"Here is an article listing the failure rates of laptops during the first three years of usage," Jim Hamm writes. " I was surprised at how high the percentage failures were. I would have guessed a low, one-digit percent. Apple laptops are about in the middle which, again, surprised me. If one buys, for example, a HP laptop you're got a one in four chance of a failure during the first three years. Way too high, in my opinion — as all the percentages are."

Jim concludes, "From a tech support rating, though, Apple is way ahead of all other computer manufacturers. When support is needed, it's so nice to talk to a person in this country. Fortunately, I haven't needed to do so for quite some time — but I still purchase Apple Care, just in case."