HP OmniBook X 14 review: one of the longest-lasting laptops Ive ever used

Date:
Tue, 29 Sep 2026 14:25:10 +0000

Description:
The design of HPs new OmniBook X 14-inch may be lean, but its performance is anything but.

FULL STORY ======================================================================HP OmniBook X 14: Two-minute review HP s new OmniBook X 14 sets out to be an ultraportable device that doesnt skimp on performance, thanks to its slender dimensions and powerful spec.

Its steely gray colorway conveys a simple, minimalist aesthetic that hardly pushes the boat out. This is matched by the lack of accoutrements and branding. In terms of build quality, though, the OmniBook X shines. Its an admirable blend of solidity and portability, with its impressively thin dimensions and light weight making it easy to slip into a bag. Its overall construction easily matches up to those of the best laptops . Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here:

One disappointing aspect is the port selection. Not only are there not very many, but they have a few design and placement issues that hamper their practicality.

With the Snapdragon X Elite chip installed, my OmniBook X review unit performed well during the tasks I conducted, from working and browsing to 4K streaming and even light gaming. It stays incredibly quiet even when such
high demands are made of it, too, and although certain areas heat up, temperatures are far from worrying. (Image credit: Future) HP OmniBook X 14
AI PC (14-inch 512GB) at Amazon for 968.04 The 2240 x 1400 display is, as expected, sharp and vibrant, making for a fantastic viewing experience. It
can be a little reflective at times, but the brightness levels are usually sufficient to combat the worst of it. The touchscreen is impressively capable too, being responsive and surprisingly smooth to the touch compared to many other laptop examples.

The keys are very light and snappy, as well as forgivingly spaced, which
makes the OmniBook X a joy to type on. However, some may bemoan the lack of dedicated navigation keys and a number pad, while the touchpad couldve been bigger to better facilitate navigation. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Battery life is yet another area where the OmniBook X excels. It managed to last over 28 hours in our test, which is an astonishing performance and puts it top of the league, along with other esteemed endurers, such as the Asus Zenbook A14 .

All this excellence comes at a cost, as you may imagine, but compared to others in its class, it represents good value, especially the base model. Naturally, the base model is a weaker machine than the one I tested, but most of the other specs remain the same, making the OmniBook X a good value pick for those after a compact do-it-all laptop. HP OmniBook X 14 review: Price & availability (Image credit: Future) Starts from 764 (about $1,000 / AU$1,400) Available now with various configurations Good price for the spec The
OmniBook X starts from 764 and is available now. A variety of AMD , Intel , and Qualcomm processors can be optioned, as well as various RAM and storage sizes, ranging from 16GB to 32GB for the former and 512GB to 1TB for the latter.

This is a good price considering the HP OmniBook X 14s impressive spec. Another OmniBook, the Aero 7 , costs about the same, and is similarly capable in many regards, although its display isnt quite as sharp and lacks touchscreen functionality.

Another stern rival to the HP OmniBook X 14 is the Asus Zenbook A14 , which
is similarly priced yet weighs even less. However, it too has a lower resolution and lacks touch input. HP OmniBook X 14 review: Specs Swipe to scroll horizontally Row 0 - Cell 0

Base configuration

Review configuration

Price

764 (about $1,000 / AU$1,400)

TBC

CPU

Snapdragon X Plus (X1P-42-100) (3.4GHz, 8 cores)

Snapdragon X Elite (X1E-78-100) (3.4GHz, 12 cores)

GPU

Qualcomm Adreno (integrated)

Qualcomm Adreno (integrated)

RAM

16GB LPDDR5x

16GB LPDDR5x

Storage

512GB NVMe PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD

1TB NVMe PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD

Display

14-inch 2.2K (2240 x 1400) LED Touchscreen, IPS, 16:10, 60Hz

14-inch 2.2K (2240 x 1400) LED Touchscreen, IPS, 16:10, 60Hz

Ports and Connectivity

2x USB-C (Power Delivery/ DisplayPort 1.4a, 1x 10Gbps, 1x 40Gbps) 1x USB-A (10Gbps), 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack; Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3

2x USB-C (Power Delivery/ DisplayPort 1.4a, 1x 10Gbps, 1x 40Gbps) 1x USB-A (10Gbps), 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack; Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3

Battery

59Wh

59Wh

Dimensions

12.32 x 8.8 x 0.56in / 313 x 224 x 14mm

12.32 x 8.8 x 0.56in / 313 x 224 x 14mm

Weight

2.97lbs / 1.35kg

2.97lbs / 1.35kg HP OmniBook X 14 review: Design (Image credit: Future) Very thin and light Solid build Limited ports with some impractical placement Like many in the sector, the OmniBook X has a smart but rather unremarkable appearance. The dark and dour gray finish certainly doesnt help matters, and some edges and contours arent quite as smooth and sophisticated as they could be, if judged alongside the best MacBooks the paragon of laptop forms. The rounded corners do at least help to soften this monolithic slab, though.

As with many HP laptops, the OmniBook X is built tremendously well. The materials may not feel state-of-the-art, and the base does have some flex around the keyboard area, but overall it strikes the ideal balance between sturdiness and convenience.

This is largely thanks to its ultra-thin lid and base; I dont think Ive seen
a laptop body more slender than this. Its also impressively light, helping
the OmniBook X to rival some truly remarkable portable heroes, such as the Asus Zenbook 14 . (Image credit: Future) However, physical connectivity pays the price for this leanness. There arent many ports on the OmniBook X: you
get two USB-C ports on the left both of which support power input external display output and a USB-A port and a headset jack on the right.

Its a shame that the USB-C ports arent split across both sides, something I usually prefer since it increases versatility for your setup and working environment. Equally impractical is the USB-A port, which utilizes a
flip-down flap to fully open, as you more commonly see on laptop Ethernet ports.

Ive rarely seen this mechanism on a USB port, though, and it merely
introduces an element of needless inconvenience; other laptops as thin as the OmniBook X such as the aforementioned Zenbook manage to avoid such a mechanism. Also, the headset jack is quite far back, which could be a problem if your cable is on the short side. HP OmniBook X 14 review: Performance (Image credit: Future) Versatile performance Excellent but slightly
reflective display Light and snappy keyboard HP OmniBook X 14 benchmarks 3DMark: Night Raid: 21,973; Fire Strike: 4,750; Steel Nomad: 484; Solar Bay: 10,981; Solar Bay Unlimited: 11,186; Solar Bay Extreme: 1,122; Solar Bay Extreme Unlimited: 1,124 Geekbench 6.5: Multicore: 14,204; Single-core: 2,427 Cinebench R23: Multi Core: 5,595; Cinebench R24: Single Core: 65; Multi Core: 374 Crossmark: Overall: 1,352; Productivity: 1,225; Creativity: 1,495; Responsiveness: 1,345 Passmark Overall: 4,104; CPU: 15,482.1; 2D Graphics: 393.3; 3D Graphics: 3,012; Memory: 2,552.6; Disk: 26,058.3 BlackMagicDisk: Read: 2,670MB/s; Write: 2,416MB/s HandBrake 4K to 1080p: 29.86fps Battery
Life (TechRadar movie test): 28 hours and 28 minutes The OmniBook X is an excellent performer on many fronts, making it suitable for both work and
play. Qualcomms Snapdragon X Elite chip had no problem conducting basic productivity tasks or multi-tab browsing. It also streamed video just fine, including 4K content; I didnt encounter arduous loading times or stuttery playback.

The OmniBook X can even handle gaming, to an extent. It even managed to run Cyberpunk 2077 , albeit in a far from spectacular manner: I had to use low graphics presets without Ray Tracing, which resulted in rough visuals and
some stuttering here and there, but it was playable enough for a quick fix. (Image credit: Future) Under such stress, the OmniBook X is remarkably quiet. Fan noise is noticeable but very suppressed, and while the back half of the unit including parts of the keyboard rises in temperature, it remains entirely within comfortable bounds.

The OmniBook X features an LED display with a somewhat unusual 2240 x 1400 resolution. This means its sharp and vibrant, although its lack of OLED technology means it cant match the striking contrast levels of the best monitors and laptop displays. It can also be a little too reflective at
times, although the maximum brightness is usually sufficient to counter the worst offenders.

The touchscreen is competent, with the surprising smoothness of its surface making it ideal for finger swipes and gestures, which isnt something I can
say of every laptop touchscreens Ive used. On this front, it even rivals the best tablets . Its a shame, though, that the display cant fold back on itself (like those on OmniBook Flip models), so you cant turn it upside down and
prop it on a desk for tablet-style use. (Image credit: Future) However, when it comes to that other crucial input, typing, the OmniBook X is far more useful. The keys are very light with little travel, making them feel effortless and snappy. At the same time, they also provide good feedback and satisfying clickiness. Theyre generously spaced, too, which certainly helped me to avoid making typos. However, with this large spacing comes a compromise to layout.

Although it still has navigation keys, many of these are integrated on the arrow keys as Fn shortcuts, which is a feasible solution, although I still wouldve preferred them to be on dedicated keys, as some other laptops manage to achieve. Theres also no dedicated number pad, although not many 14-inch laptops manage to squeeze one in, but a few do.

Whats more, despite the large amount of space below the keyboard, the
touchpad disappointingly fails to make full use of it. Its smaller than those on some other 14-inch laptops, which hampers navigation. However, I had no issues with its responsiveness, and its smooth surface, while not as silky as some others, is still sufficient for performing gestures and swipes easily. Taps and clicks are also light and responsive, yet tactile at the same time. HP OmniBook X 14 review: Battery life (Image credit: Future) Best in class Real all day battery life Only a few rivals can match it The OmniBook X is among the most enduring laptops in its class. When I ran a movie on a continuous loop on battery power, it managed to last over 28 hours, which is
a staggering achievement.

The only other laptop Ive tested that matches this is the Asus Zenbook A14, which logged the same time, give or take several minutes. Whats more, the OmniBook X is also quick to charge, taking about two hours to fully
replenish. Should I buy the HP OmniBook X 14? Scorecard Swipe to scroll horizontally

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

Considering what its equipped with, as well as its superb portability, the OmniBook X is good value.

4 / 5

Design

Fantastically thin and quite sturdy, but some inconvenient ports hurt practicality.

4.5 / 5

Performance

The Snapdragon Elite chip in my review unit worked wonders, handling the kind of tasks Id expect from a workaday device and more.

4.5 / 5

Battery Life

Easily among the best in class. Ive only tested one other laptop that can match its longevity.

5 / 5

Final Score

Only a few niggles besmirch this otherwise extremely capable all-round
laptop.

4.5 / 5 Buy the HP OmniBook X 14 if

You value a portable design Not only is the OmniBook X incredibly thin and light, its also built quite solidly.

You want great all-round performance Whether youre working, streaming content, or even indulging in some light gaming, the OmniBook X can do it
all. Don't buy it if

You want the best interface for productivity Although there are navigation keys, they share space with the arrow keys, and the touchpad fails to
maximize its allotted space.

You want to use the touchscreen often Although the touchscreen is very effective, the display itself doesnt rotate far enough to allow for upside-down tenting, so you cant use it like a tablet. HP OmniBook X 14 review: Also consider

HP OmniBook 7 Aero For a laptop equally as portable, consider another OmniBook, the 7 Aero. Like the X, we were impressed with its capable performance and slender dimensions. Also like the X, though, certain ports could be better placed, and its battery life pales in comparison.

Read our full HP OmniBook 7 Aero review

Asus Zenbook A14 Even lighter than the OmniBook X and pretty much just as thin, the Zenbook A14 is a strong alternative. It too has great performance and a satisfying keyboard, but I dont think its display is quite as good, nor is its price as competitive.

Read our full Asus Zenbook A14 review How I tested the HP OmniBook X 14 (Image credit: Future) Tested for several days Used for a variety of tasks Conducted comprehensive series of benchmarks I tested the OmniBook X for several days, during which time I used it for working, general browsing, streaming 4K content, and gaming.

I also ran our series of benchmark tests for laptops, designed to assess
every facet of performance. To test its battery life, I played a movie on a continuous loop while the laptop was unplugged until it shut down.

Ive been using laptops for a long time, and have reviewed countless models, from small budget offerings to large gaming machines, and everything in between. First reviewed: September 2026 Read more about how we test HP OmniBook X 14 AI PC: Price Comparison 509.15 View 949 View 968.04 View
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