If you drive a Mercedes-Benz, you probably appreciate fine engineering. If this is true, make the change and go Mac. The 17" Powerbook is extraordinary. A friend of mine has one and it has completely replaced a HUGE desk based audio studio. The display is like nothing else I have seen. The latest operating systems from Apple have to be used to be believed too. I use Macs by choice, at home and on the road, but for my job I have to use a lot of different Windoze machines too. It always staggers me how incredibly bad the Microsoft operating systems (especially XP) is. I don't understand how hundreds of software engineers working in isolation all over the world and calling themselves Microsoft can get the interface so wrong. (hang on a minute.. I may have something here..)

There is a bit of a learning curve if you have only used windows before but trust me, once you go there you will never go back to the dark side.

Apple stuff also has longevity. I am still very happily using a 4 year old Powerbook G3 that does everything I need and more. The other day I was downloading some software, digitising a CD, surfing the web, getting the pics from my digital camera and smiling. All at the same time. At this moment I am running 13 applications (including MS office) and I pretty much leave these running all the time. I usually go weeks before restarting the 'book and this is only if I install new software. And viruses simply don't exist on Mac OSX.

The others are correct in saying the 17" is on face value expensive, but so is an AMG SL55. They really are the current ultimate portable computer. If you want to have all the fun of constantly tinkering with software, eradiacting and then still contracting viruses, installing "security updates" every week and getting to know tech support people really well, get a Windows machine.

If you want a tool that works and makes you smile every time you use it, get a Powerbook.