Make sure you’ll be able to find help with it when something goes wrong. If you have reliable technical friends who use Windows computers, then Windows is a safe choice. If you have an Apple store near you, or reliable technical friends who use Apple computers, then Macs are a safe choice. You may also have technical friends who are into Linux; if you’re prepared to rely entirely on them, because commercial Linux support is rare, Linux is also an option. Basically, in that case, you’ll buy a Windows laptop, possibly at a $100 or so discount because you’re not also buying Windows, and installing Linux yourself—but you’ll want to consult your Linux-using friends to make sure that the laptop you want is well supported. Also consider the software you want to use. Much of the software you will want to use is either available on all three platforms or has reasonable equivalents on all three platforms, but if you need special software, you may find that one platform or another is a clear winner. In the Windows case you’ll spend $500 to $800 for a bare-bones laptop. In either the Windows or Mac case you’ll spend $1000 to $1200 for a midrange laptop, and $1500 to $2500 for a high-end one. The bare-bones laptop may suit your needs, but without knowing what you’re planning to use it for, it’s impossible to say. You can find computers both online and in retail stores, and you pay for computers the same way you pay for any other comparable purchase—cash or credit cards.