HP has recently unveiled its latest offering, the OmniBook Ultra Flip, which aims to impress users with its sharp CPU performance, stunning OLED touchscreen, and robust design. This versatile 2-in-1 laptop is designed to accommodate both professional and personal use, making it an attractive option for a range of consumers. However, some critics argue that it lacks excitement and is priced on the higher end, particularly given its reliance on Intel Arc graphics.

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The term 'Omni' suggests completeness, and the HP OmniBook indeed functions as a flexible device that can cater to a variety of tasks—provided that those tasks do not involve extensive rendering or demanding graphics work. The OmniBook Ultra is lightweight, boasts impressive battery life, features a convertible touchscreen, and delivers solid CPU performance. However, its price point, which is considerable, falls in line with expectations for a premium ultrabook in 2025.

Our review unit is equipped with a second-generation Intel Core Ultra 7 processor paired with 16GB of RAM. Interestingly, HP offers another variant of this model—lacking the “Flip” designation—that is powered by an AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 CPU, features 32GB of RAM, and includes a Radeon 880M iGPU that approaches the performance of a GeForce GTX 1650. Remarkably, the AMD variant is priced lower than the Intel version at the time of this review, highlighting an intriguing twist in the laptop market.

Key Specifications

• CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 265V
• NPU: Intel AI Boost
• Graphics: Intel Arc Graphics 140V
• RAM: 16GB
• Storage: 1TB SSD
• Screen Size: 14in
• Screen Type: OLED touchscreen
• Resolution: 2880 x 1800
• Max Refresh Rate: 120Hz
• Brightness: 346 nits
• Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 4, 1x 3.5mm audio, 1x USB 3.2 Type-C
• Wireless Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
• Dimensions: 31.4 x 21.6 x 1.5 cm
• Weight: 1.34 kg

Design, Build, and Display

The design of the HP OmniBook Ultra can be characterized as understated, featuring a grey and rectangular aesthetic that has become a staple for many laptops, especially following the discontinuation of the G3 iBook. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with this design, the laptop lacks standout features aside from a subtle black HP logo and the word ‘OmniBook’ inscribed on one of its hinges. It leans heavily towards a minimalistic look, which may appeal to some users.

Upon opening the laptop, users will find a consistent grey interior, complemented by a blue power button that doubles as a fingerprint reader. Fortunately, the OLED touchscreen enhances the visual experience, delivering vibrant colors and excellent brightness, although it does come with the common drawbacks of being highly reflective and prone to gathering fingerprints and dust.

As a 2-in-1 device, the OmniBook’s screen can be folded back to create a tablet-like interface, allowing for a seamless transition between various working environments. The robust chassis, constructed from a combination of plastic and aluminum, maintains its integrity even when held at the corners. With a thickness of just 1.5cm, it remains relatively portable compared to other models available in the market.

Design Score: 3/5

Features

One notable aspect of the HP OmniBook Ultra Flip is its decision to forego traditional USB-A ports, which means users may need to purchase adapters for older devices unless they are willing to invest in newer peripherals. On the bright side, two of the three USB-C ports are Thunderbolt 4, enabling users to connect to displays or docks with ease. The remaining port is a USB 3.2 offering 10Gbps data transfer speeds, making it versatile for modern users, though it assumes a level of technological advancement in accessories.

Regarding the keyboard, while the size is decent, its thin profile compromises key travel, making it less comfortable for prolonged typing sessions when compared to competitors such as Lenovo and Dell. The touchpad, measuring five inches, is responsive and generally performs well; however, it can exhibit erratic behavior if the laptop inadvertently detects that it is in tablet mode, particularly when the screen is positioned back too far.

As expected from an OLED display, the screen excels in color representation, achieving 100% of the sRGB color gamut along with 95% of Adobe RGB and 98% of DCI-P3. With a peak brightness of 346 nits, the display is bright enough for most environments, although there are brighter options available on the market.

Feature Score: 4/5

Benchmark Scores

To provide a thorough assessment, we evaluate every laptop using a comprehensive suite of benchmarking software, which includes:

• Geekbench: Measures CPU performance for single-core and multi-core tasks, as well as GPU capabilities for gaming and content creation.
• Cinebench: Tests CPU and GPU performance using Cinema 4D and Redshift.
• UL Procyon: Evaluates the system’s performance in AI image generation, Microsoft Office tasks, and battery life.
• Topaz Video AI: Assesses video enhancement and slow-motion capabilities.
• PugetBench for Creators: Tests performance in Photoshop, DaVinci Resolve Studio, and video encoding tasks.
• ON1 Resize AI: Measures the efficiency of resizing batches of images.

The scores reveal:

• Geekbench 6: CPU Single-core - 2595, CPU Multi-core - 10696, GPU OpenCL - 29289
• Cinebench 2024: CPU single-core - 101, CPU multi-core - 406
• UL Procyon: AI Image Generation (Stable Diffusion 1.5) - 2271, Office Productivity Benchmark - 223000, Battery Life Benchmark - 14h 35m
• Topaz Video AI: Enhancement - error, Slowmo - error
• ON1 Resize: 200% resize time - 38,590ms
• PugetBench for Photoshop/Davinci Resolve: Overall - error

Despite its promising hardware, several benchmarking tests returned errors when utilizing the integrated graphics chip, which may indicate a need for software or driver updates rather than a definitive flaw in the hardware.

Performance

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265V processor, part of the second-generation Lunar Lake family, features eight cores—four designed for heavy processing and four optimized for lighter tasks. Notably, this chip does not support hyperthreading, limiting it to processing eight software threads as opposed to the more common twelve or sixteen.

This architectural choice results in a benchmark performance that slightly lags behind the Apple M3 found in the MacBook Air 13. While it performs adequately in single-core tasks, it struggles a bit in multi-core operations compared to competitors, which may limit its appeal for users needing maximum processing power.

Despite some setbacks with integrated graphics performance, the OmniBook Ultra excels in battery life, achieving an impressive 14.5 hours on a single charge—an exceptional feat for a non-Snapdragon laptop.

Performance Score: 4/5

Price

At a retail price of $1,599/£1,799, the HP OmniBook Ultra 14 is priced higher than the Apple MacBook Air with the M4 chip. Even when considering the MacBook's top-tier 15-inch model with comparable RAM, the HP option may struggle to justify its price point in light of Apple’s offerings, which boast a slimmer profile and superior performance, despite lacking features like a touchscreen and 2-in-1 functionality.

Value Score: 3/5

Who is it for?

The HP OmniBook Ultra Flip is particularly well-suited for hybrid workers who require a reliable laptop for both travel and everyday tasks. Its bright, sharp OLED touchscreen makes it an excellent choice for those involved in creative endeavors, such as filmmaking or graphic design. While the integrated GPU may not stand up against more powerful options, the overall CPU performance is commendable, appealing to writers, 2D artists, photographers, and social media managers in search of a portable computing solution.

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 Scorecard

Buy it if...

• You want a 2-in-1 machine
• You need a laptop that lasts all day and beyond
• You prefer something that easily fits in your bag

Don't buy it if...

• Graphics power is a priority for your work
• You are looking for an even slimmer laptop

Also consider:

The Apple MacBook Air remains a strong contender, particularly for creatives seeking a device that allows for mobility without sacrificing performance.