Your original argument was about building "PCs at great expense (time and money)". I might agree with the time argument if you get some faulty hardware, but if

Your original argument was about building "PCs at great expense (time and money)". I might agree with the time argument if you get some faulty hardware, but if anything its more down to software than hardware costing time. The TCO argument is fine if you have a perfectly working Mac after X years and sell it, but i usually pass them on to family members for little/no money so that does not apply to everybody. TCO depends on a lot of individual factors and luck (no repairs after warranty), price does not.