| No idea what the academic discounts are for the other laptops. That's not my department. As for the price/performance ratio of Apple products, I can assure you that they are not only competitive, but more competitive than they have ever been.
Apple uses top-end components in their products (for example, the audio-in and out jacks are digital optical, not just standard analog. The camera is built in. The hard drive is not only fast, but quiet.
And every Mac comes with digital creativity software that would cost hundreds to acquire on a Windows system (iMovie, iDVD, GarageBand) and every Mac has Front Row, like Windows Media Center edition (which also costs extra) but better. |