The MacBook Neo made fairly a splash when it landed in March. $599 for a MacBook felt groundbreaking, and it was simple for informal onlookers to declare that Home windows laptops had no true reply to it.
However what if I instructed you there was a Home windows choice that was higher in nearly each means? That is the HP OmniBook 5, a laptop computer you have in all probability by no means heard of except you watch the area carefully. I have been recommending it ever since I examined it final month. The worth has been fluctuating, however as a rule, the 14-inch mannequin was promoting for $500. You learn that proper: $500. Right this moment, the most cost effective, most constant worth you may discover it for is $730 over at Walmart, however I’ve seen the HP steadily drop the worth from $1,050 all the way 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 model as properly, in the event you like the thought of getting a bit extra display 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 number of years and nonetheless assume they can not compete with MacBooks in battery life, you are sorely mistaken.
The 16 GB of reminiscence on the OmniBook 5 is especially essential to notice, because it’s one of many huge factors of rivalry 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, functions, installations, or downloads you’ve gotten going concurrently. Mixed with the higher multicore efficiency of the Snapdragon X, it permits a sort of freedom that allows you to neglect in regards to the {hardware} and concentrate on the duty at hand. Do not get me mistaken—the MacBook Neo has its place, however calling it the undisputed king of finances 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 gorgeous design in a extremely moveable bundle. At 0.5 inches, it is precisely the identical thickness because the MacBook Neo and proper across the similar weight too. Does the MacBook Neo have a bit extra model and character? Completely—particularly in the event you fancy one of many bolder colour choices. However I might say the OmniBook 5 is a really fairly laptop computer in its personal proper. It is also fabricated from aluminum, sturdy and well-built in your palms. The hinge is balanced properly, permitting you to open the lid with one finger. It does not really feel low cost.
