Deal | Cheaper than MacBook Neo: This 14-inch Dell laptop with 16 GB RAM is $130 off

When the Apple MacBook Neo first launched at $599, it was an excellent value. But due to obscene memory and storage costs, Apple has had to increase the prices of its products. The MacBook Neo now costs $699 for 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. This is arguably a pretty bad price, as you can get better Windows laptops on sale by spending a bit more. You can also get a decent Windows laptop for much cheaper than the MacBook Neo in the 14-inch Dell 14 D14260.

The Dell 14 D14260 is now on sale at Walmart for $599, a $130 discount on the list price.

Specs-wise, the Dell 14 is powered by a Core Ultra 7 255U CPU, 16 GB of DDR5 memory, 512 GB of storage, and a 14-inch IPS display. Dell claims the non-touch FHD+ display can hit 400 nits of brightness. A 41 Wh battery that charges via a 65 W charger keeps the lights on. The laptop also supports Type-C charging.

For ports, the Dell 14 features:

• Two Type-A ports
• One Type-C port with DisplayPort and Power Delivery
• An HDMI out
• A 3.5 mm audio jack
• An SD card reader

So, what can you expect from the Dell 14? Courtesy of the 12-core Core Ultra 7 255U and 16 GB of RAM, the laptop will not feel underpowered in routine use. You can also expect a comfortable keyboard, a serviceable display, and decent battery life, as the Arrow Lake U-series chips are rather efficient.

What you won’t find here, however, is a metallic chassis, a keyboard backlight, or a display fit for content creation. This is a consequence of the Dell 14’s low price, as a metal construction and a high-end panel add a lot to the cost of a notebook. If you need these qualities, the MacBook Neo is a better option (get one on Amazon).

That said, you can upgrade RAM and storage down the line, which you can’t do with the MacBook Neo. So, there are trade-offs of going with either device.