[ElectricZombie]

After stopping by the Apple store for the first time ever last weekend, I'm quite impressed with Leopard and Apple computers in general. I'm in the market for a new computer, and am strongly purchasing an iMac or MacBook Pro.

First, a little back ground info. I've been working on Windows PCs for the last 15 years. I'm still running XP, with no real issues. My main issue with Windows is that it requires a lot of time and effort to keep it working properly. I format my computer every 3 months or so because Windows seems to bog down around that time. I'd like something that I don't have to constantly tinker with to keep working.

In general, I've observed that a typical Windows based PC lasts anywhere from 3 to 5 years before they need to be replaced. This is mostly due to the increasing hardware demands imposed by the development of Microsoft's latest OS. This has become more apparent with the release of Vista.

On the other hand, Apple claims many of their systems that are several years old can run Leopard with no problem. This leads me to beleive that the lifespan of a Mac is longer than that of a Windows PC.

Do Macs generally have a longer useful lifespan than the typical Windows PC? (I don't game, so this isn't an issue.) I'd like to get something that will last for years to come instead of buying a new computer every few years.

I'm thinking that a Mac might be the answer for a worry free computer that will last more than a couple of years.