You may like to try out the mac. Just like I did in 2010.
The Macintosh "Computer" will last much longer but the charger cables tend to wear out, meaning fray at the ends after about 10 - 12 months.
If this happens you should exercise your consumer rights If relevant to your country (Australia, New Zealand, UK, Canada etc) and get a replacement.
By my personal recommendation (non legal advice) all the parts including the device and the chargers should last for 5 years.
The computers are very durable and on the inside I can confidently say that you won't be likely to get any viruses. When the mac gets a virus it's usually patched and fixed within a very short time and makes head line news. That's how rare they are.
The software is a little different.
Office is virtually the same, however there are some differences in features. You shouldn't find this too difficult though.
The most important thing to let you know is the mac is 100% compatible with PC files.
"The versatility and power of OS X help a Mac fit in just about anywhere — including Windows networks. Want to transfer your files, photos, and other data from a Windows PC? OS X lets you do that easily with Migration Assistant. If you want to run Windows on your Mac, you can do that with Boot Camp. OS X has built-in support for the latest version of Microsoft Exchange Server, so you can use your Mac at home and at work and keep all your messages, meetings, and contacts in sync. And, of course, you can work with popular file types such as JPG, MP3, and PDF, as well as Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents."
iWork which includes pages, numbers and keynote along with iLife which include iPhoto, iMovie and garageband all come on the mac free!
iWork is Apple's answer to Microsoft's Office.
If you are after a laptop not too big and not too small a 13 inch macbook pro sounds about right.
If you have a slightly higher budget a 13 inch macbook pro with retina display should be the right solution.
Make sure you pick out the hardware you want when you buy it, because it is difficult to modify the macbook pro especially if you are getting the one with retina display.
Overall the mac is the top of the line in both desktop and laptop product lines.
It has been for the past 7 years in a row in the US.
They do have a premium price tag but they also have a premium life span too!
Macs are being used more and more as people realise that they are faster and better at getting work and creative things done with lucidity. your work is centre stage on the mac, not the computer.
I am not just saying that the mac is better than windows...
Many people are realising that GNU/Linux systems are far superior to the Windows platform too.
There are multiple paths and alternatives to windows but the main one and in my opinion the best one
which is ready to take anything you throw at it is Mac OS X or what is now known as OS X.
For those who think that I am a mac this or that...
I use GNU/Linux too, but only my spair time.
https://www.gnu.org/distros/free-distros.html
GNU stands for GNU's not Unix.
OS X is based on Unix which is an essential part of the operating system,
which in other words is required for a computer to work.
Some of the Windows Side claim that Macs aren't compatible with the programs but that is wrong.
If you want to run apps without complication that are made for PC install a simple app called "crossover, www.codeweavers.com/products/"
For other options
"Bootcamp", "Virtual Box", Vmware and parallels are available. they are others however to be fair are a little more complicated than Crossover.
The mac has always since inception been backwards compatible with the PC.
It is false and defamatory to claim that the mac isn't compatible.