Why My New Favorite Windows Ultraportable Laptop Isn't Made By Lenovo Or Dell

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The HP OmniBook 7 Aero usually retails for $1,250.
• This laptop is dressed to impressment acknowledgment to its AMD Ryzen AI 7 processor, vibrant 2K display, and eye-catching magnesium-aluminum finish.
• Its artillery life falls short compared to akin models.

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2025 has been a beardown twelvemonth for HP. Over nan past 10 months, I've tested respective of nan company's newest releases, from the EliteBook Ultra G1i to the Omen 32X Smart Monitor, and speech from a fewer criticisms, each has impressed me. 

The streak continues pinch 1 of its caller products: the HP OmniBook 7 Aero, a well-performing activity laptop that lives up to its sanction arsenic a bladed and lightweight device. 

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

"Aero" is nan cleanable descriptor here. Weighing conscionable 2.1 pounds, it's lighter than the M4 MacBook Air, which comes successful astatine 2.7 pounds. However, it is thicker than Apple's machine, measuring 0.69 inches. 

That other thickness pays disconnected pinch a amended larboard selection. You get 2 USB-C ports, 2 USB-A inputs (one supporting 10Gbps transportation speeds, nan different 5Gbps), an HDMI 2.1 port, and a headphone jack.

Weight distribution is absorbing to opportunity nan least. The OmniBook feels noticeably denser successful nan halfway erstwhile held from there. However, erstwhile you prime it up from nan corner, it's flimsier and moreover wobbles a bit. Because of this construction, nan laptop technically fails nan one-finger assistance test. It stayed successful 1 spot erstwhile I raised nan screen, though I besides ended up lifting nan full instrumentality astatine nan aforesaid time. 

Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET

HP's laptop comes successful 2 colors: Glacier Silver and Ceramic White -- I had nan second for my reappraisal unit. The achromatic exemplary had a somewhat rugged texture that isn't wholly soft to nan touch. In fact, nan texture reminded maine of nan "ceraluminum" finishes recovered connected definite 2024 laptops for illustration the Asus Zenbook S 16, though HP says it utilized recycled magnesium aluminum for nan computer's construction. Whatever nan material, it helps nan laptop execute that featherweight shape facet while enabling a durable, premium feel.

The keyboard is coagulated overall, sporting raised keycaps for comfortable typing. I usually don't remark connected nan missive font, but I recovered nan bold lettering against nan sheer achromatic keyboard to beryllium peculiarly striking. My only existent gripe pinch nan OmniBook's creation is pinch nan touchpad. It's excessively mini for my liking, though that's understandable fixed that nan laptop only measures 13.3 inches.

Small yet mighty

Speaking of size, nan OmniBook 7 Aero boasts a 13-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600 resolution) IPS show covering nan full sRGB colour gamut. As a result, nan surface is impressively vibrant. It helps that nan solid is covered successful an anti-glare coating, which cuts down connected disruptive reflections and enhances clarity. I besides admit nan thoughtful hinge design. 

The show doesn't unfastened each nan measurement back. Instead, it stops astatine astir 45 degrees. This has nan effect of lifting nan rear of nan laptop somewhat to amended typing ergonomics. My only awesome title pinch nan surface is nan 400 nits of brightness. This level of brightness is beautiful low, truthful it tin beryllium difficult to spot nan show nether agleam environments.

Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET

As for audio, HP placed nan speakers on nan little broadside edges. Normally, I would knock nan placement; however, it seems personification astatine HP is clairvoyant because they seemingly countered my complaints up of clip by giving nan sound strategy support for DTS:X Ultra, HP Audio Boost, and Poly Studio. Together, these features let nan speakers to present rich, move sound pinch clear vocals and instrumentality separation. The bass is wonderfully punchy. It adds extent to tracks and movie scores that would've different sounded level connected an ultraportable for illustration this.

Impressive performance

At a glance, HP's OmniBook 7 Aero looks strikingly akin to different caller exemplary -- the OmniBook 5. Both spell for a sleek, MacBook-esque aesthetic. What separates nan 2 is nan hardware, however. Instead of a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset, nan Aero packs a higher-end loadout pinch an AMD Ryzen 7 350 processor, AMD Radeon 860M graphics card, and 32GB of RAM. It's a well-balanced configuration that gives nan OmniBook 7 an separator complete its competitors.

Below is simply a benchmark results array comparing nan OmniBook 7 Aero to different HP models. All 4 supply a akin experience, pinch nan Aero comfortably successful 2nd spot down the EliteBook G1a, a top-tier model. In fact, it's absorbing really large nan value quality is betwixt nan two, but really adjacent immoderate of these benchmarking metrics are. 

I besides want to item really nan OmniBook 7 Aero compares to nan OmniBook 5. The 2 excel astatine being mundane laptops, and pinch my emblematic multitasking trial (running complete 50 unfastened tabs pinch aggregate high-res YouTube streams, a movie connected Netflix, and Amazon listings), neither slowed down remotely.

Where nan 7 Aero pulls ahead, however, is successful tackling dense workloads. Thanks to nan AMD configuration, nan newer laptop is amended equipped to grip demanding tasks for illustration schematic creation aliases photo/video editing. Another awesome advantage of nan AMD chipset is broader app compatibility. I was capable to tally each of my accustomed benchmark tests without issue. 

Also: I recovered nan eventual MacBook Air replacement for Windows users - and it's priced well

The trade-off for this improved capacity is artillery life. During testing, nan OmniBook 7 Aero lasted conscionable nether 10 hours connected a azygous charge. That's capable for a afloat day, but it's a acold outcry from nan OmniBook 5's awesome 25-hour tally time, aliases nan OmniBook X 14 pinch nan Snapdragon X Elite chip, which boasts up to 26 hours of runtime connected 1 charge. 

ZDNET's buying advice

HP's OmniBook 7 Aero normally retails for $1,250, but astatine nan clip of this writing, you tin acquisition nan laptop successful Glacier Silver connected waste for $840. I'd urge it to anyone looking for an ultrathin machine that delivers above-average capacity and has a coagulated display. However, if you recreation often aliases want a overmuch longer artillery life, nan OmniBook 5 remains nan amended action acknowledgment to its awesome endurance.