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 informed you there was a Home windows possibility that was higher in virtually each method? That is the HP OmniBook 5, a laptop computer you have most likely by no means heard of until you watch the area carefully. I have been recommending it ever since I examined it final month. The value has been fluctuating, however most of the time, the 14-inch mannequin was promoting for $500. You learn that proper: $500. As we speak, the most cost effective, most constant worth you may discover it for is $730 over at Walmart, however I’ve seen the HP regularly drop the value from $1,050 all the way down to round $500.
And simply check out what you get for the value, 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 nicely, when you like the concept 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 at the very least on par with the MacBook Neo. If you have not used a Home windows laptops in a couple of years and nonetheless suppose they can not compete with MacBooks in battery life, you are sorely mistaken.
The 16 GB of reminiscence on the OmniBook 5 is especially necessary 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 will by no means have to fret about what number of tabs, purposes, installations, or downloads you’ve got going concurrently. Mixed with the higher multicore efficiency of the Snapdragon X, it allows a sort of freedom that allows you to neglect in regards to the {hardware} and give attention to the duty at hand. Do not get me improper—the MacBook Neo has its place, however calling it the undisputed king of price range laptops simply is not proper.
The HP OmniBook 5 Is Solely $500
Now, I do know what you are pondering. Specs and efficiency do not inform the entire story, and Apple has by no means been recognized for providing tons of specs for reasonable. However the OmniBook 5 14 can be a horny 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 when you fancy one of many bolder shade choices. However I would say the OmniBook 5 is a really fairly laptop computer in its personal proper. It is also manufactured from aluminum, sturdy and well-built in your fingers. The hinge is balanced properly, permitting you to open the lid with one finger. It does not really feel low-cost.
