The HP OmniBook Ultra Flip is an incredible laptop that can go from casual to professional workloads quite easily, and I've had no problems transitioning into my daily use, replacing the hugely powerful Surface Laptop Studio as my 'far from me'. Desktop PC.
Of the laptops I've used over the years, including Surface models and the much-loved Dell XPS (now known simply as the Dell Pro Max), the OmniBook Ultra seems to tick the most boxes for me. It's surely a contender for our list of the best laptops in Australia.
With a gorgeous touch OLED display, combined with a bright-feeling keyboard and processing power that can handle very high-spec games, HP's latest laptop feels well-made in a world where Apple remains dominant for casual and Windows is being shaken up by the arrival of ARM PCs.
But that doesn't mean the laptop is just good on all fronts. As is common with most Windows PCs, the laptop is packed with bloatware, including HP's latest AI tools. In our tests, we saw considerable performance improvements by disabling unnecessary applications, including many of HP's processes.
Resource-consuming bundled apps aside, let's talk about what makes the OmniBook Ultra such an attractive option.
What is so Ultra?
It's worth mentioning that HP hasn't used the 'OmniBook' name in decades. The original OmniBooks line was discontinued in 2002 and today the OmniBook name represents the brand's wide range of computers, dropping the Pavilion and Specter titles entirely. The Ultra Flip denotes the top of the laptop range (as the Specter once did), but you'll also find the Omni name plastered on HP all-in-one PCs and desktops.
The HP OmniBook Ultra Flip we reviewed is priced at $1,599.99 / £1,899.99 / AU$3,699 and includes an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V processor and 32GB of 16GB LPDDR5x RAM. There are slightly modified options available in the US and UK, with the above prices representative of the nearest modified systems (for example, the 32GB and 1TB storage option is not available in the UK). The device is equipped with a 14-inch touchscreen with a resolution of 2880 x 1800 pixels and storage options of 512 GB, 1 TB and 2 TB, when available. The laptop can be folded into a tablet-like design, but you can also purchase a cheaper, non-foldable version (simply called the OmniBook Ultra).
It's a brilliant combination of specs that makes the OmniBook Ultra Flip capable of handling a game like Cyberpunk 2077 at a decent 40fps (medium settings), and it scored extremely well in our benchmark tests. The January issue of APC, Australia's leading computer magazine, includes much of our testing, but you'll find a graph below detailing many of our results.
It's one of a growing number of laptops that feature an NPU, a subset of the processor that's dedicated to taking on tasks offloaded from the GPU and CPU, but is reserved primarily for AI and running tasks in a fast-paced manner. more efficient (leading to longer battery life). ). We didn't see much use of the NPU during our testing, but it did see some use when blurring webcam backgrounds in the built-in 'Poly Camera Pro' app and when using the Live Translate feature in Windows. It's good to have the NPU here with an eye toward the future, looking at incoming Copilot features and ramping up built-in AI tools.
Basic stats aside, the OmniBook Ultra Flip is a style winner. The sleek frame includes easy-to-use plastic and a haptic touchpad that simulates a click with a motor underneath. Unlike Dell's high-end laptops, HP has kept the feature row as actual keys instead of capacitive touch buttons, a much better option for me given that I prefer the tactile feel.
The laptop also includes the hallmark features of the previous Specter range, including the 360 design that allows you to flatten the screen parallel to the back of the laptop, effectively creating a Windows tablet. This may appeal to you if you like that form factor, but understand that there may be limited app support when folded as such.
The edges behind the screen are sharp, with a diagonal USB-C port on each side (and an additional one on the right side, plus a headphone jack on the left). I love this because it allows the cables to stay easily hidden behind the screen, and I'm a fan of a unique design.
But we cannot insist on design forever. My biggest takeaway from the OmniBook Ultra Flip was a look at what innovation in a stagnant market could really look like; simplifying and eliminating unnecessary bloat.
Beware of swelling
When we talk about excessive software on the HP OmniBook Ultra Flip, we are referring to applications like the following that are set to start automatically when the computer is turned on:
HP AI Companion, HP One Agent Service, HpseuHostLauncher, Intel Connectivity Performance Suite, Intel Graphics Command Center Startup Task, Microsoft Edge, Microsoft OneDrive, Microsoft Teams, mobile devices, myHPsystemtray, OMEN Gaming Hub Background, Phone Link, Poly Camera Pro and Xbox . There's also McAfee Anti-Virus, but we quickly uninstalled it during our time with the laptop.
Many of these apps come standard with Windows 11 and others come standard with an Intel CPU, but that's a problem for another day: On the manufacturer's side, HP has included six separate launcher apps in the mix. Many of these apps serve valuable purposes that are certainly lost if they don't run in the background (such as apps that automatically update drivers or offer quick optimization settings), but that ultimately detract from basic performance.
This is what performance looks like when you have all the aforementioned apps enabled and disabled at startup (if necessary, they will be re-enabled when opening an app).
Keep in mind that we are talking about a powerful and versatile laptop and, in fact, this is not a problem limited to HP computers. Most other manufacturers include a lot of first-party software with their computers, although there are some that limit bloatware on their systems (like Microsoft with its Surface line and configurable laptop company Framework).
The manufacturers argue that the included software is optimized for system performance, but the results clearly indicate that there is a drop in performance with so much running in the background. You may not find such a difference during casual use, but under load you will probably see greater strain on your system with more active processes, such as when gaming or running high-end 3D applications.
It's hard to see how some of these apps benefit your experience when they are set to open on startup, such as the OMEN app if you're not a gamer or the AI Companion app if you don't want to interact with the program's built-in GPT. -4th model.
The AI Companion app, for example, has its uses, allowing you to get general answers from the web, analyze documents, or even change your computer's performance settings without having to wade into cluttered menus.
I was particularly impressed with the latter as it allowed me to quickly change basic settings by requesting it from the chatbot. But more complex commands (such as “do not turn off the screen when not in use”) caused confusion; instead, they came up with steps explaining how I could do it. That said, there is little reason for this app to be enabled from startup rather than remaining in the start menu, taskbar, or desktop, waiting to be opened.
This result is a good reminder that if you want the best laptop experience after purchasing a new device, it is good practice to perform a clean install of Windows and purchase the software you need as you go, although you will find it difficult difficult losing the experience provided by the manufacturer.
A brilliant computer for a demanding user
We've often seen the HP Omnibook Ultra Flip on sale since its launch in late 2024, and if you can find a decent discount on a model of your choice, it would be hard to say no. This is a brilliant laptop that I love, and in the future it will probably continue to replace the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio in my daily use.
Light, small and very capable of heavy duty tasks, the Ultra Flip is a brilliant all-purpose laptop. It also has sophisticated styling and, with its unique USB-C layout, is easily one of my favorite laptop designs.
Just be sure to examine the programs you need and those you don't need after purchasing them. Apps set to run at startup may have their uses, but during heavy use, they may take away from the experience.