Mac system opinions, please

[Stromkraft]

I'm going high-end trailing edge with a refurbished MacBook Pro 17-inch (late 2011).…


Specs are comparable to current models…

While 15" MBPs are "high end" in many ways they're pretty standard. Specs are not comparable if you mean the processor. Intel have not stand still since 2011.

That's still a fine machine, no doubt about it, but one could argue a desktop Hackintosh for not a lot more money would be more useful for some users or even running Windows 8 on the same hardware. MBPs and other Macs run Windows very nicely, so you can be as platform agnostic as you want with Mac hardware, which is of high quality and usually have high second hand value years after release. I've yet to see this change even if people keep whining every three years or so. There are risk machines, like the 2013 Mac Pros that are prone to drop quite a bit in price should Apple release new Mac Pro models.
And they should or I will kick Tim's ass.

[Stromkraft]

support for pro-level digital audio seems to be better on the Mac.

I think maybe it's just that with Windows you need to make sure you have the right components in your machine. Everyone I know that use Windows for music or other media production select their hardware very carefully.

If you know what you're doing Windows generally works fine (OK, I'm not sure at all with Windows 10, but that's another story). With Macs things are a little more streamlined and the lowest quality is pretty good. I think that might be the main difference.

Of course, if you feel you know what you're doing with Windows machines and your take is that there are general issues then I believe you. I almost stopped using my Win 7 machine. It worked fine last time I used it.