HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 review

This new high-end 2-in-1 Windows notebook combines a thin, light design with exceptional battery life and reasonably good performance. Perhaps what surprised me most is that it’s an Intel-powered laptop, which is refreshing. I’ve come to like this notebook (though it does have a few drawbacks) and wanted to share some of my experiences over the past few days. Here is my review of the HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14.

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 price in India (as reviewed): Rs 1,81,999

Build quality and design

It can be used in both laptop and tablet form factor. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

The first thing that draws me to a notebook is its weight. Maybe I’m being a bit picky here (and feel free to disagree), but it’s the truth. As someone who travels for work year-round and works as a tech journalist, I’m naturally inclined toward a lightweight notebook. Your preferences might be different, and I totally respect that. Just imagine walking from one hall to another in the massive Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas with a backpack full of gear. Even one less pound and a smaller notebook footprint are a godsend.

The OmniBook Ultra weighs about 1.39 kg, and because it’s so light, I can pack my bag with even more gadgets—that’s just how we tech nerds are. It’s incredibly light. Although I’m not a big fan of the all-black colourway (it’s a bit boring, and it’s high time laptop brands added a dash of colour), the OmniBook Ultra feels premium, with nice build quality, too.

On top of that, this is a 2-in-1 laptop, also known as a hybrid or convertible, meaning it can switch between clamshell laptop and tablet modes, allowing you to use it in various ways. Everyone has a preference, and although I occasionally use it as a tablet, I prefer to use a 360-degree laptop propped up like a tent to watch a movie. Opening and closing the device is just as I would expect, with a satisfying level of resistance when closing it.

The connectivity ports on this machine are limited. There are three USB-C ports, two of which support Thunderbolt 4. However, there is no USB-A port or built-in SD card reader. The high-resolution webcam has a 9-megapixel camera with an infrared camera for Windows 11 Hello facial recognition, and a fingerprint reader integrated into the power button.

Screen and daily use

The OLED screen on the HP OmniBook is sharp and vivid. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

What also really impresses me is the screen. A 14-inch laptop is perfect for single-window tasks, but things like viewing two side-by-side windows work much better on a larger display. For daily writing, music, and most single-app tasks, the 14-inch size is ideal. I wear glasses, so I appreciate a brighter, sharper display for reading text. The OLED screen (2880 x 1800, 120Hz) is very bright, making it suitable for outdoor work, and it has a good colour gamut. It’s great for watching movies, working with photo editing tools, reading e-editions of newspapers, and is ideal for everyday viewing. Having a touchscreen is a bonus, as you can use the app with your finger as intended.

Keyboard and trackpad

There is also a stylus support. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

The keyboard is excellent for typing. The keys have a nice feel, the spacing is well-designed, and the key travel is comfortable. I can type on this keyboard for hours without frustration. This is the first time I genuinely liked the keyboard on an HP laptop in many years.

If you’re a journalist or writer who works on long-form pieces, you’ll definitely appreciate the keyboard on this laptop—I stand by my words. It’s on par with what you get on a MacBook Pro. The trackpad is massive. It’s a glass trackpad with support for haptic feedback, allowing for easy and precise navigation on the screen.

Performance and battery life

Powered by the 2nd Gen Intel AI chip. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

On an average day, I use my computer alongside my smartphone. However, what separates a laptop from my phone is the tasks I perform on each device. For example, I use my phone for casual activities like ordering products via an app or consuming short videos on YouTube. On the other hand, I use my computer for productivity tasks, such as writing, working with productivity apps, editing photos, and sometimes videos.

Because the OmniBook Ultra Flip is lightweight, I use it more often. But again, my usage varies depending on whether I am at home or outside for work. Sometimes I prefer to watch a movie late at night before going to bed, while other times, I start my day very early by checking emails and working on a story before leaving for a morning walk.

Inside the HP OmniBook Ultra Flip is an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (Lunar Lake) processor, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage. This means the notebook is powered by Intel’s latest flagship AI processor. It’s also a Copilot Plus laptop, meaning it has a dedicated neural processing unit (NPU) capable of performing at least 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS). This puts the HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 in direct competition with Snapdragon-powered notebooks and AMD’s Ryzen-powered devices.

In daily use, the OmniBook Ultra Flip feels fast, rarely showing any signs of lag or slowdown, whether running multiple Chrome tabs simultaneously or working with complex photo editing software. The Lunar Lake processor is a significant step up in performance compared to its Intel-powered predecessor. However, this notebook is far from being suitable for gaming. If you’re interested in gaming, consider an Alienware machine or choose a laptop from a different brand.

With a 16-hour battery life, the OmniBook Ultra Flip is definitely impressive. It has lasted me the whole day, longer than I typically spend in front of a laptop. This also highlights the battery performance of Lunar Lake laptops, giving you an idea of where Intel’s new CPU stands in terms of power efficiency compared to the Snapdragon X Elite chip and Apple Silicon.

Gripes and frustrations

The lack of a USB-A port can be an issue for some. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

Average stylus: The laptop also includes a stylus pen, which works well for jotting down notes, sketching, or using whiteboard apps—but it never feels quite like a real pen. The stylus charges via USB-C and attaches magnetically to the notebook’s right side. It’s a shame, though, that it doesn’t charge magnetically like the Apple Pencil when attached to an iPad. I still feel that the included stylus with Windows laptops is more of an afterthought than something truly integrated into the design and the interface.

Questionable AI: Although PC brands (along with Microsoft) continue to push for artificial intelligence on computers, the use case is still unclear. Sure, these new-age notebooks are ready for AI tasks, but in reality, you’re paying a premium for AI advantages that either don’t exist yet or have yet to make an impact—at least for now.

Should you buy the HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14?

A stylish-looking Windows machine. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Express)

The OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 is a great travel companion, and I mean it. It has never let me down with any tasks I do on a computer. Plus, the 16-hour battery life means you’ll stay productive even if your workload requires sustained performance. The HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 delivers a premium experience, and you’re paying the big bucks for the 2-in-1 form factor, better performance, and long battery life.