Review Summary
Expert Rating
We are very familiar with laptops powered by Intel or AMD. However, in 2024 we also get laptops powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite processors, which we have on our desks now. Unlike the other two, this is an ARM-based processor, using the very same architecture that is used on our phones. We also had earlier reviewed the ASUS Vivobook S15 OLED that was powered by the same chip. This is the second laptop we will be testing, so what is different? Let’s deep dive and find out in today’s review!
This device was originally reviewed by Florence George, and this article is based on his evaluation.
Here is a video review of the HP Omnibook X:
Table of Contents
Design and Build Quality
The design and build quality of this machine are top-notch, with no compromises. It features a slim profile, measuring just 14.4 mm in thickness, and a durable, solid metal chassis. Despite its sturdy construction, it remains lightweight at only 1.35 kg. The lid sports the HP logo and is exceptionally rigid, with no flex. However, note that the lid’s movement is limited and cannot extend to a full 180 degrees.
Display
When coming to the display department, this is where it kind of disappointed us. Don’t get us wrong, it is a really good display, featuring a 14-inch IPS panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio and a refresh rate of 60Hz. The resolution is bumped up to 2.2K, which gives incredibly sharp text and pictures. It is also touch-enabled with Corning Gorilla Glass protection on top for improved scratch resistance. In terms of colour accuracy, it covers 100 per cent sRGB colour gamut.
Considering the price, we wished that the display would have better OLED tech or a higher refresh rate. The brightness also tops out at 300 nits, which is not the best in our opinion.
In terms of audio, you get dual speakers with HP audio boost and poly studio support. Although there is not that much bass, there is a fine blend of mids and highs available. So if you are in a single room, this laptop is plenty if you want to watch shows or play some music.
Keyboard, Trackpad and I/O
The keyboard on the HP Omnibook X is backlit and is very tactile and amazing to type on. We can go as far as saying it has some of the best membrane keyboards we have tested on in a good long time. Also, since this is a CoPilot+ PC, this laptop gets a dedicated CoPilot key, so if you are a regular user of ChatGPT, you will no longer have to open the browser or visit the webpage. Simply tap on the CoPilot button, and you are good to go. The Trackpad is nice and broad, and all the gestures work perfectly fine. However, this lacks a glass surface, which doesn’t give that premium feel. Overall, it gets the job done.
In terms of I/O, you don’t get the standard set of ports, as this is a thin and light machine, but you can expect the basics to be covered. This laptop has two USB Type-C ports on the left, the top one having a USB 4 port with a signalling rate of 40 Gbps and support for USB PD and DisplayPort 1.4 support, while the bottom one has a USB 3.2 Gen 2 version with a signalling rate of 10 Gbps. This port also supports USB PD and DisplayPort 1.4.
On the right, you get a standard USB Type-A port with USB 3.2 Gen 2 speeds that’s hidden underneath a flap. This port also supports HP Sleep and Charge, so it’s useful when you want to charge your phone, just put the laptop to sleep and connect your phone. Apart from that you get a 3.5mm audio combo jack.
Webcam
The HP Omnibook X has a really good webcam. It is a 5MP sensor with Quad HD resolution, with a physical shutter for added privacy. The video quality is genuinely impressive, and you also get many Windows Studio Effects to play around, such as Automatic Framing, Portrait Lighting, Background Effects, Eye Contact etc. There is also a Poly Camera Pro application provided with the laptop that gives you tons of customization options adjusting the Saturation Contrast etc on the fly. Apart from that, this laptop supports Windows Hello for extra security, as well as Instant Lock, which locks the laptop as soon as you walk away from it.
Performance
Coming to performance, the HP Omnibook X comes with a Snapdragon X Elite processor, specifically the X1E-78-100 model, which has 12 cores and a maximum frequency of 3.4 GHz. You get 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 1TB of PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD. This is an ARM-based processor, so if you want to run x86 apps, then it will run through the Prism emulation. Here are the synthetic benchmarks of this processor:
On seeing the benchmarks, we found that these scores are marginally better than the Zenbook S13 OLED, which runs on the Intel Core Ultra 7 155U processor. In terms of gaming, because of the emulation, most of the games we tried did not work. The only one that did work was the GTA 5. And here are its scores:
| Game | Resolution | Average FPS |
| GTA 5 (High Preset) | 1080p | 49 |
| GTA 5 (High Preset) | 1440p | 43 |
Battery
In terms of battery, the HP Omnibook X comes with a 59 Wh battery, and it scored 12 hours and 51 minutes at 80 per cent screen brightness on the PCMark battery benchmark test. This is a very good score in our opinion, but the ace up its sleeve is the idle battery drain. So, if you close the lid and open the laptop the next day, the laptop will retain much of the power. So, it provides sustainable battery backup over time. This means some people can use it for days without plugging it, whereas others might not charge it for a week! What a great thing.
Verdict
The HP Omnibook X is a really good laptop in terms of design, build quality, keyboard, battery life and even the webcam. However, the display could have been a bit better. The future is promising for these laptops, and with native support increasing by the day, this laptop can be a game changer for students and professionals who are always on the move and would like to keep their laptops far from the plug as much as possible.
Editor’s rating: 7.5/10
Pros
- Good build quality
- Great keyboard
- Excellent battery life
- Decent webcam
Cons
- Average gaming performance
- The display could have been better