HP OmniBook Ultra 14 (2024) review: Boring on the outside, magic on the inside

This review was made possible thanks to a review sample provided by HP.

The company had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.

you might configure theHP OmniBook Ultra 14from $1,349.99 at HP.

The new OmniBook and AI branding is here, but the design doesn’t feel as new.

Value-wise, the OmniBook Ultra 14runslike a premium Windows laptop, but doesn’t quitefeellike it.

This laptop is covered by HP’s standard 1-year Limited Warranty.

It’s a capable, balanced laptop that still boasts plenty of power.

There’s something lacking about this laptop’s design, though, that simply makes it boring.

That’s not to say this laptop is ugly, I just find it to be bland.

The port selection is a little bit of a mixed bag, too.

The build quality is solid, but this laptop certainly doesn’t look like a 2024 flagship.

OmniBook Ultra 14: Display quality

Display highlights

I really don’t like this display.

Any benchmark you trigger the OmniBook Ultra will reflect this performance, too.

It’s a potent combination that makes this one of the more responsive Ultrabooks I’ve used lately.

On the left, you’ll find the USB Type-A port and a 3.5mm audio jack.(Image credit: Windows Central | Zachary Boddy)

Charging is a breeze via either of the Thunderbolt 4 ports.

The layout is highly legible, spacious, and intuitive.

The keys are comfortable and durable.

On the right, you’ll find two USB Type-C Thunderbolt 4 ports (one tucked in the corner).(Image credit: Windows Central | Zachary Boddy)

The key action is responsive and consistent.

There’s also a physical camera shutter and a dedicated mic mute switch on the keyboard.

The quad speakers are also impressive.

This display is my least favorite part of the OmniBook Ultra, but it does still get the job done.

The OmniBook Ultra doesn’t have the most responsive biometric authentication, but it at least feels reliable.

However, it’s not as powerful as the OmniBook Ultra 14.

Those two pillars are fulfilled, even if others are left a little lacking.

This display is average at best in every category, but it’s at least energy efficient.

This is a great laptop…

But it’s boring.

AMD makes for a potent laptop foundation in 2024.

The OmniBook Ultra 14 has an incredibly speedy SSD.(Image credit: Windows Central)

The Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 is an excellent performer, too, although larger laptops with better cooling systems win out here.(Image credit: Windows Central)

In Geekbench, the OmniBook Ultra 14 competes with some of the best.(Image credit: Windows Central)

That fast SSD and capable CPU also put the OmniBook Ultra 14 in great company in this general productivity benchmark.(Image credit: Windows Central)

These Radeon mobile graphics are powerful enough for casual gaming, competing with the GTX 1650 Ti GPU from a few years ago.(Image credit: Windows Central)

The OmniBook Ultra 14 performs shockingly well with encoding 4K video.(Image credit: Windows Central)

HP’s software experience is decent and its AI investments are promising… I just wish the company would cut back on the bloatware.

It takes a lot to make this laptop go dark.

I like this keyboard and touchpad, that’s about all there is to it.

This is one of the better laptop webcams, but it still struggles with white balance and exposure.

I’m honestly more excited about the HP EliteBook X (an enterprise laptop) than the OmniBook Ultra.

The HP OmniBook Ultra is a relatively easy recommendation, even if it’s not an exciting laptop in any way.