School me on quad core processors v build me a rig

Serious question that I don’t know the answer to:

Why Mac? They used to have some pretty decent technological advantages, and from what I hear OSX is a great OS. But now that they have the same technology as everyone else (Intel processors) is Mac OS really worth the premium you have to pay to get one with comparable hardware? Or am I wrong about them having the same hardware as everyone else?

It sounds like there’s no point to a 4 core processor for personal use yet, as software doesn’t make use of it. I would go the most cost effective dual core route.

But I haven’t really been keeping up with all this shit over the least year or two. Who has a good reason to go 4 core and/or Mac?