HP OmniBook 5 review: AI laptop that gets the job done

Hindustan Times

21 hours ago

There's a new kind of laptop slowly taking over shelves, and it's not one chasing high refresh rates or RGB. The HP OmniBook 5 is part of the new breed of AI PCs, built around Microsoft's Copilot+ push and AMD's latest Ryzen AI 300 series chips. But don't mistake the sleek, silver slab for a show-off machine. This one's more of a quiet all-rounder. Designed to handle everyday work, media, and light creative tasks with the added benefit of AI smarts baked into the experience.
It's not trying to be everything. But if your next laptop needs to be competent, future-ready, and sensible, this might be worth a look. The price starts at ₹78,990, but the final price will depend on the model you choose.
At first glance, the OmniBook 5 did not scream for attention, which I found to be a good thing. Its Glacier Silver finish, curved edges, and minimal branding make it look more expensive than it is. The hinge is solid, and the chassis has just enough structure to feel durable without being bulky.
But here's the thing: if you're moving up from a 13-inch or 14-inch laptop, the 16-inch form factor takes some getting used to. I shifted to using this from a Dell 14-inch laptop and still found it portable. But the screen real estate adds width, and the slightly deeper keyboard deck might throw off your muscle memory at first. Give it a couple of days, though, and it settles in comfortably as your go-to workstation.
You're getting a 16-inch WUXGA (1920×1200) touchscreen here. Not the sharpest panel around, but definitely a usable one. The anti-glare coating is effective, and the taller 16:10 aspect ratio makes multitasking feel more natural.
At 300 nits brightness, it's fine for indoor work. Colour coverage sits at 62.5% sRGB, so if you're a designer or editor who needs precise accuracy, this isn't your panel. But for office work, browsing, content creation for the web, or media consumption? It holds up just fine.
And yes, the touchscreen works well. Responsiveness is on point. But no stylus in the box and no full 360-degree hinge limit how much you'll actually use it day to day.
Under the hood is the Ryzen AI 7 350, AMD's latest chip that blends traditional CPU + GPU performance with a dedicated NPU that can deliver up to 50 TOPS of AI performance. In regular use, Chrome with 20+ tabs, Office apps, light photo editing, and Zoom calls, the laptop stays smooth and quiet. Thermals are managed well, and the fans rarely get loud enough to notice.=
You're not going to game on this, nor is it made for 4K rendering. But for productivity, multitasking, and light creative workloads, this thing has more than enough horsepower.
And as AI workloads start to ramp up in Windows (things like real-time video filters, local summarisation, noise reduction, etc.), this laptop is already equipped to handle those natively, thanks to that NPU and its Copilot+ integration.
Typing on the OmniBook 5 is satisfying. The keys have decent travel, are quiet, and the layout feels natural. Especially with the inclusion of a dedicated number pad. It's clearly built for folks who write, code, crunch numbers, or type for hours.
The trackpad is wide, clicky, and responsive. You'll appreciate the size if you're doing gesture-heavy work. Just one thing, coming from a smaller laptop, the palm travel and spacing might throw you off at first. It's more of a mental adjustment than a design flaw.
With regular usage like Wi-Fi on, brightness at 60%, mixed apps, I got 6.5 to 7 hours comfortably. It's not the all-day endurance champion, but it's enough to take you through most of your workday. The 59Wh battery supports HP Fast Charge, juicing you up to 50% in about 30 minutes, which is genuinely useful when you forget to plug in before a meeting.
HP isn't overhyping the AI features, and that's a good thing. The Copilot key sits where the right Ctrl usually is (you'll adjust fast), and opens Microsoft's AI assistant which is now more context-aware, and integrated across apps like Edge, Office, and the Start menu.
The HP AI Companion app also offers system tuning, noise cancellation, and battery optimisation with a neat, user-friendly interface. Think of it as quiet AI, not flashy, but functional.
No dongles needed here. You get:
The HP OmniBook 5 doesn't try to punch above its weight, it just nails the core experience for everyday work, light creation, and the coming wave of local AI features. It's well-built, comfortable to use, and refreshingly clutter-free.
It's not a creative powerhouse or gaming machine. But for those who want a future-ready laptop with AI capability baked in, a practical display, and reliable performance, this machine is surprisingly easy to recommend.
Just be ready to adapt to the size if you're coming from something smaller.