Will probably buy Apple next for myself but will get this or similar for my 11 year old boy:

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/hp-pavilion-...2-pdt.html

I'd never go back from Mac, can't use PC's any more. I think if you value your time, then you'll find Mac is a great investment, I've saved so much time since switching. It revises your expectations. Now I get impatient waiting six seconds for my MacBook Air to be ready to go. Never have any of the frustrating ongoing maintenance of a PC, and after 4 years, it's still working fine, and still worth half what I paid for it.

You drive the best vehicle, so obviously appreciate quality! Why not get the best laptop?

Can anybody see the next Range Rover ultimate edition having windows tablets in the rear headrests? Wouldn't happen. Range Rover-less at the moment - Pining!

I'm torn, I treated myself to a mac desktop and laptop - that was an expensive day.

However, my daughter wanted a 15" laptop and I just couldn't justify it, so she got a Windows 8 Asus machine.

That was all a month ago - already I'm wondering, it feels like the Asus, whilst ok, is basically worth nothing second hand, however, the mac feels like it would fetch a good price. In terms of total ownership cost, the mac is probably the better bet.