This. For me, the comparison is never between a $1000 Apple laptop and a $400 Gateway one.
The comparison is between a $1000 Apple laptop and an $800-$1000 Lenovo T-series or X-series Thinkpad (or, as I call them, the "real" Thinkpads).
For something that I use for hours every single day, an overly-heavy and shoddily built piece of junk is not an acceptable option. Apple isn't the only manufacturer that makes quality hardware, but the quality non-Apple machines cost much closer to the Apples than the junky Gateway does.
As a linux user I can be fairly hardware agnostic. I used to consider apple laptops when purchasing a laptop. After I purchased my first thinkpad it was a no brainer, the real thinkpads are the perfect linux laptop. The ideapads are not so bad for a cheap tiny netbook thingie. They obviously don't compare to the thinkpad line but they are okay for what they cost...
PS I have the W500 and I'm curious why you do not include it among the real thinkpads.
I've used a Macbook Pro for 3-ish years, and I didn't like its build quality very much.
I just bought a Thinkpad E325, one of the "edge" thinkpads. Its build quality is exceptional for a £350, and I'd say mostly on-par with what I could get from apple nowadays.
The comparison is between a $1000 Apple laptop and an $800-$1000 Lenovo T-series or X-series Thinkpad (or, as I call them, the "real" Thinkpads).
For something that I use for hours every single day, an overly-heavy and shoddily built piece of junk is not an acceptable option. Apple isn't the only manufacturer that makes quality hardware, but the quality non-Apple machines cost much closer to the Apples than the junky Gateway does.