It never rains, but it pours. It seems like every major PC manufacturer is on board with Microsoft and Qualcomm’s push for Arm-based laptops, and HP is no exception. The first two models, coming as soon as next month, are the OmniBook X and the EliteBook Ultra. Both are rocking the ubiquitous Snapdragon X Elite 12-core CPU.
On top of that, these initial designs seem pretty standard. The Omnibook X is a 14-inch model with a 2240×1400 IPS touchscreen, double USB-C ports and USB-A just to keep you covered. The webcam is surprisingly hi-res at five megapixels, complete with infrared for Windows Hello, and there’s an option for a Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 upgrade (though 6E and 5.3 are standard). RAM starts at 16GB of DDR5 with an optional 32GB upgrade, and storage comes in a similarly variable 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB Gen4 SSD.
Interestingly, HP is giving a lot of data on the battery life, something that’s been nebulous in other Snapdragon laptops. The company says that the OmniBook X’s 3-cell, 59 watt-hour battery can handle over 26 hours of local video playback. But it also says you’re more likely to get 22 hours if that’s Netflix streaming and “just” 12 hours of use if you’re on a truly marathon Microsoft Teams call.
All together these point to impressive, but not mind-blowing, longevity. Combined with a 2.97-pound weight and .57-inch chassis, it looks like a pretty sleek little number. The OmniBook X will go on sale next month for a base price of $1,099.
The more premium of the two offerings is the EliteBook Ultra. (“Elite” and “Ultra” in the same laptop name, gee-golly-gosh). This 14-inch design is considerably sleeker as it tapers down to just .33 inches thick at the front, though the rear is more typical at .56 inches, and the weight is 2.97 pounds. The display is the same 2240×1400 resolution with touch.
The EliteBook gets the same double USB-C, single USB-A port setup, 5MP camera, and wireless options as the OmniBook, but it maxes out at 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. Ditto for the 59-watt-hour battery with the same super-long video life estimates. The big difference that makes this laptop “elite” appears to be the styling, and to be sure, its all-blue aluminum chassis (complete with blue backlight for the keyboard) is pretty snazzy.
HP apparently thinks that extra touch of style is worth about $500, even with the reduced maximum options for the RAM and storage. The EliteBook Ultra will go on sale in June starting at $1,699.
Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer
Michael is a former graphic designer who’s been building and tweaking desktop computers for longer than he cares to admit. His interests include folk music, football, science fiction, and salsa verde, in no particular order.