Before you commit to a Mac, go into an Apple Store and ask to see a demonstration
of the Mac "mavericks" operating system, and in particular a demonstration
of the Mac software called "Pages" and "Numbers" and "Keynote"
"Pages" is now the Apple replacement for MS Word
"Numbers" is now the Apple replacement for MS Excel
"Keynote" is also new, but I have not looked into it yet
... it may be a replacement for PowerPoint (or something else)
I have only been working with this new system for a month or so,
and after having been a Macfanatic since the mid-80's,
I have to say I am truly disappointed in these new versions of software.
They are essentially "dumbed down" equivalents of what
used to be a completely cross-platform system.
For example, Pages does not even open an RTF file format.
I know Apple is heavy into the school systems, but it looks to me as though Apple is
on the road toward abandoning the lay-public's desk-top computers, in favor of iPhones and iPads
... or the heavy duty machines for professionals who have $4K-$6K for image- and/or music-editing software.
I feel quite traitorous in say all this, but I am truly unimpressed
by the Mac desk top offerings this year.