3.5 months old Macbook Air M4 already damaged - Apple refuses to help, should I get it fixed or no?

Hi everyone,

I recently bought a 13-inch MacBook Air M4 with an education discount. It’s only been about 3.5 months, and I’ve been taking very good care of it — I even bought a protective case and rarely use it except for important tasks.

One day, I noticed a dent on the top left corner, and soon after, the display started acting up. I brought it to an Apple Authorized Service Provider, and they classified it as physical damage. Because of that, it’s not covered under the limited warranty.

They quoted me around ₱34,100 (roughly $600 USD) for a screen replacement. I also asked a non-authorized repair shop in the U.S., but they said they don’t have the parts yet because it’s a new model.

I’m still paying off the MacBook (about $700 left), so I’m torn:

• Should I pay the repair cost now so I can start using it again?

• Or should I wait and see if it’s cheaper in the U.S. later on?

• I’m also worried that if I go with a non-Apple repair, they might use non-genuine parts.

Apple Support and even a senior advisor have told me there’s nothing they can do, which is disappointing because I’ve been a loyal Apple customer for years and own multiple Apple products.

Has anyone else gone through something similar? Would you recommend fixing it now or waiting?

Thanks for any advice.

[Edited by Moderator]