Gives local businesses a bad name. The store was empty and I came in with a simple question about finding someone local who was as excited as I was about an application that Mac users online rave about but that's a little complicated (Keyboard Maestro, fwiw). "Never heard of it," the sales guy said, not really giving me a chance to explain. It would be one thing if the store was packed with people. And sure, I wasn't coming in with a $$$ repair job. But maybe building customer relations leads to those jobs? It's yucky being dismissed so completely with zero curiosity, zero suggestions other than "look online" said with condescension. Too bad - I guess the store puts machines over people, which raises the question of why they run a walk-in business. read more

I use my Mac Book Pro for just about everything in my business, so when it fell off its stand 4ft to the floor my heart nearly stopped. The laptop powered up but failed to boot. Panicked, I went directly to the Apple Store, but the "geniuses" were unable to assist. They did, however, recommend M.A.C. as a possible solution. Problem: I was in Emeryville after 5:00 PM on Friday and M.A.C closes at 6:00. The traffic gods smiled on me and I made it just in time. The M.A.C. staff was terrific. They took me right in and identified the issue literally within seconds! They offered useful care suggestions and even pointed me in the direction of a new bus powered TB drive to replace my older back-up. I was pleasantly shocked by how affordable their services were. I can not say enough about their customer service and quality work. M.A.C. has a new loyal customer. I will refer everyone I know with emergency tech needs to their storefront! read more

I don't know what I would do without the help of M.A.C.!! I've been going there for years. Every time I have a tech problem they investigate and sort it out quickly. They never try to nickle and dime me. Most recently I had my MacBook hard drive replaced. I made two previous appearances at their store this year before it was replaced. During those two visits they discovered it was a software corruption issue. Wy (the owner) is always SUPER helpful. The hard drive didn't need to be replaced immediately and he never pressured me to spend money to do so. After the hard drive eventually was replaced, I could strangely no longer use Final Cut Express on my computer. I was baffled because it worked fine before the hard drive was replaced. I was pretty devastated because I rely on this program for my livelihood! I called them and a nice tech guy asked me to bring in the computer. When I arrived, the ever-wonderful Thea took a look at it and together with a walk-in tech friend (gotta' love Berkeley!) we got it fixed! She was such a lifesaver. I cannot believe how patient they were with me. I will not take my computer anywhere else for repairs. M.A.C. computer store is simply the best! read more

So my macbook pro (late 2010) stopped charging. I wasn't sure if it was the laptop itself or the cord. There was no way for me to test it out since everyone I knew owned a PC laptop. I was leaving the country in a few days and I needed this sorted out before I departed for a year. With most of the apple stores far away (and booked for the next several days) I needed to find an alternative means to fixing this problem. Lo and behold the M.A.C. store that I remembered from my days here as an undergrad. The place isn't hard to miss, but if you're driving, it's a pain to get a parking spot. Going in, it's not as aesthetically pleasing to the eye, but I couldn't care less. A lady asked me if they could help me, I told them the problem, and they went ahead and started to trouble shoot, although it was pretty simple. They plugged my cord into another macbook (didn't charge anything) and they tried another power cord on my mac (it charged). There's the problem, a blown circuit in the cord. Easy fix, bought a brand new apple power cord for the same exact price that they sell it for at the apple store without having to deal with the in your face pretentious "geniuses" normally found at those stores. I'm happy with my purchase, and 9 months later, the cord is still going strong. read more

Excellent experience, I was selling my 2 year old MacBook Pro, and after getting mucked around for several days by the lousy service at the "Used Computer Store" a few blocks over, I brought it to these guys, who promptly gave me a better price and dealt with it right away. Very pleased with the interaction, and will go there again. read more

I have been here several times and have found them to be really knoweldgeable and helpful - and no appointment required like the annoying Apple Store. I had a problem with a hard drive going bad and they went through many steps with me and even gave me a refund when a different repair was needed which I did not expect. I would definitely bring my computer here again and wouldn't hesitate to recommend to a friend. read more

This is a great store that deserves a better rep. For the past five years, owner Wei (pronounced "why") has streamlined the operation and given consistently good service to his clientele. Whenever I've had a tech problem (and I've been using Macs for 25 years) Wei and his team have come through with the solution or made a fair deal for trying. You may have heard bad things about the previous regime, but right now MAC is top of their game. read more

When I spilled water on my MacBook, I immediately called apple, and couldn't get through to an actual human for 20 minutes. They told me they had appointments the next week. I had walked by this place frequently so I decided it wouldn't hurt to call and ask if they could do anything to save my data and repair the computer... They said they could work on both things and to bring the computer in right away! It was completely dead and I felt hopeless about salvaging my data/computer, but they gave me thorough information about what they could do to help. For a rush fee ($40, which is relatively cheap compared to fees I have paid at Apple previously), they worked on my computer immediately. They were very kind to me, despite how frantic I was, and told me they'd call me with information as soon as they had any (which was only about 3 hours later!) they were able to preserve everything on my hard drive and get my computer working again for $120 altogether. Might seem steep to some, but for me, I appreciated the fast response time and that I didn't have to go to apple and pay steep prices there after WAITING so dang long. Overall, I really appreciate this business and will be back if any of my devices go haywire in the future :) read more

Great place for parts. Got my data cable in less than 10 minutes and was out the door. Skip Apple stores & come here for parts if you are somewhat savvy for fixing things. read more

What a rip off! Went there to have MAC book diagnosed and to get quote for repair. The associate, sight unseen told me $500 and I should buy a new MAC from them at MSRP instead. read more

I would like to give a shout-out to M.A.C. on Shattuck. First of all, they've been around since the 80's and my mom was a faithful customer of these guys since around that time. Now that I own a Mac and do all my work on my computer, I rely heavily on it and decided to take it to the gold standard, in my opinion, of Mac fix-it shops. I worried, however, that service may have changed over the past 30 years. I was initially told I would have my Mac back (after a relatively simple procedure, but one that needed doing) in 3 to 4 days. 4 days later I called and was told they hadn't even started and couldn't give a date to when it would be done, that they were pretty behind with their work. Well, I was not pleased and I let them know. I said this is not good customer service, and all they had needed to do was to tell me that they were backed up with other jobs when I first dropped my computer off, and I would have at least had the choice of taking it somewhere else where I could get it back quicker. I then said that if they could have it back to me in no later than 3 days' time, I would be ok with that, but I didn't want to be charged rush service for it. It's not just my laptop, it's my entire business, so I am financially affected if my computer is out of my hands. Well, I am happy to *still* consider M.A.C. the gold standard in Mac repair. I went in to the shop later, and the owner said he was just about to call me, that they were in the middle of working on my machine, and would have it back to me by the end of the day (!). This was about 3 hours after I had called. Sure enough, I got a call and was able to pick it up on that day before they closed. The owner greeted me warmly, had my machine ready and gave me a few tips on how to get it up and running again. He briefly mentioned how backed up they had been, but in a way that was really nice and did not seem intended as an excuse. He was polite and didn't make me feel uncomfortable for speaking up for what I needed. He then also charged me $20 less than what I was told the repair would cost. I cannot fully put into words the relief that I felt at being treated so respectfully in an uncomfortable situation. Anyway, to me, a company isn't a bad company if they make small mistakes from time to time. A truly good company comes to light when they show how they handle their mistakes, inevitable in any business. And for that, I give M.A.C. 5 stars. read more

I would call it terrible customer service if there had been any customer service at all. Walked in. Waited. Waited. Tried very hard to get some attention from any of the three people working there. Nothing. I usually don't complain about this kinda service oriented issue, but this actually made me angry. I feel bad buying my USB adapter on amazon, but when the mom and pop store ignores you, you have no choice. read more

I have a MacBook Pro and it was running extremely slow. They replaced my RAM and battery in two hours, and now it is lightning fast compared to before. Very satisfied! read more

My 2011 MacBook Pro was going really slowly. I went to the Apple store, and they told me to upgrade the RAM. So I bought extra memory, and they told me I had to insert it myself. They said it would be easy. I watched videos on how to do it. But sure enough, I inserted the memory, and the computer just beeped and beeped. I couldn't get the memory out. It was stuck. But way fixed the memory issue in under 15 minutes. Now my computer runs fast. Cost all of $20. Delighted. FYI, Wei was very matter of fact, and he seems more into the tech than the warm fuzzies. That's fine by me. It's clear he doesn't want to overpromise. read more

The only thing I hate more than car trouble is computer trouble, which is why I was really happy when I found M.A.C. My old Mac G5 tower finally decided to really die on me, but Wai was able to save my data and transfer it on to my new system, which I bought from them at a great price. They also talked me through repartitioning my hard drive and with me asking a thousand questions. I found M.A.C using Yelp, which can really be a useful resouce tool. I will continue to use M.A.C. to service my computer - which I hope will be a long time off. read more

I came in with memory problems in my MacBook Air. The owner was extremely friendly and helpful. He did a diagnostic to locate what was eating away all of the memory and told me how to get rid of what items, advising me against installing memory because of expense. Helpful, quick, and honest. What more could you want? read more

I have a MackBook Pro and use the Parallels Program, so I can use PC and Mac at the same time as I remote into a desktop at work which is a PC. It is a great program if it works and had a terrible time, went through 3 technicians who could not solve the problems. What were the problems? Don't really know but professional technicians could not fix it, even Apple Genius Bar gave it a quick shot (however, it was 3rd party software so they did not really give it a shot, though they even attempted to fix it). I brought it to MAC Berkeley and they nailed it. It works and works well. I think they were very nice as well. I don't understand computers very well and fixing computers requires the customers involvement but their questions were clear and concise so I knew what to get, there was no ambiguity that I think frustrates customers and some technicians assume people know things they don't know. We were just on the same page the whole time, problem fixed. Well done. read more

great customer service!!!! Had a problem with an old computer was repaired. But was also told it could only be ungraded so much. 6 months later it died, was given a used computer free of charge. lasted 3 years. Then Purchased New computer from Mr. Lee . What a wonderful experience !!!! Knowing very little about computers, Mr Lee educated me , programmed the computer to my use. All I had to do was plug it in. Your the BEST !!! read more

The AppleCare for my first iMac expired, and two weeks later, I got a strange message on my computer which I could open or cancel. I call Apple and the guy says he's never heard of the message, so I'd better not open it. Then the computer starts doing weird things, scrambling pages with passwords and knocking out passwords completely. It's now going verrry slow and looks like trouble. I figured I am screwed: I know nothing about computers and so will be at the mercy of any computer repair person. Second, I am a woman and can't tell you how many people like car mechanics have tried to cheat me. Long story short: I have found the BEST PLACE EVER for people like me. I went in, talked to Wei, showed him a copy of the message. He recognized it, said I should open it, explained what it was. Since I've been having all those problems, I asked him if I should haul the computer in. He said he didn't think I needed to, then told me exactly how to fix the problems. His advice was so clear that, ignoramus that I am, I could go home and fix all the problems myself! They didn't charge me a cent, but they gained a million dollars of good will and trust. I will always go to this place! I will recommend it to every one of my Mac user friends. Boy are we lucky to have this store in Berkeley! Sarah S read more

I have never, ever, been so pleased with a local business and it's practices as I am with Wei and the folks that he employs. No matter what my confusion is or the issues I face with my macbook pro or my prior Apple laptop, Wei is unhesitatingly willing to explain things to me and I have never been left feeling incompetent or worse. I give him every possible recommendation and I will say that every dime I've spent on anything needed for either computer is spent at his store as a way of showing my appreciation. If you are a Mac user or plan to be, this is The Place To Go. read more

Came here because I had spilled milk on my MacBook Air 13'. I went to the Apple store to have it checked out, and they said they could replace the keyboard for $700. I came here and they said they could replace it for $400! Still a bit on the pricey side, but much better than the Apple store! It took almost a week just to receive the part, but they replaced it very quickly. They did everything in about a week. Now I have a fully working laptop! read more

I bought my MacBook in 2008 here and have gone back numerous times to buy peripherals, get advice about upgrading, and to receive technical fixes. Wei, the owner, and his two associates have always been generous with their time, technically astute, and solid in their advice and fixes. I very much appreciate them and recommend the store highly (as does the Fourth Street Apple store!) for new purchases and fixes. read more

good place small business good place to get upgrades and repairs done to your mac system

Well stocked store and knowledgeable people. The technician I talked to was pompus and inaccessible making me feel put down. The prices are a bit high but I believe these people are professionals worth looking into. read more

These guys gave me such a huge bum steer. I don't know if it is because they are liars or if they are just not tech savvy enough but I brought my four year old MacBook Pro to their shop because the monitor suddenly went out. They told me the logic board was bad and that it would be too cost prohibitive to replace it. They then tried to sell me a refurbished version of the same model for $1300. I almost went for it but being cash strapped, I decided to ask around and immediately got very different information that logic boards aren't that expensive to replace. I soon found a Mac shop in Fremont, DTT and they said "No problem, we do it all the time" and only charged me $300. Furthermore, I paid M.A.C. $50 for the diagnostic but when I brought it to DTT, the guy removed the back panel, plugged it in and told me the logic board was bad in about 2 minutes and wasn't even going to charge anything for telling me that. I also found one of the clerks at M.A.C. (the tallish pudgy White guy) to be really snooty and condescending. When he told me it was probably the logic board, I asked him "What's that?" and he got this look like I was a complete idiot and then started talking to me like I was a 5 year old from then on. If these guys are that involved in Mac repair and sales, there is no way they could not have known how easy and cheap it was to switch out a logic board. I think they are just rude condescending snake oil salesmen. AVOID!!! read more

i created a yelp account just to write this review. i went in to have my computer looked at and was outraged. barring the mediocre service, the prices are absolutely ridiculous. a monitor, the Samsung T220HD 22-inch 1080p LCD HDTV/Monitor, was over a hundred dollars more in store than online. This was made only more inexcusable by the fact that the old model was the same price (even though the employee noted himself that it was of lesser quality). All the prices are ridiculous, and the service is insane, a simple result of the clientele probably being computer illiterate and therefore easy to take advantage of. it may be true that one must pay a higher price to support a locally owned and operated store; however, this is only justified in the case of the mom and pop store having redeeming qualities. these qualities, whatever the average consumer thinks they may be, were entirely unrepresented at this store. many stores do not deserve to be displaced by online shopping or large stores that can lower prices through sheer quantity of supply like Best Buy. This store is not one of them. read more