Not to add to the pc/mac argument (I use both, too), but my favourite thing about the mac is the Apple help line. That and the 3 year warranty have earned my business, which is more than I can say for most (ok, all but one) pc vendors I've had the misfortune of dealing with. So, there's more to it than hardware and software.
Be sure to use AmEx (cc I have experience with) to buy computer and Apple Care and you get an extra year of coverage through AmEx. Be sure to enable free feature on your card since it's not automatically added. AmEx just paid for a new battery and charger near the end of four years on my Powerbook G4. Also gave me $600. to fix the LED sleep light which I wasn't required to do nor did I. AmEx is much more liberal than Apple.
I think all credit cards do this now, without charging you the $60 a year AmEx charges, and without requiring you to opt in. And of the three major cards, AmEx is accepted at the fewest places.
I don't have experience with how the other card's warranty programs work. I can highly recommend the AmEx extended warranty. My experience with AmEx was I filed a claim over the phone, faxed receipt showing I used AmEx, although they can look it up in their records, took computer to Apple Store, got a written quote for repair or replacement, faxed quote to AmEx, AmEx credited my account $850 and was told it was my decision how to use the money. Pretty much the same scenario, with a Pioneer flat screen, except during the claims process I found out Pioneer had a recall for their power supplies so cancelled my AmEx claim. I believe an AmEx is free through Costco but you do have to be a member. My Costco membership (I think it's $100/year executive business) gives me money back each year which more than covers the Costco membership, in addition to the money back program from AmEx. So far I have not had a problem buying a big ticket item from a vendor that did not take AmEx, but it's always a possibility.
I've had similar experiences with Visa, and there's no charge for it and it's accepted at a lot of places AmEx isn't (in fact, the only place I know that takes AmEx and NOT Visa is Neiman Marcus).
