Subj : The end of an era? At $250, Dell's cheapest laptop is almost half
To   : All
From : TechnologyDaily
Date : Sat Jul 26 2025 21:45:08

The end of an era? At $250, Dell's cheapest laptop is almost half the price 
of its most affordable PC so are desktops on the way out?

Date:
Sat, 26 Jul 2025 20:33:00 +0000

Description:
Budget shoppers may skip desktops entirely as Dells laptop handles everyday 
use for less.

FULL STORY
======================================================================Dells 
$250 laptop beats its own entry-level desktop and rivals more expensive 
models The cheapest Dell desktop lacks Windows, while next options start at 
$599.99 At under half the price, Dell's laptop offers full PC experience with 
modern specs 

Desktops used to be the default for affordable computing, offering more 
power, easier upgrades, and better value. 

Components can be swapped out, memory increased, and parts repaired when 
needed - which is much harder to do with laptops, which typically have 
elements like memory soldered in place. 

But if youre in the market for a budget PC, then you might not want to be 
considering a desktop -case in point, Dell is now offering a 15-inch laptop 
for just $250. Far cheaper than a desktop 

The Dell 15 laptop is currently $130 cheaper than its usual $379.99 asking 
price. Thats nearly half the price of Dells least expensive desktop, the $439 
OptiPlex 3000 Thin Client . Its not just about cost either. 

The default laptop configuration comes with Windows 11 Home, an AMD Ryzen 3 
7320U processor, 8GB of LPDDR5 memory, and a 512GB SSD. It also includes a 
15.6-inch Full HD 120Hz screen, Wi-Fi, and ports for basic connectivity, 
including one USB 3.2 Gen 1 port, one USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 port, one USB 2.0 port, 
and a universal audio jack. 

The OptiPlex desktop doesnt run Windows, rather it uses Dells ThinOS, only 
has 64GB of onboard storage, and lacks Wi-Fi entirely. 

Its meant for narrow business environments, not general use, so for the 
average buyer, its hard to recommend unless theyre locked into a specific 
setup. 

Looking beyond that, Dells next Windows-ready desktops start at $599.99. The 
Dell Slim Desktop includes a Core Ultra 5 processor, 16GB of DDR5 memory, and 
a 512GB SSD. It does offer more power but also costs more than twice as much 
as the laptop. 

The Dell Tower Desktop at $749.99 bumps things up with a Core Ultra 7 chip, 
32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. But again, thats triple the price. 

For most users, especially students, small business owners or casual users, 
those upgrades may not be needed anyway. 

The $250 Dell 15 Laptop delivers a full experience that covers everything 
from web browsing to light productivity. 

Desktops still make sense for users who need expansion or maximum performance 
of course, but on the low end, the gap is closing fast. In some cases, it may 
already be gone. You might also like These are the best business laptops you 
can buy right now And these are the best Dell laptops on the market Dell will 
have a laptop with 256GB RAM later this year thanks to CAMM2



======================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/pro/the-end-of-an-era-at-usd250-dells-cheapest-lapto
p-is-almost-half-the-price-of-its-most-affordable-pc-so-are-desktops-on-the-wa
y-out


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