HP has introduced the OmniBook 5, a budget-friendly laptop that pairs a premium OLED display with a starting price of $699, a combination rarely seen at this price point. The only other inexpensive laptop with a comparable OLED display is the recently launched Acer Swift Go 16 AI, making HP’s new entry one of just a handful of affordable options offering this kind of screen technology. The OmniBook 5 continues HP’s push to expand the line since its earlier models launched with AMD Ryzen AI and Intel Panther Lake processors, now adding a lower-tier configuration built around Intel’s newer Wildcat Lake chips to hit a more accessible price bracket.
The 2.5K display on the OmniBook 5 is more than just an OLED panel; it also functions as a touchscreen and is mounted on a flexible 180-degree hinge, giving the laptop added versatility for viewing content or sharing the screen with someone else at a table. The device can be configured with up to an Intel Core 7 processor and includes an integrated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for on-device AI tasks, positioning it within the current wave of “AI PC” laptops that pair everyday computing hardware with dedicated AI acceleration. HP’s entry-level configuration starts with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD, giving budget-conscious buyers a functional starting point while leaving room to scale up to higher-memory and higher-storage variants at a premium.
Battery life is one of the OmniBook 5’s standout claims, with HP saying the laptop can last up to 42 hours on a single charge, though the company noted its battery tests involved local video playback specifically, meaning more demanding, CPU-intensive workloads will likely drain the battery considerably faster than that headline figure suggests. The laptop is also notably thin and light, measuring 11.77mm and weighing just over 2.5 pounds, making it lighter than Apple’s recently reviewed MacBook Neo, another laptop that similarly targets the roughly $700 price range. Connectivity includes two USB-C ports, an FHD IR camera, and a pair of microphones, rounding out a feature set aimed squarely at everyday productivity use rather than gaming or heavy creative workloads.
HP has not confirmed a specific release date for the OmniBook 5 beyond saying it will become available sometime this month, with four color options planned for buyers to choose from at launch. The laptop’s combination of OLED display quality, lightweight design, and long battery life at a sub-$700 starting price puts it in direct competition with other recently launched budget laptops chasing the same value proposition, as manufacturers increasingly try to bring premium display technology down to more accessible price tiers for everyday Windows users rather than reserving OLED screens exclusively for higher-end flagship models.
Follow the SPIN IDG WhatsApp Channel for updates across the Smart Pakistan Insights Network covering all of Pakistan’s technology ecosystem.
