I am currently using a **** gateway 4805 series desktop.  I'm contemplating getting a Mac and boot camp and upgrade to X3.  I  started out with Sonar 8.0 and progressed up to X2. I truly am a fan of the product.  I have had technical difficulties with all my computers that ever ran Sonar.  Version 8.0 & 8.5 ran with many crashed sessions on my Toshiba laptop with 4 gigs of ram and 500g hd using windows 7.  It often crashed on an Dell dimension 8400 pc destop.   My current Gateway is dying.  It's the dx4805 series with 8 gigs of ram and I5 dual core processor.  I'm using Mbox usb 3rd gen audio interface which often loses the drivers with my computer.  This the most stable interface I've used.  I'm sick of the crashing, blue screens, and calling tech support.    Im debating on getting a mac mini and upgrading the ram and running Sonar X 3. The PC experience for me has been too frustrating.   All my friends had the same experience on PC and now use Macs and don't  have any of the issues I have.  Truly more stable.  I really like Sonar and it's workflow since that's all I know, but I'm really tired of the bugs and crashing and instability.  I will be purchasing a new computer for Christmas.  I'm tired of the technical difficulties.  Any feed back?

Looks like  you've already made up your mind so I was surprised you posted for advise ;)
I don't rate build quality of Gateways myself, cheap and nasty. They die early, I only know one person still using one. How old is your PC?
 
My Dell XPS 8100 is over 3 years old runs like a rocket, stable as anything and have no intention of replacing it. If you are one of those people who thinks stability should be automatic then the chances are your machine is unstable. You do have to work at it something to get it in tip top condition.

BTW Apples are PC's, it's hard to tell the difference between them nowadays (apart from the people who use them). And yes I've seen Apples crash regularly esp with Pro Tools.
 
If you are running Windows on an Apple Mac expect all the issues you would normally have with Windows, no different than if I was to run OSX on my PC.
 
It's all baloney but if you like top trumps and the marketeers rock your boat go and join the cool "everything is cool and perfect" apple world... nothing ever is, they are just computers ;)
 
My best advise is learn how your PC ticks and get knowledgeable. When a guitarist breaks his guitars he has two choices, fix it himself or get somebody else to do it. If he decides to fix it himself it is up to him how well he does the job, and where he gains knowledge and experience from... If he gets somebody else to do it he darn well better chose somebody good to fix it, but if he doesn't know how a guitars works how could he possibly know how long it will be before it breaks again....
 

CakeAlexS
...I don't rate built quality of Gateways myself, cheap and nasty. They die early, I only know one person still using one...

I had to check by searching Gateway Computers. I can't believe they're still in business! I actually had a 386 Gateway that had several problems when I powered it up. Customer Service was great and overnighted me any replacement boards (i.e. modem, etc.). I eventually found out from some sales guys that supplied components to Gateway that they would alway buy the cheapest components, and I believe had no quality control department. So, the customer was the quality control. "No problem, we'll overnight a new (whatever) to you."
 
Walt
 
 

In the UK they left long long ago... They were a product of the time, they had five or so glory years and then went downhill rapidly and dramatically.... which reminds me I still have one in my loft.

Using a Gateway here....

Go to studiocat.com and talk with Jim Roseberry. He's a member here and a pro computer builder and will either supply ready built for Sonar and your budget or you can pay for his expertise to help build your own.

Or buy a Dell desktop with a long warranty ;)

+ 1 for Jim Roseberry and studiocat.  I'm out in Seattle and have been using one of his mid-range computers since Nov, 2007.  Computer has worked beautifully with the exceptions of viruses I acquired and had to remedy and a couple of crashed hard drives, both of which were added by me later.  Jim has always been extremely responsive to any inquiries or requests for advice.  When I can't milk any more useful life out of this one for audio work, it will still be useful for something else and I'll be back to Jim for my upgrade.
 
It is just a piece of machinery and will have period trouble and need for maintenance. Apple is now a PC with with a different operating system, but Apple is built to generally high quality quality standards.  If you are too much a price shopper and don't pay for quality, which always costs a bit more, you likely guarantee an extension of your life of problems. 
I will mention that I had a very unstable life with Sonar since v X1 until now, with X3 and continued trouble, I determined a particular Edirol keyboard controller .dll (EdirolPCRM30.dll) that Sonar's installation program installs, which happens to be the map for the keyboard I initially used, was the source of my unstable Sonar experience.  Once I got rid of it Sonar is suddenly rock solid, quick on its feet and behaving as advertised.  You MAY have a simple fix for your problems, too, which might be revealed in the "Details" drop down of your crash screen. Every time I install Sonar it puts that .dll back in my folder of shared surfaces presets, too.

My 3 year old Dell XPS runs remarkably well considering how much use it's gotten...and I still rarely experience CPU overload, even when working on projects with 30+ tracks each with up to 10 plugs and many VSTi's loaded. It surprises me every day. The only problem being is that the system drive has started to get a little noisy and I'm worried that it's on its way out (hard drive failure becomes a lot more probable after 3 years and especially after 5 years). I think I will be speaking to Mr. Roseberry in due course, perhaps a Xmas present to myself....

Mirrored hard drives.... Always :)