HP OmniBook X review

Trade in HP OmniBook X

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The new HP OmniBook X marks a significant transformation for the company’s consumer laptops.

In the future, OmniBook will gradually replace brands like Envy, Pavilion, and Spectre to streamline the process of purchasing an HP notebook. Each consumer device name will now include a number ranging from 3, 5, 7, and X — with 3 and X being the most affordable and high-end options, respectively. Some of the new OmniBooks will feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chip and display the new HP AI Helix logo to identify them as AI laptops.

During an HP briefing, I had a brief hands-on experience with the HP OmniBook X. I was impressed by its lightweight design and robust aluminum chassis. The 14-inch 2.2K touchscreen is quite nice, and I appreciate the inclusion of a USB-A port for legacy devices. I’m also intrigued by the performance and efficiency improvements promised by the Snapdragon X Elite chip.

We’ll have a full review of the HP OmniBook X around its expected launch date of June 18, 2024. For now, here are my initial impressions of HP’s new premium laptop.

HP OMNIBOOK X HANDS-ON REVIEW: CHEAT SHEET

• What is it? A premium laptop featuring the AI-focused Snapdragon X Elite chip.
• Who is it for? For folks who need a lightweight laptop with potentially great performance and battery life.
• What does it cost? The HP OmniBook X starts at $1,199 with 1TB.
• What do we like? The portable design and inclusion of USB-A.
• What don’t we like? No OLED option (for now).

HP OMNIBOOK X HANDS-ON REVIEW: SPECS

HP OMNIBOOK X HANDS-ON REVIEW: PRICE AND AVAILABILITY

The OmniBook X is available for pre-order from HP’s online store, starting at $1,199 for the 1TB storage model. It will also be available at Best Buy.

This device features a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chip, up to 32GB of RAM, and up to 2TB of storage. It comes in Meteor Silver and Ceramic White color options.

HP OMNIBOOK X HANDS-ON REVIEW: DESIGN AND DISPLAY

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Measuring 12.32 x 8.8 x 0.5 inches and weighing 2.97 pounds, the OmniBook X is designed for portability. While the 13-inch MacBook Air M3 is thinner and lighter, the OmniBook X is still easy to travel with.

Both Meteor Silver and Ceramic White colors look fantastic. Combined with the slim design and sturdy aluminum chassis, this laptop should blend nicely in any environment — whether it’s your office or favorite cafe.

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I found the keyboard deck roomy enough for my large hands. The keycaps are thick and have a pleasant travel distance, with large symbols to aid visually impaired users in typing. The touchpad is also adequately sized, allowing for comfortable finger gliding without being too large.

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There aren’t many ports on this thin device. It offers a pair of USB-C ports, a single USB-A port, and a headphone jack. While an additional USB-A port would have been appreciated, having at least one port for legacy devices is helpful.

During my limited time with the device, I can’t provide extensive details about the 14-inch 2.2K (2,240 x 1,400) touch display. Currently, there is no OLED option available.

If you’re accustomed to using 14-inch laptops, you’ll likely find this screen size adequate. We will gain a clearer understanding of the display’s capabilities once we have thoroughly tested the laptop.

HP OMNIBOOK X HANDS-ON REVIEW: PERFORMANCE AND AI FEATURES

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The OmniBook X is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chip (3.4GHz, 12 cores). The processor’s Neural Processing Unit (NPU) can perform 45 trillion operations per second (TOPS), enabling it to handle large language models (LLM) and generative AI tasks directly on the device. As more AI-powered applications become available, OmniBook and similar AI laptops could prove valuable for users relying on apps like Microsoft Copilot.

HP claims that its included HP AI Companion app utilizes the X Elite’s NPU to optimize the device, enhancing productivity. While I haven’t yet tested the app hands-on to assess its effectiveness, I appreciate its potential to educate users about the laptop’s AI capabilities. Understanding the full scope of what AI laptops can achieve remains a work in progress, making any tutorial or assistance beneficial.

Internal testing reviewed by Tom’s Guide indicates that the X Elite outpaces the Apple M3 chip by 28% in the Geekbench 6.2 CPU benchmark test. This evaluation utilized Qualcomm’s laptop reference design, thoroughly evaluated during testing.

Based on our extensive testing and analysis, the Snapdragon X Elite demonstrates impressive multi-core performance and appears poised to outperform Apple’s lower- and mid-tier chips, as well as Intel’s powerful Core Ultra 9 chip.

Further evaluation in our laboratory setting is essential to fully understand the potential of laptops equipped with the Snapdragon X Elite processor in terms of both performance and efficiency. Should Qualcomm’s claims hold true, we anticipate the emergence of highly capable and long-lasting Windows laptops that could effectively rival the best offerings from Apple.

HP OMNIBOOK X HANDS-ON REVIEW: OUTLOOK

The introduction of the HP OmniBook marks a significant shift in HP’s branding strategy. Despite offering various OmniBook configurations, this new branding aims to simplify the process of choosing the ideal HP laptop for each user. Regarding the HP OmniBook X specifically, it appears to be positioned as a sleekly designed laptop that could rival the power and efficiency of M3 MacBooks.

Keep an eye out for my comprehensive review of the HP OmniBook X in the upcoming weeks.

Source: Tom’s Guide