Bottom line: It's a question that has been asked in the tech world for decades: PC or Mac? While there have been plenty of debates over this conundrum---it usually depends on the needs and wants of the user---it appears many higher education students prefer the Cupertino company's machines.

According to Apple device management company Jamf, 71 percent of college students own or prefer the Mac. The results come from a survey carried out on behalf of the organization by research firm Vanson Bourne, which interviewed 2,244 current college and university students across five countries about what computers they use and which they prefer.

Forty percent of the participants said they use a Mac, meaning 60 percent of the students are on the PC. However, 31 percent of those PC users said they actually prefer Apple's laptops, which means the total percentage of those using or favoring Macs is 71 percent. Just 29 percent of those surveyed said they use and prefer the PC, though there was no option for "Use Mac but prefer PC."

Not too surprisingly, one element that is putting students off moving from PC to Mac is the latter's high prices---51 percent of the PC owners would prefer to use a Mac if the cost was not a consideration.

Interestingly, the main reason participants prefer the Mac isn't to do with its specs or software; 64 percent just like the brand. The second most-popular reason (60 percent) is their style and design, while 59 percent like their ease of use.

Other key findings include 83 percent of students with Macs wanting to continue using the machines once they enter the workforce, though 78 percent of participants believe it's important for an employer to offer employee choice.

It's worth remembering that 2,224 participants are only a tiny fraction of the world's students, and that the survey was commissioned by a company involved with Apple products, though the results do illustrate the power of Apple's brand, especially among younger people.