This Hp Omnibook Finally Sold Me On The 2-in-1 Laptop Design (and It's On Sale For $400 Off)

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• HP's caller OmniBook X Flip 16 is connected waste for $900 connected HP's site.
• Thanks to its stylish, lightweight creation and vibrant 3K OLED, this laptop is judge to move heads.
• Its midrange hardware comes pinch limitations.

At Best Buy, nan HP OmniBook X Flip 16 is connected waste for $700. This type has a 1TB SSD and 16GB of memory.

One of nan champion things astir reviewing nan latest tech is seeing really companies power each other. Brands get inspired by each other, and past instrumentality those features into their ain products. That's really I consciousness astir nan caller HP OmniBook X Flip 16, a laptop pinch creation elements recovered successful competitors, but still unsocial successful its ain right. In fact, thing astir this machine feels stale.

Also: The champion HP laptops you tin buy: Expert tested

Déjà vu deed maine erstwhile I took nan OmniBook retired of nan container and looked astatine it for nan first time. It has a lattice-style keyboard surrounded by power vents, reminiscent of nan Dell XPS 16 from 2024. Certain aspects are similar, though location are notable differences, namely its slim shape factor, measuring conscionable 0.61 inches heavy and weighing 4.15 pounds.

Media powerhouse 

Because of this laptop's bladed form, power tin beryllium an issue. Much of nan basking aerial is expelled done nan bottommost vents, truthful your legs whitethorn consciousness uncomfortable, but your hands will beryllium okay. The keyboard warmed up a small aft moving 9 different benchmark tests backmost to back, but that's arsenic bad arsenic it got.

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Its speakers are located beneath nan wrist rest, pointing toward nan user. You won't person to fret complete muffled audio, because these drivers are decently powerful. Multiple pieces of package (DTS: X, HP Audio Boost, and Poly Studio) activity together to output awesome sound. The speakers don't get ace loud, but nan clarity lets you perceive nan finer specifications successful songs. The OmniBook's woofers are rather nice, too, providing punchy bass.

Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET

Design trade-offs

Although it lacks a 4K display, nan OmniBook X Flip 16 manages to impressment pinch its 120Hz, 3K OLED touchscreen, which is akin to what the Asus Vivobook S 15 has. And for illustration that different model, nan HP laptop takes afloat advantage of everything its show has to offer.

Visual output is vibrant, arsenic colors practically leap retired astatine you. The touchscreen's precocious refresh rate, coupled pinch nan 16:10 facet ratio make it cleanable for contented creation. Not only will it show video projects accurately, but nan ample abstraction allows you to person aggregate apps connected surface for a soft workflow. You won't person to hop betwixt windows conscionable to double-check something.

What makes nan acquisition moreover amended is nan HP Active Rechargeable Tilt Pen. It delivers near-pixel-perfect precision pinch almost nary lag, and I profoundly enjoyed its responsiveness while sketching. Near nan beforehand are a mates of customizable buttons, and it comes pinch interchangeable pen tips truthful you tin take what champion fits your tasks. I urge opting for nan OmniBook configurations that travel pinch nan pen because nan guidelines exemplary doesn't connection it.

Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET

Setting up nan pen is very easy. All you person to do is complaint its battery. Once afloat charged, it'll automatically statesman moving pinch nan touchscreen -- there's nary request to link via Bluetooth. The only kick I person astir nan show is nan glossy screen. It's truthful reflective that it makes viewing contented difficult unless you crank up nan brightness. On nan different hand, this benignant of surface useful champion pinch nan stylus. 

Cost-effective performance

Under nan hood is an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V processor, an integrated Intel Arc graphics card, and 32GB of RAM. The representation whitethorn beryllium supra average, but nan remainder of nan hardware is definitively midrange, arsenic evidenced by its benchmark results below. You'll announcement that nan OmniBook performs somewhat supra nan HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14, which was past year's model, and astir nan aforesaid level arsenic nan Dell 14 Plus.

What I want you to return distant from these results is that nan Omnibook X Flip 16 is simply a well-performing instrumentality that serves arsenic a much affordable replacement to the EliteBook X. Not only is it priced lower, but it besides has a importantly amended show since this exemplary is meant for imaginative professionals. 

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Outside of nan benchmarks, HP's instrumentality did beautiful well. I ran my accustomed trial of 50 different Google Chrome tabs, consisting of Amazon listings, different ZDNET reviews, and a bid of GIFs. The machine handled everything decently enough, but erstwhile I began playing high-resolution livestreams, it slowed down considerably.

Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET

When it comes to longevity, my reappraisal portion lasted astir 10 hours connected a azygous complaint erstwhile I performed ZDNET's accustomed artillery tests. It is reportedly imaginable to double that length, arsenic HP claims its instrumentality tin past up to 22 hours pinch nan correct adjustments. Recharging is thankfully fast. An hour's complaint gave maine astir 70% battery.

ZDNET's buying advice

HP is presently connected a basking streak pinch its releases, and I dream it continues into nan foreseeable future. Normally, prices for this laptop are regularly priced astir $1,200. My peculiar build is presently connected waste for $899 astatine HP's website. A version of nan HP OmniBook X Flip 16 lodging a 2TB SSD is disposable astatine Best Buy for $1,350.

If you want a machine pinch a awesome show that doesn't move into a tablet, I powerfully propose nan Asus Vivobook S 15. It boasts akin capacity and hardware pinch a gorgeous 3K OLED screen.