right now i use Windows 10 on all my PCs, but i did love Windows 7 more than anything else. it was so clean and easy to use.

Well, it is anecdotal evidence, but I would point that Apple hardware is quite expensive. A Macbook starts at US$ 1200, with a Core M3 CPU and 8GB of RAM. A Macbook Pro starts at 1400, with a Core i5. With 1400 bucks, you can get a lightweight gaming laptop (in Amazon, a desktop-grade Core i7, 16GB of RAM and a GTX 1060) that simply slaughters the Mac in all aspects, except battery-life, of course. We also have regular laptops that have that battery life and you can get an i7 for that price point. So it's not just paying a premium for Mac OS, you could get way better hardware for the same price or get the same hardware for 2 times less.

If you don't stand Windows, getting a regular PC and slapping Linux is a good alternative. Mac OS is a bit better in software availability, but you will have to worry about software anyway. If you are not tech-savy, then Linux could not be a good option (unless it works in the first try in your machine, which isn't always the case), but in a gaming forum most people are more than capable. 

As much as I would like to try a Mac someday, the price is a big issue indeed. My note is an i7, so I wouldn't downgrade to an i5. And price segment of i7 Macs is ridiculous. Here in Brazil, an i7 MB Pro costs R$ 18,000. I can get a 4-year old popular car with that money. I could buy a high-end laptop with an i7, a Galaxy S8, a PS4 Pro and a 65' Samsung 4K HDR TV.

Windows 8.1 and Chrome OS

Kinda doubt that, I know lots of people who don't know what linux even is, they get windows cause it's cheaper than mac and thats what they use at work. I'd say casual or work use far out weighs the amount of PCs used for gaming. but maybe I'm wrong

Windows 7 for gaming, Kubuntu and other user-friendly Debian-based Linux distros for every other purpose (I love Debian itself too, but I'm lazy ).

Windows 7. It is the last Microsoft OS where the user keeps control over his files, data and privacy. 2nd suggestion would be Linux Mint, this is where I will migrate to after Windows 7 enterprise support ends.

Mac OS. Any of them, they basically get better each time. Used it since MacOS 7, up to two or three versions ago because my laptop is too old to upgrade. Always liked it way better than Windows, it's just easier to use. It always feels like everything is always hidden somewhere or has to be done in some strange roundabout way. Regarding Windows, 7's the best one, better than 10, definitely better than 8. XP and 98 were also good, 95 was decent. Have no real memory of 3.1. Vista and ME were absolutely terrible in every way. Before those, I never knew a particular shade of blue was actually a color.

Which distro was it? I've loved Ubuntus with Unity desktop, although 10.04 (Gnome desktop) is possibly my favourite due to how fast it was.

I still have a PC with Windows ME running...

Why not? Today it's easy to install a linux to your older computer once Windows slows down. If you don't use it to play new games, you don't need Windows anywhere. Seeing how many people said in this thread that once Windows 7 stops getting updates, they'll put Linux on their computers - and that's what's people have been doing with XP's and Vistas that don't receive updates anymore.