In my experience, these guys have done it. They have revamped a very aging MacBook Pro and doubled its life. For a reasonable price. They also, when confronted with a non-working iPad realized that it had a very simple solution. It simply needed to be charged. It had been the charge cord that was faulty - not the device. They that was free advice. If I ever have a tech problem, or if I know a friend who does, I send them to Necessary Technology! read more

Called about a software problem with some games. Told them that it was possible to recreate the problem by loading a game auto save and playing a few seconds from that point. They told me that they would not do that, they were no going to play a game to attempt to recreate a problem, even though it was created mere seconds before the problem manifests itself. Complete waste of time contacting them. read more

great place. super nice, efficient, quick turnaround!!! highly recommend!!!! Don't deal with the lines and time at the Apple Store. This place is soooo much easier. Absolutely no complaints read more

I thought it was lights out for my old laptop, but they fixed it and I haven't had any issue since. They are fair and honest and do not overcharge. Everyone you deal with is prompt and professional. It is air conditioned inside, with easy free parking. This is the place that will take care of you for any computer issue. Highly recommended. read more

I go here for my clients and my own repairs. I prefer them for repairs over The Apple Store as they are generally less expensive, reliable, and more generous with their time to explain issues and options. They are service orientated, which you don't find everywhere. read more

My computer broke while I was on travel and Apple was able to get me an apt with Necessary Technology within a few hours (as opposed to the apple store at the mall which had like a few days wait list). It was all covered under Apple Care, and SO much easier to go to Necessary Technology than the mall. The service was clear, fast, and they were great communicators. Would highly recommend and will choose in the future over the genius bar for sure! read more

I've been taking my computers here for years and have always had excellent, fair and prompt service. These computer experts are really smart, communicative and easy to work with. I wouldn't go anywhere else! read more

Excellent communication from check-in to check-out. They are tenacious when troubleshooting, and when they find the issue the repair work is excellent. Very reasonable service pricing, and they go above and beyond to help save cost when parts are required. All work was performed perfectly on schedule and on budget. read more

Necessary Technology is the Absolute Best Technology Jarrod, Alex and the others at Necessary Technology actually listen to you when you call them with a problem. They don't assume that you're a dummy with no knowledge because they are the professionals and you're just a person who uses technology with no clue about how it works. How refreshing to find this in a company, especially when you are a woman. My hard drive died and not only did they replace it with a faster one, a Solid State instead of a standard SATA, but they retrieved everything that was important from the dead one at NO extra cost. I tell everyone its the difference between driving a horse and buggy and a Formula One race car. I have always been a speed demon, so having this new SS Drive makes me very happy! Impressive? You bet. My pictures, text files, documents, more, and most importantly in my case, my Machine Embroidery Files which represent over 25 years of collecting and thousands of dollars spent, most irreplaceable were on my laptop when it was repaired. My keyboard also needed replaced and because of a disability I can't use the touch pad. I only had to mention this once to them. When the keyboard came in, they remembered to disable the touch pad so I wouldn't have to deal with uninstalling it over & over again. Thank You guys, I'm forever indebted to you for this. Their great customer service, quick turnaround, their FREE estimate (never, ever trust anyone who wants to be paid for an estimate), and excellent service, all at a cost that is extremely reasonable is rare in today's world. All of this makes me a happy customer and I recommend them without any hesitation at all. If you are in need of any type of service for your technology you simply can not do better than Necessary Technology. Call them today or drop into their convenient location on Forest Avenue. You will be so happy you did. read more

Apple users! Listen up: if you're having issues with your device, do a quick google search to gauge if this is a wide spread problem and then high tail it to Necessary Technology. I took my laptop purchased in 2016, with a missing key that had always had a wonky keypad. NT did a quick search to discover this was a common issue and the replacement would be 100% covered under Apple. So instead of dropping $300 on a repair, I paid $0. And if you own Apple, you know the "genius" bar would have just straight up charged you for it. Really nice experience with NT. Great same day communication about diagnostics and repair was completed in just over 24 hours. I would not hesitate to use these honest and efficient techs in the future. read more

I brought my daughter's laptop here to be repaired. The screen was coming away from the body. They were quick to diagnose the problem, quick to repair, and the price was fair. Here on Yelp I was able to buy a coupon worth $50 for only $30, so there was some great savings as well. The staff is friendly and there is plenty of parking on site. read more

My MacBook Pro screen was black. I could see the desktop if I shined a flashlight on it which points to a dead logic board, a common problem for my model/year. Necessary Technology agreed that sounded like the issue but said they would test it before replacing anything. The screen worked when they tried a different logic board, and it also worked when they put my logic board back in on a hunch. They didn't charge me anything since they didn't consider that a repair. I offered to pay for their time, but they said the problem could come back since their testing had caused it to work before they found anything to actually fix. That was a few months ago, and it's still working. I've deal with dishonest repair people in the past, and it was an amazing feeling to find a place that has integrity. read more

The owner was very rude and unprofessional, which I have seen in other reviews as well. Not worth being berated over the phone by the owner when trying to explain my concerns with the stated repair that was needed. read more

So knowledgeable and quick turnaround time. I would highly recommend!! Their pricing is fair and they try to help with a fix rather than having you buy a née computer. read more

My gaming laptop had become a corrupted, virus-infested brick. I did a ton of research on local computer repair companies, and this one was by far the most accessible, convenient, and professional option. For under $150, they repaired my machine and installed a much better hard drive, upgrading my gaming experience. Communication throughout the process was top-notch: I always knew what was going on, they took the time to explain everything carefully, and they made sure they didn't erase any important info. I'll definitely return here for all of my future tech repair needs. read more

First rate service! You can trust these folks to fix your problem and not make you feel technologically inept. No BS, only honest work!

I had an excellent experience at Necessary Technology. I brought in a 2016 MacBook Pro with a display that stopped working entirely. I dropped the computer off for an overnight diagnostic and got a call the next day saying the machine had a faulty screen (which is the truth), and it was going to be a $500 repair. I decided to bite the bullet and go for the repair, despite the cost. This is where the honesty and integrity of these folks start to shine through. After thoroughly testing my machine, they determined that it was a "flex gate" defect and one that Apple would pay to repair in full. Long story short, Apple themselves paid (parts and labor) to have my 2016 MacBook Pro practically rebuilt, with a new display, new keyboard, trackpad, and battery. These folks could've easily just sold me the $500 display replacement, but they went out of their way to save me money. At the end of the day, I got my computer back in perfect shape, and it works like a dream. I would recommend necessary technology for any of your computer repair needs. read more

I had to get the screen replaced on my MacBook Pro. They had it completed in a day and kept in communication throughout the process.

These guys are miracle workers! After 6 months of watching my laptop slow down to a painful crawl and paying for phantom repairs from 2 other alleged computer repair shops that installed Norton Antivirus, McAfee Antivirus and countless other junk that didn't work. I brought it to the guys at Necessary Technology and in less than 24 hours they returned my laptop to me better than brand new and for the last 5 months it has run flawlessly. They cleaned all the garbage off of my hard drive and installed an amazing antivirus software that I never heard of that actually works! These guys are the Rock Stars of the PC Tech space in Portland! read more

I was referred here by Apple chat support for an issue with my Macbook Air. I was a little apprehensive since I've always gone to the genius bar with issues in the past, but I had a wonderful experience. Minimal waits & quick turnaround, great staff, easy location with parking, transparent & fair pricing. Would definitely recommend and will make this my first stop in the future. read more

Both USB ports on my 2011 MacBook Pro died while I was visiting Maine for a month. I dropped it off with NT on Monday, had the diagnosis and estimate on Tuesday and picked it up the following Tuesday (would have been ready on Monday except it was Labor Day and they were closed). They had to replace the logic board and I got a little upgrade from an I5 to I7 chip. The price was reasonable and the techs were professional. Overall a great experience and I'm happy to have my old Mac back up and running again. I highly recommend Necessary Technology for repair of any Apple device. Thanks Jarrod! read more

I would not hesitate to send someone there or go there again. I spent a few hours trying to fix the problem myself and decided to just give up and take it somewhere. They got my computer in immediately, fixed it quickly and called me as soon as it was ready for pick-up. Nice that they are open until 5:30 most days so people who work 9-5 jobs don't have to take time out. Very reasonable prices, personable staff and quality work. read more

It is rare that I give a negative review on Yelp but unfortunately this is one. This incident occurred over the holiday week. I had brought my computer and router into Necessary Technology on Wed Dec 20 simply to have the router secured. I was informed the diagnostics could take up to 2 days which would have brought us up to Friday the 22. There was never any mention of the business closing at 1pm on Friday. On Friday I arrived at the store @ 2pm and realized I had a voicemail left at 11:10am telling me the store was closing @ 1pm. And not reopening til Wed morning, 4 days later. Needless to say I was pretty upset. Never heard anything from N.T. On Wed I went in to retrieve my computer and spoke with the owner/manager. He was anything but conciliatory. He seemed not to understand, or basically not to want to understand why I was upset. His response was ,"Well maybe we should have cancelled Christmas for you". Implying that way I wouldn't have been inconvenienced. I am still appalled by his audacity. Needless to say my recommendation if you need a computer tech, try Best Buy; you will know what their hours are and their customer service is anything but obnoxious. He was read more

Caveat emptor here. They wanted to charge $100 to scan and remove a malware/adware program that I later had Apple remove free of charge. And Apple scanned it free. Then they quoted me $600 for a repair to the hardware, Apple said it'd be 200. I suspected that I didn't trust them quickly upon entering the store. There is one other thing but I don't want to reveal that at this point. Just be aware what you need and if they think you're a sucker that'll fall for any crap. I shop around before willynilly letting anyone work on my computer. This is a good reason why. read more

Totally impressed by the literal hours of on-bench diagnostic time they put into my Mac, only to report that I could fix the problem myself. Total cost: zero. And no superior attitude (or plain incompetence) either: I've run into both with other shops in Portland. I cannot speak more highly of my experience at Necessary. read more

Recovered a hard drive with many hours of work on it. Very much appreciated. Great customer service and work was done on time, as promised. Thank you! read more

Thank you to the wonderful staff for spoiling me today. They refused to accept payment for services rendered because they had written my phone number incorrectly so could not call to let me know my item was ready. I was walking, and it was snowing, but honestly...this was way above and beyond and I was touched. And of course I will be back. read more

So upset I drove to Portland to get my computer fixed here. Customer service was one of the worst i've ever seen. When I told the man the computer fix was an emergency (i'm a college student taking summer classes) he smirked and thought it was funny. I told him everything that was wrong with my computer and he glanced at my computer for less than a few minutes giving not even the slightest bit of effort to try to figure out what was wrong with it. I thought i scheduled an appointment to find out what was wrong with my computer or at least have an IDEA what was going on, but no you just drop off your computer and wait around 5 days just to get an autopsy. I begged if there was any way to pay for my computer to get done sooner, but the workers and owner proudly stated there's no charge or fee to expedite this process and that I was behind 60 other computers. How are you guys proud of that policy?!?! Some people actually need to get their computer up and running because it's a matter of their career or schooling. I decided I would take my computer elsewhere to a third party mac repair shop that told me the exact problem within under a minute (really simple diagnoses, the problem with my computer is referred to as flexgate). I then took my computer to Apple to get it fixed, and the gentlemen there knew the exact problem with a couple minutes as well! I was told this problem was very easy diagnoses. I decided at some point to call back Necessary Technology to let them know the way the treat their customers is not right and that my experience was terrible, then all of the sudden the owner (jared i think) starts literally screaming at me at the top of his voice. I've never a seen a worker/owner/manager ever, even remotely close lose their cool like he did. DO NOT go there, for the sake of your time and wallet. I know i'll never go back. UPDATE: "Time to refute them", you just did! I have written two bad reviews my entire life and your store is one of them. You try to bully and intimidate every person that writes a bad review for your store. You use the "Covid" excuse because you messed up and that is your only excuse! I said I would come back because I was desperate, but came to my senses after i realized how bad you treat your customers. You have terrible customer service and have made that quite apparent just by your response! Instead of owning up to your store's mistakes, you lie to try to make my review seem crazy. I talked to you on the phone upset and you didn't like it, so you started screaming like a little baby. Grow up dude. read more

Good customer service. Friendly staff. Fair prices. And they helped me retrieve data from my hard drive when it was impossible to get it according to Best Buy geek squad who wanted $400 dollars, whereas Necessary technology did it for $100. So go see them for a free quote and trust me you will be happy with them. I would go back to them in a heart beat if I need service on the very computer i am writing this review on. Good day mate. read more

Came in to see these guys thinking my laptop's fan was broken. Right away they showed to be very nice and charismatic, and best of all informative. The process of dropping it off was really fast, which I liked, because I had to quickly get to work after. I got a call within a couple hours to tell me that HP had made a error when fixing my fan when it was under warranty, and a wire was blocking the fan. Came in the next day, and was in and out quickly. If you're looking for someone to fix your computer these guys are the best! read more

I had a great experience here when I brought my MacBook Air in. I spilled a cup of tea on the keyboard and quickly shut it down. I called and they told me to bring it right in, but was unable to get it to them until hours later. Yikes! Jared was AWESOME and kept it for diagnosing and drying for perhaps a couple days. THANKFULLY,he called early next morning to pick up AT NO CHARGE! Dried it and it is working still! He refused money as it was only diagnostics!! Calm, reassuring, honest, and courteous! Highly recommend! read more

I had a great experience here getting my phone camera fixed. When I called to make an appointment I got a HUMAN and was told I could bring my phone in any time. I was able to leave my phone and get it repaired in under two hours. I realize not all repairs can be made that quickly depending on their nature, but the fact that they were so accommodating made for a pleasant experience. I am so happy I never have to go to the Apple store again! read more

These guys are great. A small business that specializes in being completely accessible to the customer and personalizing their service. The owner, Jarrod, did a great job of walking me through the situation with my crashed hard drive. Was very clear about all of my options and helped me make the choice that was best for my budget. I found Necessary Technology to be super transparent with their approach. During the repair process, I needed a file from my hard drive, they let me come in and pop it on a flash drive. Very easy to work with. And.... their prices blow the competition out of the water. This is the most affordable computer repair service I've ever come across. I won't hesitate to bring my computer to Jarrod and David again. read more

Very fast and knowledgeable staff, will use again for all of my Apple needs! Keyboard was sticky and they replaced with brand new for free as part of an apple recall. Thank you all much! read more

Tremendous service and expertise! Alex and Matt both helped get my elderly Mom's new computer set up and configured just as she wanted it. They picked up her old and new computers, and then transferred all her files and configured her new computer to look just like her old computer in terms of the settings, etc. If you need knowledgeable, patient, quality service, definitely contact these folks. read more

Necessary Technology was a lifesaver this past weekend! My power cord to my a/c adapter went missing while traveling and I work remote. I was staying at a hotel downtown and had no way to get to a big box store. They were very polite on the phone and let me know they had what I was looking. Once I arrived and explained my situation they didn't even charge me for the extra cord! Thankfully I was able to finish up my work week. Thank you for the great customer service. read more

This place is AMAZING. We had two laptops that had been fried by spills, and the Apple Store said we probably wouldn't be able to recover the data. They recommended Necessary Technologies, and the folks there could not have been nicer. They recovered our data in short order, and the price of the job was surprisingly reasonable. Highly recommended. read more

iMac desktop died and took it to the Apple Store. They recommended necessary technology. I brought it in and the staff was extremely friendly and accommodating. They didn't charge for diagnostics and gave me a price of$300. (a lot cheaper than purchasing a new iMac). It needed a new LCD screen and power supply and installation When I got it home and plugged it in, it worked great, but the fan was running loud. I called immediately and was told to bring it in and they would fix it. Due to a storm, I told them that I would be in the day after Christmas. Unfortunately, I did not know they were closed the day after Christmas until I got there. I returned the next day only to find out that the two people who could work on it had called in sick. I was frustrated at the number of trips I made, so they offered to drop it off at my house. I declined and was impressed that they really want to me to be a satisfied customer. It would've been five stars except for the extra trips. read more