A friend of mine asked me why I got a reconditioned Mac for my wife, instead of a new PC that was available from a box store for less money.

"Simple," I said, "I don't have time to play tech support."

Trust me - you can't afford a cheap PC. I design software and build Websites, and I can't afford the time and effort necessary to keep a cheap Windows Vista box up and running. Really, it's like a part-time job and I already have enough daily responsibilities.

Sure, everybody knows Macs are superior - but they are so expensive, right?

New Macs can be pricey, but they seriously deliver in terms of value for the dollar. But what delivers even more value for the dollar is a reconditioned Mac. For less than half the price of a decent PC you can get a reconditioned Apple iBook G4 with Mac OS X and all the related software. $525 delivers all the Mac goodness and joy that you have heard so much about.

Or you could go to Costco and buy a no-name box made from junk parts in an Asian country with a name you can't spell or pronounce.

Hey - your choice. But if you are in the market for a budget laptop, then you need to consider a reconditioned Mac. You need to discover what Mac addicts have known for years - a used Mac is better than a new PC any day!