HP OmniBook 5 2026, Core Ultra 7 255U, 16GB, 1TB SSD, Glacier Silver

The HP OmniBook 5 16-af1865nr has a strong CPU and plenty of storage, but the dim, washed-out display and weak integrated graphics hold it back. Gaming is basically a no-go at 17 out of 100. At USD 1,170, it's overpriced for what you get unless you really need that big 16-inch touchscreen.

The Core Ultra 7 255U lands in the 85th percentile for CPU performance in our database, which puts it among the better productivity chips out there. The 1TB NVMe SSD is also solid at the 80th percentile, so app launches and file transfers should feel snappy. But the integrated Intel Graphics sits at just the 55th percentile, and gaming performance is a dismal 17 out of 100. This is not a machine for anything beyond casual browser games. The 16GB of DDR5 is fine for multitasking, though it's middle of the pack at the 64th percentile. For everyday office work, coding, and web browsing, it'll cruise. For anything GPU-heavy, it'll wheeze.

Stacked against the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition, the OmniBook loses on build quality, display, and battery efficiency. The Surface just feels more premium. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 absolutely destroys it in GPU performance, though that's a different class of machine. The MSI Prestige 13 Evo is lighter and more portable with a better screen, though it gives up the big 16-inch display. Even the Apple MacBook Pro M4 Pro, while much pricier, makes this HP look like a budget compromise in every category except price. The OmniBook's only real edge is that big screen at a lower cost than the MacBook.

At USD 1,170, this is a tough sell. You're paying a premium for the Core Ultra 7 branding and a touchscreen, but the display quality doesn't justify the price. For that money, you can find laptops with brighter, more color-accurate panels and better reliability track records. The 1TB SSD is nice, but storage is cheap these days. If you catch this on sale for a few hundred less, it becomes more interesting. At full price, it's a pass for most people.

The HP OmniBook 5 16-af1865nr is a big-screen productivity laptop that leans hard into the AI buzzword bingo. You get an Intel Core Ultra 7 255U, 16GB of DDR5, and a 1TB SSD, which sounds great on paper. But the display is a 300-nit panel with only 62.5% sRGB coverage, and that's a real head-scratcher for a machine marketed for work and entertainment.

At 1.78kg it's not exactly a featherweight, and the 59Wh battery is modest for a 16-inch laptop. The port selection is decent with dual USB-C, dual USB-A, and HDMI 2.1. But the overall package feels like HP cut corners in the places you'll notice most.

Skip this if you do any photo or video editing, since the 62.5% sRGB display will make colors look off. Gamers should absolutely look elsewhere, the integrated graphics are a non-starter. And if you're rough on your gear or need something that'll last years without issues, the below-average reliability scores are a red flag. Road warriors who need all-day battery should also pass, a 59Wh cell in a 16-inch laptop won't cut it.

This laptop is for someone who wants a large display for office work, web browsing, and light productivity, and doesn't care about color accuracy or gaming. The CPU is genuinely good for multitasking and everyday tasks. But if you care about screen quality, battery life, or long-term reliability, you should look elsewhere. It's a competent machine with a few glaring compromises that are hard to ignore at this price.