That there is no avoiding software and computer code is a given. The MacOSX is very solid. But is does crash on occasion and I figure it out. There is time, I am not in the back of a van or squatting in the rain. I have lost cuts, I have lost media, I have had drives go down. Who hasn't?
I think the difference with a laptop is the temptation to multi-purpose the device, as it is by design built to do many, many more complex things than just record audio. If it & its internal SATA drive can do real time 8 bit NTSC video, well audio is easy. Its just that there is a mess of other software thrown into the mix and so if you can resist using your recorder to edit home movies, you are ahead of the game.
One last thing - there have been posts about how much more is expected of the location mixer these days. This may be a slippery slope, be careful or soon you will be asked to lay out your ISOs in edit rough cuts, perhaps with titles & effects...