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?

• Dell’s $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 you’re 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.