5 Dell back to school laptop deals I'd buy — save on XPS, Alienware and more

This laptop is a reliable pick for anyone looking for a mainstream machine that doesn't cost a fortune. It's equipped with an Intel Core i3-100U CPU, 8GB of RAM, 512GB SSD, and a 15.6-inch FHD 120Hz display. It's a great machine for students or for light web-based work.

The new XPS 13 is a budget machine made with students in mind. It features a 13.4-inch 2.5K (2560 x 1600) 120Hz touch display, Core 5-320 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. In our hands-on, we called it an excellent alternative to the MacBook Neo. Note: Students can get it for $599, which is $100 less than the competing MacBook Neo.

Thanks to this discount, Dell's 16S laptop now comes in under $1,000. It comes configured with an AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 CPU, 16GB RAM and a 512GB SSD. You also get a 16-inch FHD+ (1920x1200) display. We checked this laptop out in tandem with our Dell 14S hands-on, and praised it for its solid performance and bright display.

This Alienware 15 adds some extra horsepower to your gaming rig. You get a 15.6-inch 1920 x 1200 165Hz LCD, Core 7-240H CPU, 32GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, and an RTX 5060 GPU. We checked this laptop out in our Alienware 16 (2026) hands-on and said this machine is a reliable way to play your favorite PC games without breaking the bank.

The Alienware 18 Area-51 Gaming Laptop is a legitimate desktop replacement. The entry-level configuration of this hulking machine features an 18-inch 4K display, an Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti GPU, an Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU, 32GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storage.