TPG reader credit card question: Which card(s) are best for tech purchases?

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.

Editor’s note: This article is part of a column to answer your toughest credit card questions. If you would like to ask us a question, tweet us at @thepointsguy, message us on Facebook or email us at info@thepointsguy.com.

A common question we get is, “What is the best card for XYZ purchases?” When people are considering a larger purchase, they want to make sure they’re maximizing the rewards they earn to make the most out of that expense.

[pullquote source="WYATT S. "]With so many phone and tech items being released in the coming months (such as the Canon R5), which card(s) are best for those electronics purchases? [/pullquote]

There are three big things to consider when asking which card you want to use for a larger electronic purchase like a new camera, phone or computer:

1. Where you make the purchase
2. Earning rewards vs. a sign-up bonus
3. Purchase protections

Where you purchase matters 

Because “electronics” or “tech” are two expansive categories that are rarely bonus categories in their own right on top credit cards, where you buy these purchases might determine which card is the best option for the purchase.

For example, if you’re going to buy a new iPad Pro from Amazon, the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card might be the right choice. If you’re buying the new Canon EOS R5 from Best Buy, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card might make the most sense, especially since it comes with extended warranty coverage. And a card like the Ink Business Cash Credit Card might be best if you’re buying a new laptop from Office Depot or another office supply store.

Additionally, it could make the most sense to buy gift cards to your preferred tech merchant from a grocery store with a card that earns great rewards on those purchases. But be warned -- it can get complicated with larger purchases if the gift cards have caps on how much you can put on them.

The information for the Amazon Prime Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Earning rewards vs. a sign-up bonus 

Something else to consider is whether you want to focus on earning rewards or hitting a sign-up bonus.

If you just applied for a new credit card with a high sign-up bonus threshold (such as the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card with its 100k bonus after spending $15,000 on purchases in the first three months), you may want to forgo earning bonus rewards on another card to help you hit the Ink Business Preferred’s bonus instead.

This is especially true when you’re shopping for products that don’t typically fit into traditional bonus categories. For example, if you’re looking at buying the new Canon EOS R5 from B&H online, the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card may give you the best rewards rate, at 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter on two categories you choose. But is that 5% back ($100 in value) more valuable to you than using this purchase to hit the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening ($1,200 in value based on TPG valuations)?

Related reading: Cards currently offering welcome bonuses of over 100,000 points

Purchase protections 

Last but not least, think about how important purchase coverage is to you.

There are plenty of cards with varying extended warranty coverage to check out, including the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve, Capital One Venture and American Express® Gold Card. Extended warranty will generally either match the coverage of a manufacturer’s warranty or extend the life of the coverage by a set timeline.

Purchase protection is rarer. It will cover your purchase in the case of some damage, theft and occasionally even losing a product. The Amex Gold, Ink Business Cash and Chase Freedom (No longer open to new applicants) are among the top cards with purchase protection. The information for the Chase Freedom has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

For a larger purchase such as new electronics, it may be worth sacrificing $100 worth of rewards if you’re getting coverage that could save you thousands of dollars in the long run.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply

Bottom line 

If you’re shopping online, make sure you’re also using a shopping portal to make your purchases. That way you could potentially double-dip your rewards earning. Shopping portals could also help make sure you’re still earning rewards if you decide to use a card that may not earn bonus points but will provide purchase protection on the purchase.