illini Union Tech Zone — Local services in Champaign

I would be very skeptical of anything the mac repair people tell you. I took in a macbook pro with a display that didn't work. I thought at the very least since they charge around a $30 diagnostic fee, they could tell me what was wrong with it. When they called, they said my display was broken, and I asked if they knew what was wrong with it. They said "yeah, it doesn't work". Helpful. They quoted me for a repair that was over $1000, more than the price of the computer. I asked if they could recover the data on the drive, they quoted me some price in the hundreds (might have been as high as $200 or $300!!). If you don't know, the only thing you need for data recovery on a computer whose only problems are the battery and display is a thunderbolt cable, which I bought for $17 online. DO NOT PAY them that much to do data recovery. Unless there's some sort of wizard reconstruction or decryption going on, it is not worth that much, it's literally plugging a cable in and transferring files. When I got the computer back, it had more problems than when I took it in, as they hadn't bothered to plug the keyboard into the motherboard when they reassembled it, so I had to take it apart and do that. Then it turned out that all it needed to get the (nearly brand new) screen working was a $20 cable. They were correct the battery is messed up but with $20 worth of (admittedly laborious) repairs and the computer works fine when plugged in. I can't believe I paid them a diagnostic fee to be told something so unspecific, and I can't believe the level of price gouging in a place that's supposed to be affordable for students. Try...

OMG! OMG! OMG! I just walked out with a retail value of Apple products for only $448 tax included. How did I do it. Let me tell yah. I used my Apple Trade In program, I saw online and then brought my products a 5year old Mac Book Pro and a 2 year old Apple Ipad Mini and traded up to a new MacBook Air and a free pair of Beats Solo 3 for only $448. I walked out singing and dancing, I had saved so much money. This is Apple's Education Sell ends September 25th I think. If you have older computers and in need to upgrade, this is your best deal yet! Love Love Love this store. I'm and employee and an Alumni, and I've always shopped at Illini Union Tech Zone, they are...

I dropped off my laptop on a Friday knowing it had a battery issue. I get an email from the technician saying he wants to charge me $370 to replace it and I need to come into the store to pay him so he can order the part. By the time I read the email he was off his shift. Saturday I go in to take back the laptop because I don't want to pay that much. They tell me they know where the laptop is but they can't give it to me because I needed to email that specific technician and tell him I didn't want the repair. So then I email him and I don't get it back until Monday....