I Tested Hp's Latest Omnibook, And It Feels More Premium Than Its Price Would Suggest

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• HP's OmniBook X Flip 14 pinch 16GB of representation starts astatine $849 astatine Best Buy.
• It's 1 of nan amended midrange convertible laptops of 2025, pinch a vivid OLED show and bully creation elements.
• The artillery life takes a dip pinch nan demands of nan OLED, and opting for upgrades inflates nan value point.

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HP's OmniBook Flip bid has impressed america present astatine ZDNET this past year, stepping up arsenic affordable, versatile laptops for a assortment of mundane usage cases for students aliases professionals. 

We precocious reviewed nan OmniBook X Flip 16, nan larger exemplary of nan series, noting its superb show and coagulated capacity for nan price. Now, I've been utilizing nan 14-inch assortment (with an AMD processor) and recovered it arsenic practical. 

Also: This ultraportable Windows laptop gives my favourite ThinkPad exemplary a tally for its money

The ample trackpad, generous action of ports, comfortable keyboard, and portable shape facet make nan OmniBook X Flip 14 a reliable workhorse that's easy to commute with. Conversely, nan approachable value of $849 keeps it much aliases little successful its lane arsenic an mundane instrumentality pinch its limits, while speaking to its strengths. 

Humble performance

One of nan things I look for successful a laptop is its inferior comparative to its intended usage case. In different words, a laptop that knows who its intended personification is. The OmniBook X Flip 14 is simply a bully illustration of this, delivering an enjoyable personification acquisition for nan mundane personification pinch an OLED display, convertible shape factor, and applicable larboard selection. 

Like galore of HP's user offerings, this laptop tin travel pinch either an Intel aliases AMD processor. The 1 I tested ran AMD's Ryzen AI 5 aliases 7 350, 32GB of LPDDR5x-7500 RAM, and a Radeon 860M GPU. The 24GB (for $1,049) and 16GB ($849) versions are presently disposable astatine third-party retailers, and I urge these configurations. 

Also: I've tested aggregate laptops that costs little than $1,000

For students and mundane users, 16GB of RAM is much than capable for nan astir communal usage cases, but bumping that up to 24GB for an other $200 is besides a coagulated action to further future-proof nan device. 

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET

The show comes successful either an OLED aliases an IPS option. The IPS delivers a Full HD+ (1920 x 1200) solution astatine 400 nits and would beryllium nan evident prime for personification much concerned pinch keeping nan value down and pushing artillery life.

Also: The 4K show that efficaciously changed really I activity and devour contented astatine nan office

The OLED does look good, though. The glossy 2.8K (2880 x 1800) solution OLED touchscreen pinch a 120Hz refresh complaint delivers a soft acquisition while multitasking aliases working. This is simply a 2-in-1, aft all, truthful for intermezo for illustration watching YouTube aliases streaming services, it delivers a vivid image astatine a maximum brightness of 500 nits for HDR content. 

The DTS: X Ultra audio speakers aren't precisely a top-of-the-line sound system, but they're amazingly loud, and erstwhile nan laptop is propped up successful shelter mode, audio still comes done very good without sounding muffled aliases distant.

Playing it safe

The beingness creation of nan OmniBook X Flip 14 is astir arsenic neutral arsenic you tin get for a laptop. HP is 1 of nan much blimpish brands, playing it safe pinch tried-and-true creation elements and colorways. The alloy grey assemblage present could beryllium immoderate laptop, for example, prevention for nan embossed HP logo connected nan back. The 1 point that sticks retired is nan keyboard, however, pinch alternatively large, level keys pinch minimal separation betwixt them. 

This isn't precisely nan zero-lattice keyboard of nan Dell XPS, but it's surely a motion to that aesthetic. The consequence is tactile and comfortable keys that are easy to type connected and consciousness premium enough. 

The existent creation prime present mightiness beryllium much geared toward its usage lawsuit arsenic a convertible tablet, though. When you group nan laptop down connected a aboveground successful tablet mode, nan keys are recessed capable not to interaction nan surface. 

Also: The champion HP laptops of 2025: Expert tested and reviewed

Similarly, nan area astir nan committee is heavy capable to let for handling without palm-rolling nan full keyboard. This allows you to actually use nan instrumentality for illustration a tablet (with nan hinge connected top) alternatively of conscionable cosplaying arsenic one. 

The trackpad, however, was a small harder to use. Its aboveground coating isn't precisely textured, but it results successful somewhat stickier digit movement, particularly if you're pressing down hard. This is yet a matter of individual preference, though, and why I opt for a rodent anyway. 

The different awesome logic why this laptop is simply a applicable prime is its connectivity. It supports Wi-Fi 7 and has a bully action of ports: 2 USB-A ports (10 Gbps) and 2 USB-C ports (Thunderbolt 4, 40Gbps), an HDMI, and a headphone jack. Just statement that nan 2 USB-C ports are connected nan near broadside of nan device. 

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET

Ready for work

For students and professionals, nan OmniBook X Flip 14's 5MP Full HD webcam is functional and delivers a clear, reliable image. HP's Poly Studio is 1 of nan much useful proprietary webcam apps, pinch immoderate basal effects for illustration adjusting for debased ray and quality touch-ups that are worthy toggling if you return a batch of calls. 

Regarding artillery life, nan OmniBook X Flip 14 delivered astir mean numbers. I sewage astir 7 hours of runtime during nan workday, starring maine to judge that nan OLED show does person its demands connected nan laptop's hardware, particularly erstwhile you're astatine highest brightness and taking video calls. 

Also: This Windows laptop has MacBook Pro written each complete it (but it's amended successful cardinal ways)

It's decidedly imaginable to agelong that, though, depending connected your settings and really you usage it. Even reducing brightness and request a small spot goes a agelong way. HP says you tin get up to 19.5 hours of video playback for nan IPS show configuration, which would beryllium nan way to spell if you're much concerned astir longevity than nan vivid display. 

ZDNET's buying advice

The OmniBook X Flip 14 is simply a "Midrange Plus" laptop that delivers amended capacity and build value than its value constituent suggests. Its 3.08-pound weight isn't nan lightest connected nan market, but it's easy ray capable to commute with. Its artillery life isn't nan absolute best, but it's acold from nan worst, either. 

Its creation is exceedingly neutral, but thoughtfully constructed arsenic a convertible instrumentality that is easier to usage successful tablet mode than different 2-in-1s I've tested. Most importantly, however, its capacity is reliable. 

Also: Why I urge this Dell laptop complete competing Windows PCs for work

The 16GB configuration only comes pinch a 512GB SSD for $849, which I wouldn't propose unless you're utilizing it for activity aliases schoolhouse and unrecorded successful nan unreality pinch nary request for section storage. Otherwise, I urge opting for nan OLED show and 1TB SSD starting astatine $1,049 to information retired nan laptop's intended usage lawsuit arsenic a versatile mundane laptop pinch a premium design.