This conversation is definitely got off the subject. But since the matter is up: you can definitely get a PC for much less than a Mac. I'm about to get new Lenovo laptop for $599.
(http://www.microcenter.com/si­ngle_product_results.phtml?pro­duct_id=0281102)

See if you can find a new MacBook with a 15" screen for a similar price. The Apple website doesn't list anything under $1,999. It has a faster processor, granted, but if I just want a sub-$1,000 laptop, apparently Apple is not an option.

For comparison, I customized a 15" MacBook and a 15" Dell XPS. I changed to a 250 GB hard drive to the MacBook to make it comparable. The price on the MacBook came to $2,049 (http://store.apple.com/1-800-­MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore­.woa/9084002/wo/a737qJN160zX2a­rYEle1HKKQqB1/5.?p=0)

I then customized a Dell XPS laptop to have similar features. With everything as equivalent as I could make it, the price came to $1,324. (http://configure.us.dell.com/­dellstore/config.aspx?oc=dycwh­n1&c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&kc=pr­oductdetails~xpsnb_m1530 , you have to change the processor, hard disk, and video card to match the Mac mentioned above).

Not quite twice as much, but close. And if you find a new MacBook for $599, let me know.