Howdy, I've been thorugh this argument for years and having a few older macs around the house (laptop and desktop) and several PC's both laptop and desktop / tower, I've noticed a few things;
a) I can take a computer from XP to windows 8 and get on the net with it with relatively recent software outside of the supplied stuff (i.e. Windows Explorer). I've used several browsers on older PC's (i.e. Firefox, Google Chrome, etc) whereas with my older Mac's it's Safari or nothing because the older macs running os 10.4 or 10.5 won't run some of the latest upgrades from Firefox, etc. and there's limited offerings otherwise.
b) The PC hardware / software is cheaper than a Mac, but then again I don't feel bad if I have a catastrophic failure on a laptop other than the hard drive, I can remove the hard drive and use it as a USB drive (since normally all files are intact) and get my data from there. I've replaced batteries, displays, keyboards, memory on a PC laptop very easily, but I've found it almost impossible to figure out how to open a Mac laptop without destroying it. I never buy new computers no matter what they are, I depend on refurbs or returns. So I don't feel bad if a windows PC bites the dust, I just strip it and either sell it on ebay for parts or toss it. In a lot of cases, it's not worth fixing because you can buy another laptop a lot cheaper than the repair. Mac, once they break it's back to the repair shop because outside of putting it in the box, there's nothing else you can do but cringe until you get the repair bill.
c) I found it very interesting that the latest versions of iTunes doesn't work with on my older Mac's. I can't upgrade the software to what the device needs (read demands). Though I can plug my new ipod or new iphone into itunes on a 10 year old XP machine and bingo it works just fine... Hmm....
d) Apple forces you to buy extras these days because they have ceased to offer standard ports / optical drives with their machines. Except for the iBook you can't get a optical drive on any of their latest hardware, so you are now a slave to Apple through their online store. I think the Air doesn't even offer USB ports. So how does that work for me when I have a 2 year old grand daughter that I just want to keep occupied with a DVD for a few minutes when I don't have a DVD drive on the computer (and don't give me this stuff about plugging in an external drive. For $1500, that should be part of the computer, not purchased slavery to Apple for everything including software I want to put on this thing). Another stupid thing, a card reader for your camera. Every Dell I have has a SD card reader. Now maybe not the exact size I may need which depends on the camera, but it's there none the less. With Mac, sorry, that's another 'extra' for you to buy unless you want to hook up the camera to the computer and download it that way...
One other thing that's been bugging me about Apple is the fact that they haven't come out with anything 'really new' since Jobs died. Sure, they've upgraded the iPad, made a iPad mini, and upgraded the phone, but as it's been said here time and time again, a lot of other products on the market are or have either caught or surpassed Apple. They used to be technology leaders, but I just don't see this 'leadership' any longer.
I'd say overall that Apple products are very slick and very good and they work well for what 'average' people want to do. But if you want to do anything outside the locked in route that Apple forces upon you, then I'd say go to a PC. Be aware though I have PC's that are well over 10 years old and do everything (and I mean everything) very well, whereas Apple products may work but as time goes on they will start to drop support for them and you will be forced to upgrade to connect your apple devices to their computers and/or systems whether you like it or not.
I honestly do like Apple and their products, but again it's the forced upgrades and everything has to be approved or stamped Apple that really bugs me. Their Olympic TV ad about the woman running up to set the masses free, now in my humble opinion, you are one of the masses if you buy a Apple product because they control almost everything you do with it whether you like it or not.