For a desktop, I would still go for a PC, and install Linux. For a portable computer, absolutely go for Mac. Sometimes when you're just looking at technical specifications, they seem expensive compared to other laptops. However, many of the most important features of a good laptop don't show up in these specifications. A Macbook Pro has what most portable computers lack, and these things aren't on spec sheets. It's durable, has a long battery life, it's light, has a nice screen, it's not noisy, and it doesn't overheat easily. It would pain me to go back to using a PC laptop.