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Prices checked October 2026Not tested in handNo paid rankingsHow we pick
You give up: Uses an Arm-based Snapdragon chip, so a few older Windows apps and games may not run.
Short answer: The closest cheaper alternative to the Dell XPS 14 (2026, Intel Core Ultra 5 325, 16GB/512GB, FHD+) is the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8" (8th Edition, Snapdragon X2 Plus, 16GB/512GB), about $1,600 instead of $1,990 (save 20%). What you give up: Uses an Arm-based Snapdragon chip, so a few older Windows apps and games may not run. The cheapest is the Acer Aspire Go 15 (AG15-21PT-R641, Ryzen 5 7520U, 16GB/512GB) at about $600. Prices checked October 2026.
Why it's a good swap The same 16GB/512GB in a premium laptop with a 120Hz 13.8-inch touchscreen.
You give up: Uses an Arm-based Snapdragon chip, so a few older Windows apps and games may not run.
Why it's a good swap The same 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD for everyday work on a 15.6-inch Full HD screen.
You give up: Plastic build and a much slower Ryzen 5 7520U chip.
Why it's a good swap Dell's XPS build with the same 16GB/512GB and a 13.4-inch QHD+ touchscreen.
You give up: Smaller screen and a slower Core 5 chip than the XPS 14's Core Ultra 5.
Why it's a good swap The same 16GB/512GB in a thin, fanless premium laptop.
You give up: macOS instead of Windows, and a smaller 13.6-inch screen.
Typical US prices, checked October 2026. Not live prices; check the listing before you buy.
Looking for a cheaper alternative to the Dell XPS 14 (2026, Intel Core Ultra 5 325, 16GB/512GB, FHD+)? It usually sells for about $1,990. Here are 4 cheaper swaps from $600: the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8" (8th Edition, Snapdragon X2 Plus, 16GB/512GB) is the closest match from another brand, the Dell XPS 13 (2026, Intel Core 5 320, 16GB/512GB) is a cheaper option from Dell and the Acer Aspire Go 15 (AG15-21PT-R641, Ryzen 5 7520U, 16GB/512GB) is the cheapest at about $600. Each one says what you give up for the lower price.
The Dell XPS 14 (Core Ultra 5, 16GB/512GB) costs $1,990 at Dell. The closest cheaper pick is the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8" ($1,600) with the same 16GB/512GB, and Dell's own XPS 13 is $1,050. The cheapest is the Acer Aspire Go 15 ($600).
Worth it for Windows users who want a light, premium laptop with very long battery life. Tom's Hardware measured 20 hours 41 minutes on a 1200p XPS 14, the longest it has seen on an x86 chip, and both Tom's Guide and Tom's Hardware welcomed the return of physical function keys. The Core Ultra 5 325 model uses a 14-inch 1920x1200 non-touch screen with a 1-120Hz refresh rate.
The Dell XPS 13 (2026, Intel Core 5 320, 16GB/512GB) ($1,050) keeps the XPS build and the same memory and storage, with a smaller screen and slower chip. If you're open to macOS, the Apple MacBook Air 13" (M5) ($1,299) has the same 16GB/512GB in a thin, fanless body.
Compared on their own pages: MacBook Air alternatives
| Option | Type | Typical price | You save | What you give up | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dell XPS 14 (2026, Intel Core Ultra 5 325, 16GB/512GB, FHD+) | The original | $1,990 | – | – | View ↗ |
| Acer Aspire Go 15 (AG15-21PT-R641, Ryzen 5 7520U, 16GB/512GB) | Budget pick | $600 | $1,390 (70%) | Plastic build and a much slower Ryzen 5 7520U chip. | View ↗ |
| Dell XPS 13 (2026, Intel Core 5 320, 16GB/512GB) | Same brand, cheaper | $1,050 | $940 (47%) | Smaller screen and a slower Core 5 chip than the XPS 14's Core Ultra 5. | View ↗ |
| Apple MacBook Air 13" (M5) | Close match | $1,299 | $691 (35%) | macOS instead of Windows, and a smaller 13.6-inch screen. | View ↗ |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8" (8th Edition, Snapdragon X2 Plus, 16GB/512GB) | Close match | $1,600 | $390 (20%) | Uses an Arm-based Snapdragon chip, so a few older Windows apps and games may not run. | View ↗ |
Typical US prices from retailer listings and price trackers, checked October 2026. They are not live Amazon prices and may have changed, so check the listing before you buy.
The Acer Aspire Go 15 (AG15-21PT-R641, Ryzen 5 7520U, 16GB/512GB), at about $600 (70% less). The same 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD for everyday work on a 15.6-inch Full HD screen. The catch: Plastic build and a much slower Ryzen 5 7520U chip.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8" (8th Edition, Snapdragon X2 Plus, 16GB/512GB), at about $1,600 (20% less). The same 16GB/512GB in a premium laptop with a 120Hz 13.8-inch touchscreen. The catch: Uses an Arm-based Snapdragon chip, so a few older Windows apps and games may not run.
Yes. The Dell XPS 13 (2026, Intel Core 5 320, 16GB/512GB), at about $1,050 (47% less). Dell's XPS build with the same 16GB/512GB and a 13.4-inch QHD+ touchscreen. The catch: Smaller screen and a slower Core 5 chip than the XPS 14's Core Ultra 5.
Tom's Guide praised the 2880x1800 tandem OLED for contrast and color, but battery life differs a lot: Tom's Hardware measured 20 hours 41 minutes on a 1200p model versus 12 hours 23 minutes on the OLED. Tom's Hardware also found the 1200p screen brighter but a bit washed out.
Yes. Tom's Guide and Tom's Hardware both report Dell replaced the capacitive touch row with physical function keys and added tactile edges to the haptic touchpad.
Three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack, per Tom's Hardware. There's no USB-A port or microSD slot.
Each swap links to amazon.com. Prices are typical US prices checked October 2026 and change often, so check the listing before you buy.
Every swap is a product sold in the US that does the main job of the original. Close match is another brand with similar features, Same brand, cheaper is an older, smaller or renewed model from the same maker, and Budget pick is the cheapest thing that still does the job. On each page, Closest match is the close match nearest the original in price, and Lowest price is the cheapest swap. We compare published specs, retailer listings and reviews; we don't test products ourselves.
A cheaper product is cheaper for a reason. Each swap says what you give up, like weaker noise cancelling, a smaller screen or a shorter warranty, so you can decide if the savings are worth it.
Prices are typical US prices from retailer listings and price trackers, last checked October 2026. They are not live Amazon prices, which change often. When a price couldn't be confirmed, the page says “Check price on Amazon” instead of showing a number.
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