Apple's laptop line is actually quite competitive. The keyboard (layout), trackpad (quality/design), integration of hardware and software (battery life + feel), and overall build quality are what sets Apple apart from the competition. I have yet to buy an Apple product, but I also haven't replaced my laptop in over 3 years. Every time I think of doing so, I go through the same exercise:
1. Eliminate laptops with idiotic layouts (I'm one of those people that type with the right shift key). This first step already cuts out the majority of low cost laptops.
2. Filter by battery life. Suddenly Apple pricing isn't looking that bad.
3. Filter by specs - screen, etc. Now you are left with laptops that are all in the same (or higher!) price range as Apple.
And this is all before taking into account other factors like Linux compatibility. By time I get the list down to models that are competitive with Apple, the price is almost always equal or higher. And usually, none work 100% perfectly with Linux. So I end up buying nothing.
If you could pull off such a piece of hardware, where the hardware is designed to fit the distro's look and feel (a very underrated pro for Apple products in my opinion), at a competitive price, I'd be first in line to buy one.