Tom’s Guide Verdict
The HP OmniBook Ultra proves that good things can come in small packages.
However, it’s marketed AI capabilities might not be all that useful for most users.
This notebook is a productivity powerhouse.
Performance doesn’t come at the expense of battery life, which lasts up to 13 hours.
The 14-inch, 2.2K touchscreen display is no showstopper, but it is reliable and color-accurate.
Check out my review of the HP OmniBook Ultra for a deeper dive.
Its a reliable notebook for surfing the web, writing, or even using creative software.
Not in this case, though.
I was pleased with the hands-on performance of the Omnibook Ultra, and the lab tests backed it up.
For casual gaming, the OmniBook Ultra performs a lot better than you might expect.
I played several indie games, such as Core Keeper and Arco, and had a great time.
There were no framerate dips, crashes, or other interruptions.
All-day battery life
The battery on the Omnibook Ultra lasts all day.
Testing revealed that number was closer to 13 hours, which was spent mostly surfing the web.
That’s exactly what you want from a productivity machine.
I also tried playing a few games while unplugged from the charger.
I played in sessions around an hour long, and the battery didn’t dip significantly during that time.
The battery is also efficient when not in use.
Nothing about it feels cheap, with the all-metal body adding the right amount of heft.
Its also comfortable to key in on for extended periods.
It’s simple, clean, and perfect for working from a cafe or taking to work.
The OmniBook Ultra has a utilitarian look, but that doesn’t translate to the ports.
There are two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, one USB-A port, and a 3.5mm audio port.
It’s not something I’ve ever seen, but I’m glad they did it.
Aside from the touch capabilities, the 14-inch (2240 x 1400) display, is perfectly serviceable.
While it’s not an OLED screen, everything from YouTube videos to indie games looks crisp.
The Omnibook Ultra is made for travel, but taking it outside might be a bit of a challenge.
The display simply isn’t bright enough to view in broad daylight.
That’s slightly below HP’s claim, which puts the display at 400 nits of brightness.
Overall, the display doesn’t stand out, but it is reliable.
Nothing about it was a dealbreaker for me.
If anything, the low brightness of the display ends up being a boon for battery life.
You couldn’t ask for much more from a productivity standpoint.
This is Microsoft’s killer app, the one that can move hardware.
Yet, it’s not yet present on the OmniBook Ultra.
What we’re left with is an AI laptop with no AI features.
Unless you count HP’s AI Companion, which I don’t.
The built-in software offers some interesting features that don’t pay off.
you’ve got the option to chat with the app and have it change configs on your laptop.
you’ve got the option to also upload a document and have the assistant inspect it.
It worked fine, but it’s nothing ChatGPT can’t already do.
The truly disappointing part is that you have to be online.
HP OmniBook Ultra Verdict
The Omnibook Ultra is excellent for everyday work and some light gaming.
More importantly, it did it quietly.
HP may have put the cart before the horse, but it’s a damn fine cart.
When the horse rolls around, so to speak, the OmniBook Ultra could be the complete package.
