"and even then can usually sell it for not too bad a price to someone who will surely get several more years out of it."

This was one of my deciding factors of jumping in and getting my first Apple computer (MBP Pro). The fact that the sticker price is so high is countered, in my eyes, by the fact that I could sell and get a decent amount of my money back. Although, I've had the laptop for about a month and I don't think I'll be selling any time soon. I would miss it too much.