HP OmniBook X Review: Unassuming Design Hides Impressive Performance and Endurance

In July, HP introduced its initial laptops powered by the Snapdragon X Elite in India. The EliteBook Ultra and the OmniBook X represent the first PCs under the Copilot+ branding from the company. We received the consumer-oriented OmniBook X for evaluation. It is advertised to offer up to 26 hours of battery life and comes with AI functionalities supported by the dedicated NPU in the Snapdragon X Elite chipset. This laptop is in competition with other Snapdragon X Elite laptops available in the market, including the Dell XPS 13 (9345) and the Asus VivoBook S15 OLED.

The starting price of the OmniBook X is Rs. 1,39,999; however, its simplistic design may leave you questioning its cost. After using the device for more than two weeks, I feel I have an understanding of its value. Is it worth choosing over alternatives from Dell or Asus? Read further to discover.

HP OmniBook X Design: Simple

• Dimensions — 312.9mm (W) x 223.5mm (D) x 14.4mm (H)
• Weight — 1.34kg
• Colors — Meteor Silver

It may appear that HP simply added an AI logo on the hinge and called it complete. Nevertheless, there is more than meets the eye. Admittedly, the OmniBook X has a straightforward appearance and won’t earn you any fashion accolades, but it serves its purpose well. It resembles those unremarkable yet reliable BMWs or Audis that never fail to deliver. The laptop boasts a sleek design at just 14.4mm thick and weighs approximately 1.34kg. It features rounded edges, a shiny HP logo on the lid, and the OmniBook branding on the outer hinge cover.

The OmniBook X displays the AI logo on its rear and beneath the keyboard

 

The hinge is robust and feels well-constructed. However, it makes one-handed opening of the laptop somewhat challenging. HP asserts that the laptop has successfully undergone 19 MIL-STD tests, which is commendable. The casing is composed of 50 percent recycled aluminum, while the keycaps utilize 50 percent recycled plastic.

The laptop has a limited number of ports, but more than some ultrabooks

 

Being an ultrabook, the port selection is quite limited. On the left side, you will find two USB Type-C ports that support Power delivery and DisplayPort 1.4. The right side features a 3.5mm audio jack and a USB Type-A port (USB 3.2 Gen1).

HP OmniBook X Display: Satisfactory

• Size and type — 14-inch LCD touch, 300 nits
• Resolution — 2240 x 1400 pixels, 16:10 aspect ratio
• Protection — Corning Gorilla Glass NBT

Upon opening the lid, which requires both hands, you are greeted by a 16:10 LCD display that offers touch functionality. Although it is not particularly bright and may not be suitable for outdoor use, it performs well in indoor conditions. The display features slim side bezels, with slightly thicker bezels on the top and bottom. Below the display, you will find another HP logo.

The 14-inch screen supports touch interactions

 

The OmniBook X’s display, while decent, does not compare favorably to competitors that feature OLED screens with superior brightness. This panel, however, provides a 2.2K resolution and pleasing color accuracy, making it enjoyable for watching your favorite shows. Unfortunately, it lacks HDR capabilities or a high refresh rate. An OLED display with enhanced brightness would have been ideal, but the IPS technology does offer the benefit of extended battery life.

HP OmniBook X Keyboard, Touchpad, Speakers, and Webcam

• Keyboard — Full size, backlit chiclet
• Speakers — Dual downward-facing
• Web camera — 5-megapixel with privacy shutter

I appreciated the typing experience on the OmniBook X. It features a chiclet keyboard with commendable travel and a pleasant feel. The keys are spacious, allowing for comfortable typing sessions. The adjustable backlighting is sufficient for nighttime usage. Additionally, there’s a dedicated Copilot key, of course!

Below the keyboard, the large trackpad is responsive and supports multitouch, offering a smooth experience. However, I occasionally struggled to register a two-finger right click effectively.

Typing on the laptop is a gratifying experience

 

Regarding the audio, the laptop has two downward-firing speakers that perform adequately when positioned on a flat surface, although bass response is minimal, and they lack volume. HP could have certainly improved this aspect.

The webcam, however, is impressive. The 5-megapixel camera provides good video clarity in well-lit settings and holds its own in lower light conditions. It also features a physical privacy shutter and is compatible with Windows Hello and Studio Effects. HP even includes the Poly Camera application that utilizes AI for automatic framing, panning, and various background effects.

While Windows on ARM remains a bit precarious, especially for users of Adobe’s photo editing software, it is only a matter of time before all popular applications will support ARM.

HP OmniBook X Software: Feature-Rich

• OS — Windows 11
• AI tools — Copilot+, HP AI Companion, Poly Studio

The software experience on the HP OmniBook X is akin to other Windows 11 laptops but with the incorporation of several HP-specific tools. Besides the standard Copilot+ chatbot, users will find the Cocreator feature in the Paint app, Live Captions, and Windows Studio Effects for video conferencing, along with an array of AI tools from HP that operates quite effectively.

The OmniBook X comes equipped with various AI tools

 

There’s the HP AI Companion, which allows access to a personal assistant, though it necessitates signing in with an HP account. It’s essentially similar to the Copilot chatbot; you can ask it various queries and share PDF documents for summarization. Additionally, you can use it for optimizing your laptop based on your specific needs. The Poly Camera app works similarly to Windows Studio Effects but adds features like AI auto-framing, panning, and AI noise reduction. I tested these features, and they functioned well for the most part.

HP OmniBook X Performance: Agile When Demanded

• CPU — Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100
• RAM — 16GB LPDDR5x 8448 MHz
• Storage — 1TB M.2 SSD
• GPU — Adreno GPU

In terms of performance, the 12-core Snapdragon X Elite processor holds its ground effectively. It operates swiftly as needed and is more energy-efficient than previous iterations. Running most applications is seamless, and multitasking is a smooth experience on the device. I did not experience any delays while working with multiple Chrome instances alongside other applications like Slack and WhatsApp.

The laptop remains cool under stress

 

I conducted several benchmarks to gauge its performance against other Snapdragon X Elite laptops, and here are the findings.

Benchmark	HP OmniBook X	Dell XPS 13 9345
Geekbench 6 Single	2,418	2,795
Geekbench 6 Multi	13,968	14,478
Geekbench AI NPU (Quantised)	20,691	22,200
Cinebench 2024 Single	106	121
Cinebench 2024 Multi	640	997
3DMark Steel Nomad Light	2,150	1,931
3DMark CPU Profile	9,275	8,459
3DMark Night Raid	24,083	25,732

All tests were performed with the CPU profile set to Best Performance, while the laptop was plugged into a power source. It’s important to note that the Dell XPS 13 (9345) features a higher-spec Snapdragon X Elite chipset. Nonetheless, the OmniBook X shows commendable performance in synthetic benchmarks.

The device can handle most software, assuming they are compatible with ARM architecture. It is an impressive productivity machine. Connectivity options are solid as well, featuring WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. I would have preferred more RAM as I noticed slight lag when waking the laptop from sleep.

In terms of heating, the laptop stayed relatively cool during everyday use, which consisted of web browsing, 4K streaming, or running multiple applications. The only moment it warmed up a bit was during benchmark testing, with most of the heat localized at the upper left corner of the keyboard.

HP OmniBook X Battery: No More Battery Anxiety

• Capacity — 59 Wh
• Charging — 65W USB Type-C

This marks my third experience with a Snapdragon X Elite laptop, and I can confidently say that battery anxiety has become obsolete. I was able to achieve an entire day’s worth of battery life from the OmniBook X with ease. You can also indulge in binge-watching your preferred shows, all thanks to the low-power LCD display. Sleep mode is impressive on this device, using only 5-10 percent of battery overnight. Within the two weeks of usage, I charged it fully about three times.

The laptop features a substantial intake grille at the base

 

HP includes a 65W compact fast charger in the package, which swiftly charges the battery. A full charge takes around one and a half hours.

HP OmniBook X Conclusion

If you seek a modestly designed work laptop that offers impressive battery longevity, a lightweight structure, a great keyboard, and runs on Windows, then the HP OmniBook X is a superb option. Although it has a few downsides, they are not significant enough to deter a recommendation. While the display may not rival that of its competitors, it does have its own advantages.

Do not be misled by its unassuming design; the HP OmniBook X is a well-crafted Windows ultrabook ideal for productivity and light creative tasks. As an alternative, you might consider the Dell XPS 13 (9345) (Review), which, while similarly priced, may lack in typing comfort and battery performance. Yet, when stacked against the Asus VivoBook S15 OLED (Review), the Asus takes the lead.