I will disagree with you here,they are much better for audio(Pro Tools) and they are used by almost everyone in the Live concert production field.I switched from PC because the Mac was much easier for me to use and operate.If I get a new external device there is no downloading drivers and whatnot you plug it in and blammo it works.Apple is a great computer but it is more expensive than a $700 HP that I bought my wife(and have already had to have a tech look at twice).You get what you pay for,the service at Applecare is second to none.Matt you got a ton of choices out there good luck buddy...
Yeah, I'm trying to keep in mind the quality and customer support I'll get with the Macs. I priced a 15" Mac book Pro last night at around $2100 with all the options I wanted. It's a hard to look at what I'm getting hardware wise when I look at what I can get for that amount on a PC.
1) What is your budget?
$2000, really don't want to go any higher
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
13-17" not really concerned with this.
4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
a. Like:
b. Dislike: Dell
5) Would you consider laptops that are refurbished/redistributed?
No, would rather have new
6) What are the primary tasks will you be performing with this notebook?
Web surfing, (multitasking many documents so need a nice and easy interface to switch between them), music, play ALL sorts of video files with no stuttering, Games at med to med-high settings.
7) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places, leaving it on your desk or both?
Both but mostly used as a desktop replacement with external monitor, docking station would be cool.
8) Will you be playing games on your notebook? If so, please state which games or types of games?
MW2 and WoW
9) How many hours of battery life do you need?
A couple hours would be nice
10) Would you prefer to see the notebooks you're considering before purchasing it or buying a notebook on-line without seeing it is OK?
Both is fine.
11) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista or Windows 7), Mac OS, Linux, etc.
Windows 7 if a PC
Screen Specifics
12) From the choices below, what screen resolution(s) would you prefer?
Resolution is not that important
13) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
Doesn't matter. Want a very crisp and bright colored screen.
Build Quality and Design
14) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
Not too important but is a factor, something other than black would be nice
15) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?
A couple years at least
Notebook Components
16) How much hard drive space do you need; 80GB to 640GB? Do you want a SSD drive?
320 or higher, a lower SSD would be fine or combo
17) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a CDRW/DVD-ROM, DVD Burner or Blu-Ray drive?
For the price category I'm looking at Blu-Ray is to be expected.