The MacBook Neo made fairly a splash when it landed in March. $599 for a MacBook felt groundbreaking, and it was straightforward 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 nearly each method? That is the HP OmniBook 5, a laptop computer you’ve got 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 as a rule, the 14-inch mannequin was promoting for $500. You learn that proper: $500. Immediately, the most cost effective, most constant value you may discover it for is $730 over at Walmart, however I’ve seen the HP ceaselessly drop the worth from $1,050 right down to round $500.
And simply check out what you get for the worth, 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 properly, when you like the concept of getting a bit extra display screen 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 a minimum of on par with the MacBook Neo. If you have not used a Home windows laptops in just a few years and nonetheless assume they cannot compete with MacBooks in battery life, you are sorely mistaken.
The 16 GB of reminiscence on the OmniBook 5 is especially essential 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 permits you to neglect in regards to the {hardware} and give attention to the duty at hand. Do not get me fallacious—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 considering. Specs and efficiency do not inform the entire story, and Apple has by no means been recognized for providing tons of specs for affordable. However the OmniBook 5 14 can also be a gorgeous 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 type and persona? Completely—particularly when you fancy one of many bolder coloration choices. However I might say the OmniBook 5 is a really fairly laptop computer in its personal proper. It is also made from aluminum, sturdy and well-built in your arms. The hinge is balanced properly, permitting you to open the lid with one finger. It does not really feel low-cost.
