By The HP OmniBook Ultra 14 is a “next-gen AI PC” thanks to its AMD Ryzen AI 300 series processor. But, while this machine has a neural processing unit (NPU) for local AI applications — plus Copilot+ PC features coming soon — AI isn’t the big story here. Look past the “AI” logos on this machine and you’ll find a solid laptop with long battery life and excellent performance in real-world use thanks to AMD’s latest hardware. First, a word about the name: Back in May 2024, HP rebranded its entire PC lineup, dumping names like “Spectre” and “Dragonfly.” The word “OmniBook” here means this is a consumer laptop. If this was intended for commercial users, HP would call it an “EliteBook” or “ProBook.”
Specification
The AMD Ryzen AI 300 series processor that powers the HP OmniBook Ultra 14 is included. For local AI applications, this hardware has a neural processing unit (NPU) with up to 55 TOPS. HP is marketing this as a “next-gen AI PC” because, in contrast to earlier “AI PCs” that used hardware like Intel’s Meteor Lake, it will soon be able to utilize Copilot+ PC functionalities.
This PC is available in multiple configurations. We were given a “top of the line” model from HP, which had a 2 TB solid-state drive, 32 GB of RAM, and an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 CPU. The retail price of this package is $1,689.99, and it is available at Best Buy. There are a few additional variants as well; the most affordable one has an AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 processor, 16 GB of RAM, and a 512 GB SSD. This costs $1,349.99 when purchased through HP’s online store.
- HP OmniBook Ultra 14-fd0023dx is the model number.
- CPU: Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 from AMD
- Memory: LPDDR5 32 GB
- GPU and graphics: AMD Radeon 890M
- Display: 14-inch IPS touch screen with a refresh rate of 60 Hz, measuring 2240 by 1400 pixels.
- 2 TB PCIe Gen 4 solid-state drive for storage
- webcam: 9 megapixel, 1440p, physical privacy shutter webcam
- Connectivity: 1 USB Type-A (10Gbps), 2 USB Type-C (Thunderbolt 4), 1 combo audio jack
- Networking: Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi 7.
- Biometrics: fingerprint scanning and infrared camera
- Power reserve: 68 watt-hours
- 12.41 x 8.96 x 0.65 inches in dimensions
- 3.47 pounds in weight
- MSRP: $1,689 as tested
Design and build quality
Mostly made of silver metal, the HP OmniBook Ultra 14 is a well-designed, sturdy laptop that you will touch. (Just a few, like the bezel, are made of plastic.) Although HP has rebranded its consumer laptops, the “Spectre” design language is still heavily present. The laptop’s sharp corners, where the display meets the bottom tray, are instantly recognizable as HP. The 14-inch OmniBook Ultra 14 has a sturdy feel to it. At 3.47 pounds, it’s a touch heavier than other “thin-and-light” laptops, but it has a nice weight distribution and it’s a fairly realistic size and weight. It is a strong hinge.
Additionally, the charger HP includes is quite excellent, with a lovely braided cable. Braided USB charging cords typically last longer, as many of us have observed with our phones. Although HP is pushing the “AI PC” aspect here, with an “AI” badge on the back of the hinge and below the left side of the keyboard, keep in mind that this device will not receive Copilot+ PC features until Microsoft releases them in November 2024. Still, those Copilot+ PC functions are not all that exciting at this point.
With this device, HP includes an app called “HP AI Companion.” This program has several AI tools that make use of the NPU of the system to analyze data in files and to assist you in adjusting different PC settings. Although it is encouraging to see PC manufacturers provide tools that highlight the capabilities of the AI hardware they are promoting, this software will not turn your life around and convince you to look for an AI laptop.
Here, some bloatware has been installed. McAfee antivirus is the loudest one; it will pester you to put it up, but it is very simple to uninstall. The Start menu also features Google Essentials programs, Adobe deals, and a Dropbox promotion. Although the configuration may not be the cleanest right out of the box, anything you do not like is simple to remove.
Display and speakers
The 14-inch IPS display on the HP OmniBook Ultra 14 has a resolution of 2.2K or 2240 x 1400 pixels. This is a touchscreen display that operates at 60 Hz and has a brightness of up to 400 nits. While the screen appears fine, it might be brighter. It functions admirably for a laptop with a productivity focus like this one. In terms of productivity, exploring the web generally, and media consumption, I was rather satisfied.
However, even when looking at the paper, the limitations are clear: 400 nits are on the low side for brightness, and some users might want more. Moreover, a refresh rate greater than 60 Hz is usually preferable. Although OLED screens are far more elegant, they are also more costly and need more power, which shortens battery life. Additionally, there is some sheen on the screen; a matte surface, increased brightness, or an antireflective coating could be better. That depends on your intended use of your laptop.
One of the nicest speaker arrangements I have heard on a 14-inch productivity laptop is this laptop’s quadruple speaker array. I know that is not saying much, but it has more bass than the typical 14-inch laptop, a decent amount of volume, and a really wide soundstage! Although they will always have a steep learning curve, laptop speakers are still quite good. Sadly, these are not the cheap, tinny speakers that come with a lot of inexpensive computers.
Connectivity
There are not many ports available for the HP OmniBook Ultra 14. Two USB Type-C (Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 40Gbps) ports are located on the right side, one of which is slanted. When using the laptop’s original power cable, it functions flawlessly. HP informed me with pride that this is the company’s first consumer laptop powered by AMD that has Thunderbolt 4 connectors. Bear in mind that you will use one of these ports to charge the laptop, leaving one port vacant while the laptop is charging.
There is a combo audio jack and a USB Type-A port (10Gbps) on the left side of the laptop. This is not a bad assortment of connectors; some contemporary laptops are doing away with the audio jacks and USB Type-A ports. However, you will need to seek elsewhere or purchase a dongle if you need features like an HDMI out port, a microSD reader, or extra USB Type-A or USB Type-C ports. Using components from AMD’s Ryzen AI 300 series, this computer has wireless connectivity for both Bluetooth 5.4 and Wi-Fi 7. This hardware arrangement is excellent for the future.
Performance
With a 2TB solid-state drive, 32GB of RAM, and a current AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 processor, the HP OmniBook Ultra 14 offered outstanding performance in desktop productivity software. The new hardware from AMD is not weak. As usual, to get more specific performance information, we put the HP OmniBook Ultra 14 through our set of typical benchmarks. To gauge the overall performance of the machine, we first run PCMark 10. Although the entire system performance is the goal of this benchmark, CPU performance is the primary focus.
PCMark 10 gave the HP OmniBook Ultra 14 a total score of 7,801. That lags slightly behind the Asus ProArt PX13, a more costly device targeted towards creators and featuring a CPU from the Ryzen AI 300 family. However, it outperforms laptops with Intel Meteor Lake processors. We then do Cinebench R20. This benchmark is highly multithreaded and concentrates on CPU performance overall. Since it is a fast benchmark, cooling during prolonged workloads is irrelevant. Nevertheless, because of its heavy multithreading, CPUs with more cores are far more advantageous.
The HP OmniBook Ultra 14 did well in Cinebench R20, achieving a multi-threaded score of 7,582. It lags the Asus ProArt PX13 a little bit. However, it outperforms Intel Meteor Lake computers once more.
Conclusion
This computer, the HP OmniBook Ultra 14, is excellent. It is well-built and robust, and most significantly, it is equipped with an AMD Ryzen AI 300 series processor. Simply said, these outperform Intel’s Meteor Lake CPUs in terms of performance and battery life. Plus, compatibility issues are not a concern, unlike with a laptop powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite. That is why I would gladly choose this over a laptop powered by Intel Meteor Lake. Starting at $1349, the base model is a fair price for this new hardware, and if you find it on sale, it might even be a fantastic deal.
It is not for everyone, though. For example, some people may like an OLED display that is more exquisite. Alternatively, you can search for discrete graphics so you can use professional tools or play games that need that kind of technology. Or maybe you just do not want to live with a dongle and you just need more ports. The main concern is Lunar Lake at Intel. After Lunar Lake laptops replace Meteor Lake laptops in the market, you might have a lot more choices for this level of energy efficiency and performance.
