Apple winning the 'back to school' deal race?

Each and every year, Microsoft and Apple go head to head in the 'back to school' race; trying to entice in students from across the United States and further afield through their virtual doors, to buy their technology.

But this year, according to research, Apple is winning -- all but hands down.

In a nutshell:

Microsoft is offering a free Xbox 360 (4GB model) when students spend over $699 on a new Windows 7 PC.

Apple on the other hand is giving students a $100 store credit that can be used in any of its application stores, like the Mac App Store and iTunes.

But students are opting for the Mac over the Windows 7 PC; oddly enough, when the Xbox is far more expensive.

It isn't about cost, though. We saw around this time last year that more students are opting for MacBooks over any other laptop on the market -- overtaking Dell, HP and Toshiba in their portable computer offerings.

One shouldn't detract away from the fact that not only are MacBooks idolised by the Generation Y as "the laptop of choice", through sheer branding and social status factor alone -- they're also, ironically, too expensive for the masses who want one most.

While 80% of college students prefer a Mac over a PC, this statistic doesn't surprise me at all. Whether 80% of college students will be able to afford a Mac over a PC, that is another question altogether.