Thinking of moving from OS X back to Linux. Suggestions for distro + laptop?

Around 15 years ago I moved from Red Hat Linux over to Mac OS. My job meant I no longer had time to tinker around with my OS just to get some program installed. It was great when OS X came around because there was the right mix of command line power and a low-maintenance UI.

Now, in 2015, the OS X user experience is starting to piss me off. Sometimes I'd click a button and nothing would happen. Programs crash more often. And it wants to integrate everything into the cloud. The cloud is convenient but I don't trust it.

Any suggestions for a more privacy oriented distro for someone who's moving from a Mac? I know this site has some info but tips from someone who's made a similar transition would be great.

If anyone can also recommend a laptop and configuration, that would be excellent.

Thank you.