Mac VS. Windows Laptop?

I cannot really lean either way, saying you'll get the best of both worlds, or the worst.

OS-wise, in the end, I WILL vouch for OS X 10.4 over XP and/or Vista. It is more appealing to me, visually. For my work, it helps me efficiently. Whoa, wait. I can do my designing work on a PC too. Doesn't matter. My university will have Mac AND Dell laboratories for students who wish to edit their animations, render image sequences with Maya, blah blah, etc. What really matters for that kind of thing is a really WELL sized monitor (24+ inches) and power-hardware. Well, then there's availability of programs, like Final Cut Pro. However, given that I'm a Visual Development/Illustration student, I don't make "movies," and I could do fine producing Storyboard Animatics with Adobe After Effects.

Now you see, to start complaining about mac laptops. I've had one for +2 years, and every several months something will break. The battery was replaced. The power supply was replaced because it fried, and Apple admitted this to be a common problem with the Powerbook G4 Aluminum series. The hinges supporting the LCD screen weren't properly adjusted, and Apple admitted this to be a common problem with that Aluminum series of laptops. When the notebook was shipped in for verification (during the battery's death), the top-case had to be replaced because of internal heat expanding the metal rims. There has been a +$1400 spending on repairs for this shitty Powerbook G4 laptop.

In addition, my IRL friend Kurado (Mudkips.....), has a black powerbook G4 laptop. His LCD screen is showing a huge and black "tornado-like" shape across the monitor because it was improperly installed, and Apple doesn't have LCD screen warranty services (like Dell does with their "accidental whatever" plan? It's just a way for them to suck an addition $200 bucks). Anywho, for any case of LCD screen repair it's about +$350. I still don't have the aluminum G4's screen repaired just so I can think that all that money could have gone to a new computer by this point. It was purchased during August of 2005.

There was a series of the iMac G5s that had "commonly known-of" logic board problems. Only one month after purchasing the G5 back in X-mas of 2004, the whole display went on fritz. The computer was taken into an Apple-certified repair store and it was determined this G5 had the same "common" problem with others.

Basically, in addition to all the "heard-of" complaints about iPods breaking left and right with ridiculous repair bills, etc., I am really edgy/skeptical about trusting another Mac product "for now." To be more specific, I'm reluctant to invest in another laptop, period, for a good while given the problems had with the PC notebook. A custom pre-built notebook that had "gaming" components installed has overheated. The batteries also died, the HDD had bad sectors (or the IDE controller had problems), the video card fried. A +2 years laptop. I conclude that there still is no such thing as a "safe" gaming laptop.

I've heard that Toshiba laptops are ultra-reliable, but I don't think they're as capable as the mac laptops.

Anyway, since you haven't said why you want a mac or windows laptop other than for looks and software (without mentioning what you're working IN), I dunno. Well you do mention the need for AutoCAD in Architecture. Sooooooooooooooooooo... a Mac with bootcamp, whatever, it is.

Jam it back in, in the dark.