HP OmniBook 5 ZDNET's key takeaways The HP OmniBook 5 is on sale for $900 for the 32GB configuration.
It may be the best alternative to the MacBook Air, thanks to its absurdly-long battery life, lightweight design, and solid performance.
There are a few downsides: the glossy display is hard to see under bright conditions, and it has a limited array of ports. View now at HP
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HP's new OmniBook 5 has been one of the most compelling lightweight laptops I've tested in 2025. Marketed as a dependable companion for busy students and professionals alike, this device backs up those promises with a lengthy battery, a sharp display, and a lightweight design.
I spent a couple of weeks with this sleek laptop, and came away impressed by how well it's performed. But it's not just about the hardware, it's the overall user experience. I'd even say that Apple users looking for a MacBook-like experience on Windows should check out the OmniBook 5.
A familiar aesthetic
First off, at a glance, the OmniBook 5 looks very much like a MacBook itself. From the bright silver colorway to the contrasting gray chiclet-style keys, to the vibrant, 2K display, there is definitely some resemblance here. What surprised me, though, was just how lightweight it was. At 2.84 pounds, lifting the OmniBook feels like lifting a paper notebook.
Like the MacBook Air, it has only a few ports. On one side, you'll find a pair of 10Gbps Thunderbolt 4 ports, and on the other, a USB-A next to a headphone jack. If you want more, you'll have to supplement the device with a laptop docking station.
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The OmniBook's speakers are located at the front of the laptop, right under the wrist rest. Not the most ideal location, but at least they're powerful. Thanks to HP Audio Boost, audio output is rich, and songs enveloped me in a bubble of sound. Woofers inside HP's laptop provide a nice, punchy bass that can be felt at the bottom of the computer.
Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET
Typing on the keyboard felt quite nice. Each key has a good amount of responsiveness, and thanks to the rubbery caps, they're quiet, too. I'm also pleased to announce that the OmniBook 5 passes the one-finger test. It stays firmly planted while you raise the lid.
My review unit's screen was a 2K (1,900 x 1,200 pixels) OLED with a maximum brightness of 300 nits and support for 95% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. A display like this delivers a vibrant visual output that is simply full of life.
The one downside is that I didn't like how glossy it is. Even if you crank up the brightness to its maximum setting, it can be hard to see the screen clearly because of how much light it reflects. This is compounded with the inky black OLED.
Lightweight power
Because the HP OmniBook 5 is a ARM-compatible laptop, benchmarking can be a little tricky as some of my usual tests didn't work. Under the hood is a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus chipset, 32GB of RAM, and a Qualcomm Adreno X1-45 graphics card. Seeing 32GB of memory in this small laptop surprised me as I was expecting the usual 16GB of RAM.
You can get it in a 16GB configuration, by the way, and it's quite a bit cheaper. That version of the HP OmniBook 5 is available at Best Buy for $549.
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The 32GB version, however, is a bit more powerful, and will be able to handle ever-increasing software demands. Having that amount allows the OmniBook to perform quite decently. Below is a chart comparing HP's device to the M4 MacBook Air and the Asus Zenbook A14, a laptop that is similar in form and function.
You'll notice that it outperformed the Zenbook in Geekbench, suggesting above-average processing power, although it falls behind Apple's latest MacBook Air with the M4 chip. The OmniBook sits somewhere in between the two. However, the numbers show it falling behind in Cinebench 24, which suggests it'll have some difficulty tackling heavy workloads like rendering high-resolution videos or 3D models.
During my testing, I didn't encounter any major issues with the OmniBook 5. It performed quite well as a work machine. For example, I edited some high-resolution photographs while running several 1440p YouTube livestreams, 10 looping GIFs, and multiple Amazon listings on Chrome. It all performed amicably.
Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET
During everyday use, there weren't any slowdowns, and I was able to complete my photo editing just fine. For the second test, I turned up the dial by running 50 Chrome tabs, one of which streamed "Breaking Bad" on Netflix.
I also interacted with HP's AI Companion assistant, and not once were my conversations with the AI assistant interrupted. I was able to freely ask it for advice on how to improve my cardio workouts, and which running shoes to buy without skipping a beat. There was some slowdown with Chrome, but that was more of an issue of the browser having a hard time running 50+ tabs.
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I am worried that not every Windows app will work on this system. Remember, this is a Windows ARM-compatible computer, and not everything will be fully optimized, but things have come a long way since these processors were released last year. I didn't experience any major issues with any of the third-party apps like Google Chrome, Steam, and Discord. There could always be that odd app out that isn't compatible, though, so be mindful of that.
ZDNET's buying advice
HP has many different configurations of the OmniBook 5. Currently, the 32GB configuration of the HP OmniBook 5 with the 2K OLED touchscreen is available on HP's website for $899.
If you don't need such a powerful device and are looking for something a bit more affordable, Best Buy has the 16GB configuration for $549. A very competitive price for an OLED and 512GB SSD.
Unsurprisingly, Apple's M4 MacBook Air is a solid alternative to the OmniBook 5 and is currently $100 cheaper. If you prefer to stay on Windows 11, another PC I'd recommend is the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus, which is on sale at Best Buy for 42% off.