I’m a MacBook expert, but these cut-price Dell laptops have me considering swapping sides

• May 19, 2026

As TechRadar’s computing expert, I’ve been telling pretty much everyone to buy a MacBook Neo if they’re looking for a great budget laptop, but Dell’s early Memorial Day sales could change that.

The deal that really caught my eye is the Dell 15 laptop for just $399.99 from Dell.com. Thanks to a $240 price cut, this drastically undercuts the MacBook Neo, and with a 6-core Intel Core 3-100U processor, 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD, it’ll offer a similar level of performance, all for the price of a Chromebook.

• View Dell’s full Memorial Day sale

While the MacBook Neo has a better screen, the Dell 15 has a larger display at 15.6-inches, which some people will find more comfortable to work on compared to the Neo’s 13-inches.

If you have a bit more budget, the Dell 16 Plus has had a huge $530 discount, and is now just $899.99 at Dell’s website. For this MacBook Air-challenging price, you get a powerful 8-core Intel Core Ultra 7 256V CPU, 16GB of RAM, 1TB of SSD space and a sharp and vibrant 16-inch screen.

The smaller Dell 14 Plus, which is now $959.99 (down from $1,379.99), offers similar specs for a sub-$1,000 price tag – something that’s increasingly rare these days thanks to the global memory shortage.

The standout deal, though, remains the Dell 15 I mentioned at the start, as it finally gives Windows 11 users a real alternative to the MacBook Neo.

Check out our Memorial Day sales hub for more great offers on the latest tech.

Today’s best Dell laptop deals

More of today’s best Memorial Day sales

• Amazon: 45% off TVs, AirPods, air fryers & vacuums
• Apple: iPads, AirPods & MacBooks from $99
• Best Buy: 60% off appliances, TVs, laptops & more
• Casper: up to 30% off mattresses
• Dell: laptop deals from $249.99
• DreamCloud: up to 60% off mattresses, 66% off bundles
• Home Depot: 40% off appliances, furniture, grills & tools
• Lowe’s: $1,000 off appliances, patio & tools
• Nectar: up to 50% off mattresses, deals from $369
• Saatva: up to $550 off luxury mattresses
• Samsung: up to $1,600 off appliances
• Target: 30% off clothing, patio & furniture
• Walmart: furniture, cheap TVs & vacs from $69
• Wayfair: 50% off furniture, grills, rugs & more

Source

As TechRadar’s computing expert, I’ve been telling pretty much everyone to buy a MacBook Neo if they’re looking for a great budget laptop, but Dell’s early Memorial Day sales could change that. The deal that really caught my eye is the Dell 15 laptop for just $399.99 from Dell.com. Thanks…