At a look
Expert’s Rating
Pros
- Large keyboard with good key really feel
- Wide vary of bodily connectivity
- Frequently bought at deep low cost at retailers
Cons
- 16-inch IPS-LCD show is sharp sufficient however lacks distinction
- Intel Core Ultra 7 255U has 12 cores, however solely two are efficiency cores
- MSRP is method too excessive—make sure to purchase it on sale!
Our Verdict
The HP Omnibook 5 16 is overpriced at MSRP however is commonly bought at a steep low cost. Even so, it struggles to face out because of the efficiency of Intel’s Core Ultra 7 255U, which isn’t as fast because the Core Ultra 7 branding may need you assume it’s.
Price When Reviewed
This worth will present the geolocated pricing textual content for product undefined
Best Pricing Today
Price When Reviewed
$1,199.99
Best Prices Today: HP OmniBook 5 16
The HP OmniBook 5 16 is an odd duck. It is listed on HP’s web site at $1,199.99 and, at that worth, doesn’t really feel remotely aggressive. However, this laptop computer can be accessible at far decrease costs from main retailers and, when that’s taken under consideration, it appears like a good purchase. Even so, I can’t assist however really feel the Intel Core Ultra 7 255U—a chip with simply two efficiency cores and with out Intel Arc graphics—is holding this specific configuration again.
HP OmniBook 5 16: Specs and options as-tested
The HP OmniBook 5 16’s fundamental specs are moderately typical for a mid-range Windows laptop computer. It consists of an Intel Core Ultra 7 255U processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB stable state drive.
One essential factor to notice, although, is that the Core Ultra 7 255U serves up entry-level “Intel Graphics” moderately than Intel’s Arc graphics, so unimpressive graphics efficiency could be anticipated.
- Model quantity: af1037nr
- CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 255U
- Memory: 16GB LPDDR5x-7467
- Graphics/GPU: Intel Graphics
- NPU: Intel AI Boost (12 TOPS)
- Display: 16-inch 1920×1200
- Storage: 512GB M.2 PCIe 4.0 stable state drive
- Webcam and microphone: 1080p FHD IR digicam
- Connectivity: 1x USB-A 3 (10Gbps), 1x USB-A 3 (5Gbps), 2x USB-C 3 (10Gbps) with DisplayPort 1.4a, 1x HDMI 2.1
- Networking: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
- Biometrics: Windows Hello facial recognition
- Battery capability: 59 watt-hours
- Dimensions: 14.08 x 10.03 x 0.73 inches
- Weight: 3.92 kilos
- Operating System: Windows 11 Home
- Price: $1,199.99 MSRP, $500 to $800 typical retail
HP’s web site lists this mannequin at an MSRP of $1,199.99, which may be very excessive for the laptop computer’s specs. However, most retailers are promoting the OmniBook 5 16 for round $500 to $800; the bottom worth I might discover was $479 from Walmart over the Black Friday weekend, which has since risen to $599 (and that variant had an improve to a 1TB stable state drive).
This specific evaluation covers the HP OmniBook 5 16 with Intel {hardware}. It’s essential to notice that HP sells many OmniBook 5 variants with AMD or Qualcomm inside. Some of those are considerably totally different: the Qualcomm-powered fashions, for instance, have OLED shows.
The HP OmniBook 5 16 doesn’t excel in any specific class, however doesn’t fall far behind the pack, both.
HP OmniBook 5 16: Design and construct high quality
Foundry / Matthew Smith
The design of the HP OmniBook 5 16 is kind of fundamental, as is typical for cheap Windows laptops. Most of the outside appears to be constructed from plastic and a well-known gentle silver hue is the order of the day. Branding is minimal, too, with solely a chrome HP brand on the lid and a tiny OmniBook 5 badge beneath the keyboard.
What it lacks in aptitude, although, the OmniBook 5 16 makes up for with good fundamentals. The chassis supplies really feel good (for the value, at the very least) and there’s not a lot flex throughout the show lid or inside. I did discover that the general really feel is just not as sturdy because the smaller HP OmniBook 5 14, which may be very inflexible.
There’s lots of competitors on this worth level, and the standard of options varies considerably. Lenovo’s IdeaPad Slim 5i arguably seems to be extra luxurious. On the opposite hand, I barely favor the OmniBook 5’s really feel over the Asus VivoBook 16 Flip (and most VivoBook laptops).
HP OmniBook 5 16: Keyboard, trackpad
Foundry / Matthew Smith
You’ll be happy if you have to sit down and bang out a couple of thousand phrases on the HP OmniBook 5 16’s keyboard. It offers an especially spacious structure. Most keys are massive, with solely the left-side Tab, Caps Lock, and Control keys feeling a bit small. A numpad is offered and the numpad keys are slightly undersized, however not by a lot.
Key really feel is sweet with loads of journey and a crisp bottoming motion. I feel it’s keyboard for any laptop computer, and notably for a funds machine.
The touchpad is much less spectacular. It measures about 4 and three-quarters of an inch broad and a tad over three inches deep, which is small for a 16-inch laptop computer. The touchpad is usable, to make sure, however the restricted area could make multi-touch gestures really feel cramped.
HP OmniBook 5 16: Display, audio
Foundry / Matthew Smith
The HP OmniBook 5 16 that I reviewed had a 16-inch IPS-LCD show with a decision of 1920×1200.
This is a moderately typical show for an affordable 16-inch laptop computer and, like most such shows, it’s effective. The picture seems to be sharp sufficient and delivers acceptable colour efficiency, however the distinction ratio is restricted and darker scenes in motion pictures and video games can look washed out. Brightness is mediocre; it’s sufficient in lots of conditions however a sunlit window can start to overwhelm the show. Outdoor use is basically out of the query.
While the show is ok for many use, it suffers from the truth that OLED shows at the moment are frequent even amongst cheap laptops. And in truth some OmniBook 5 16 variants, akin to these with Qualcomm Snapdragon X {hardware}, have an OLED show. Asus VivoBook and Acer Swift fashions additionally have a tendency to offer OLED shows at pricing much like the OmniBook 5 that I reviewed.
The OmniBook 5 16 has user-facing audio system with affordable quantity and good readability. That’s sufficient to make the audio system above-average for an affordable laptop computer. Still, you need to hold your expectations in test, as the utmost quantity remains to be modest.
HP OmniBook 5 16: Webcam, microphone, biometrics
A 1080p webcam is stuffed within the high bezel of the HP OmniBook 5 16. It offers a fairly sharp, vibrant picture. Though nonetheless clearly a webcam picture because of its grainy look in low gentle and hassle adjusting publicity, the picture high quality is sweet sufficient. The identical could be stated for the dual-array microphone, which captures clear, loud audio.
There’s additionally an IR digicam that’s used to help Windows Hello facial recognition. Though more and more frequent, it’s nonetheless not customary for funds machines. It offers a fast, straightforward option to log within the on the spot you open the laptop computer’s lid.
HP OmniBook 5 16: Connectivity
Foundry / Matthew Smith
The HP OmniBook 5 16 has a good choice of bodily connectivity. It consists of two USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, HDMI 2.1, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack. The USB-C ports supply knowledge charges as much as 10Gbps, DisplayPort, and Power Delivery (to cost the laptop computer).
This is a typical vary of connectivity for an inexpensive laptop computer. Some laptops in an analogous worth vary, such because the Acer Aspire 16 AI, will supply USB-C 4 ports with larger knowledge charges. But others, just like the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i, have much less succesful connectivity.
Wireless connectivity is equally mediocre, as HP sticks to the older Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 requirements. This isn’t a significant situation because the efficiency from every is greater than ample. Still, some rivals supply Wi-Fi 7, which will probably be extra future-proof.
HP OmniBook 5 16: Performance
The HP OmniBook 5 16 has the Intel Core Ultra 7 255U. That title may lead you to assume it’s a moderately succesful chip, nevertheless it’s not what it appears. The Core Ultra 7 255U has 12 CPU cores, however solely two of these are efficiency cores. It additionally lacks Intel Arc branded graphics and as an alternative offers solely the extra generic Intel Graphics.
16GB of reminiscence and 512GB stable state storage spherical out the specs on the mannequin I examined, although the Intel mannequin of the HP OmniBook 5 16 accessible at retailers could be bought with a 1TB stable state drive.
Foundry / Matthew Smith
We begin off with PCMark 10, a holistic system benchmark which stories a average rating of 6,214 on the HP OmniBook 5 16. This defeats the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i and comes near the Acer Swift 16 AI. However, the Core Ultra 7 255U struggles to maintain up with chips in a better efficiency and worth tier such because the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V and AMD Ryzen AI 7 350.
Foundry / Matthew Smith
The Cinebench 2024 multi-threaded check stories a moderately tepid outcome for the HP OmniBook 5 16, which appears to have hassle sustaining a excessive degree of efficiency over time. In this benchmark the Core Ultra 7 255U merely can’t ship. Perhaps that isn’t so shocking. Even the Intel Core 5 210H has extra efficiency cores (4 vs. the Core Ultra 7 255U’s two).
Foundry / Matthew Smith
Handbrake flips the outcomes, as right here the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i with Core 5 210H falls behind the pack. However, the Core Ultra 7 255U within the HP OmniBook 5 16 nonetheless delivers entry-level efficiency that doesn’t compete exterior the funds class.
Foundry / Matthew Smith
As talked about earlier, the HP OmniBook 5 16 with an Intel Core Ultra 7 255U lacks Intel Arc branded graphics and as an alternative has much less succesful Intel Graphics. That interprets to 4 Xe cores, which is half the variety of Xe cores delivered by Intel Arc 140V within the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V.
That has penalties for efficiency, because the HP OmniBook 5 16 is clearly far much less succesful than the Asus VivoBook 16 Flip. It additionally falls behind the Asus ExpertBook P3, which has AMD {hardware} together with Radeon 860M built-in graphics.
It’s not all unhealthy information, although. The HP OmniBook 5 16 manages to beat each the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i with Intel Graphics and the Lenovo ThinkBook 16 with Qualcomm Adreno X1-45 graphics. While undoubtedly not a graphics powerhouse, the OmniBook 5 16’s efficiency is barely above common for the value.
Speaking of worth, that’s one thing consumers want to remember. The HP OmniBook 5 16 I examined has a listed MSRP of $1,199.99 and really sells at that worth on HP.com, and the laptop computer’s efficiency is woefully insufficient if that’s the value paid.
However, it’s typically bought for half as a lot at on-line retailers, during which case the OmniBook 5 16’s efficiency is aggressive, even good.
Remember, too, that AMD and Qualcomm fashions exist, and that their efficiency might differ dramatically from the Intel mannequin examined for this evaluation.
HP OmniBook 5 16: Battery life and portability
A small 59 watt-hour battery is crammed within the HP OmniBook 5 16. By comparability, the Asus VivoBook 16 Flip has a 75 watt-hour battery and the Acer Swift 16 AI has a 70 watt-hour battery. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i, although, is analogous with a 60 watt-hour battery. So, what does this imply for battery life?
Foundry / Matthew Smith
I noticed roughly 12 hours and 30 minutes of battery life in the usual PC World battery check, which loops a 4K clip of the quick movie Tears of Steel at a show brightness of roughly 200 nits.
As the graph exhibits, that’s a below-average outcome. Some 16-inch laptops can ship 15 hours of battery life or extra. With that stated, the particulars of worth matter. Laptops just like the Acer Swift 16 AI and Asus VivoBook 16 Flip carry an MSRP much like the OmniBook 5 16, however are sometimes dearer at retail.
Battery life apart, the OmniBook 5 16’s portability is ok for a 16-inch machine. It weighs barely lower than 4 kilos, measures as much as 0.73 inches thick, and ships with a mid-sized USB-C energy brick that delivers as much as 65 watts. The OmniBook 5 16 is moveable sufficient in case you have a backpack with a laptop computer compartment however, like most 16-inch machines, it doesn’t match comfortably in a mean tote or messenger bag.
HP OmniBook 5 16: Conclusion
The HP OmniBook 5 16 with Intel Core Ultra 7 255U is an inexpensive alternative if you need a well-rounded 16-inch laptop computer at a low worth. Though it has an MSRP effectively over $1,000, it tends to retail round $600, which is kind of inexpensive for a laptop computer of this measurement. The OmniBook 5 16 doesn’t excel in any specific class, however doesn’t fall far behind the pack, both.
However, consumers ought to take care to notice the precise OmniBook 5 16 mannequin they’re contemplating after they make a purchase order. HP sells fashions with AMD or Qualcomm inside, and their specs can fluctuate a good bit. The Qualcomm fashions, for instance, have a superior OLED show.