The MacBook Neo made fairly a splash when it landed in March. $599 for a MacBook felt groundbreaking, and it was straightforward for informal onlookers to declare that Windows laptops had no true reply to it.
However what if I instructed you there was a Home windows possibility that was higher in virtually each manner? That is the HP OmniBook 5, a laptop computer you’ve got most likely by no means heard of except you watch the house carefully. I have been recommending it ever since I examined it final month. The worth has been fluctuating, however most of the time, the 14-inch mannequin was promoting for $500. You learn that proper: $500. In the present day, the most affordable, most constant value you may discover it for is $730 over at Walmarthowever I’ve seen the HP incessantly drop the worth from $1,050 right down to round $500.
And simply check out what you get for the worth, as a result of it is completely stacked. It comes with 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage, double what you get on the $599 MacBook Neo. There is a 16-inch version as wellif you happen to like the concept of getting a bit extra display screen actual property work with.
The HP OmniBook 5 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon X, a extremely environment friendly chip that will get nice, all-day battery life that is a minimum of on par with the MacBook Neo. If you have not used a Home windows laptops in a couple of years and nonetheless suppose they cannot compete with MacBooks in battery life, you are sorely mistaken.
The 16 GB of reminiscence on the OmniBook 5 is especially necessary to notice, because it’s one of many large factors of competition with the MacBook Neo. Being caught at 8 GB in 2026 feels merciless on precept, and whereas testing it I used to be capable of load up the MacBook Neo and simply discover its breaking level. The 16 GB of reminiscence on the HP OmniBook 5 is sufficient that you’re going to by no means have to fret about what number of tabs, purposes, installations, or downloads you have got going concurrently. Mixed with the higher multicore efficiency of the Snapdragon X, it permits a sort of freedom that permits you to overlook concerning the {hardware} and deal with the duty at hand. Do not get me flawed—the MacBook Neo has its place, however calling it the undisputed king of budget laptops simply is not proper.
The HP OmniBook 5 Is Solely $500
Now, I do know what you are considering. Specs and efficiency do not inform the entire story, and Apple has by no means been identified for providing tons of specs for affordable. However the OmniBook 5 14 can be a lovely design in a extremely moveable package deal. At 0.5 inches, it is precisely the identical thickness because the MacBook Neo and proper across the identical weight too. Does the MacBook Neo have a bit extra model and persona? Completely—particularly if you happen to fancy one of many bolder colour choices. However I would say the OmniBook 5 is a really fairly laptop computer in its personal proper. It is also product of aluminum, sturdy and well-built in your fingers. The hinge is balanced properly, permitting you to open the lid with one finger. It does not really feel low cost.
