As expected (and as I wrote about here, here, and even here), Apple has responded to the recent Microsoft "PC's Are Cheaper" ads with a new series of ads that focus on the user experience after the initial purchase. Apple's new ads, titled "Customer Care", "PC Choice Chat", and "Elimination" drive home the point that cheaper may be nice on Day 1, but the joy of "cheaper" doesn't last, especially when you're going to live with your purchase for the next 3-5 years.
I made a decision a long time ago that any time I spent "a lot" of money -- whether buying a television, microwave, computer, or a car -- I would buy quality, not initial price. The thing I learned is that six months after the initial purchase I could never remember the initial price, but when I had to live with a product day after day, year after year, I never regretted buying quality.