Laptop for sure; not only can I take it with me anywhere, work out of a coffee shop, travel...... But I can also go outside and enjoy the weather and work under an umbrella. My Acer is a tank and does everything I want it to do and then some; I find no absolute reason to own a Desktop unless you are into intense animation or gaming.
What are you talking about getting 6 months out of a Windows PC @ericplotz1? I've always used either Windows or Linux, and I have absolutely no interest in any sort of Apple products. I can build a BEAST Windows PC that will outperform any Mac, and will do so for years to come.... At a fraction of the cost!
It all depends on how you take care of your computers. I've had a Windows PC last 5 years without any issues whatsoever, while I watch friends go through Mac after Mac after Mac.