I'm not a software person so I can't speak to your other points, but for 2): I think you'd be surprised how repairable MacBooks are. The screens aren't hand re

I'm not a software person so I can't speak to your other points, but for 2): I think you'd be surprised how repairable MacBooks are. The screens aren't hand replaceable but you basically need a couple of small Torx screwdrivers, maybe some tweezers, and about an hour if you're doing it for the first time. Not sure what you meant by backup HD appliance but Time Machine is hands down the best UX for any backup software I've used.