Budget Friendly Without Sacrificing Too Much
Budget laptops usually feel budget. Plastic creaks, displays dim, performance sluggish. The HP OmniBook 5 (2024) at $899 with AMD Ryzen 5, 16GB DDR4, and solid build quality proves budget doesn't mean bad.
For students and everyday users, this is budget friendly without sacrificing too much.
Performance: AMD Ryzen 5
The AMD Ryzen 5 provides adequate everyday performance.
CPU Performance
The Ryzen 5 delivers:
- Decent single-core: Adequate for daily tasks
- Good multi-core: Handles multitasking reasonably
- Budget performance: Not fast, but functional
- AMD efficiency: Better than Intel at this price
For web browsing, office work, and video streaming, performance is fine.
AMD Radeon Graphics
With AMD Radeon Graphics (integrated):
- Basic graphics: Office work fine
- Light photo viewing: Okay
- Casual games: Very light gaming only
- No creative work: Integrated limits capability
This is a budget productivity laptop.
The 16GB DDR4 RAM is adequate for multitasking. The 512GB PCIe 3.0 SSD provides reasonable storage and speed.
Display: Functional 1080p IPS
The 14-inch IPS display with 1920x1080 resolution is functional:
- Resolution: 1080p adequate for 14 inches
- Brightness: 250-300 nits (dim but usable)
- Color coverage: ~60% sRGB (limited)
- Panel type: IPS (basic)
- Refresh rate: 60Hz
Budget Display Reality
At $899, expectations should be realistic:
- Text clarity: Acceptable for documents
- Brightness: Struggles outdoors, fine indoors
- Colors: Washed out compared to premium displays
- Viewing angles: Okay for IPS
This isn't a premium display, but it's functional.
Build Quality: Decent for Budget
At 3.2 lbs (1.45 kg), the OmniBook 5 is typical for budget 14-inch. The build is better than expected.
Design Language
HP's design is simple:
- Mostly plastic construction
- Clean lines
- Minimal branding
- Professional appearance
It looks like what it is - a budget laptop. But it's not ugly.
Build Impressions
The build quality is decent for $899:
- Plastic chassis (expected at this price)
- Minimal creaking
- Adequate rigidity
- Feels better than cheapest laptops
Reality Check: This feels budget. But it's well-executed budget.
Keyboard and Trackpad
The keyboard offers:
- 1.3mm key travel (shallow but usable)
- No backlight (cost-cutting)
- Adequate typing experience
- Centered layout
The trackpad is plastic but functional with Windows Precision drivers.
Port Selection
Basic connectivity:
- 2× USB-C (no Thunderbolt)
- 2× USB-A 3.2
- 1× HDMI 1.4
- 1× 3.5mm audio
Adequate ports for budget laptop. No Thunderbolt at this price.
Battery Life: Decent for Budget
The 51Wh battery delivers:
- Light productivity: 10-12 hours
- Mixed usage: 8-10 hours
- Video playback: 10-11 hours
For a budget laptop, battery life is solid. AMD's efficiency helps.
Charging
45W USB-C charging. Full charge in about 2 hours.
Thermal Management
Budget laptops often have poor cooling. The OmniBook 5 is adequate:
- Under light load: Cool and quiet
- Under sustained work: Warm but acceptable
- Under maximum load: Fans audible but not excessive
The Ryzen 5's modest power keeps thermals reasonable.
What You Get for $899
Included:
- AMD Ryzen 5
- 16GB DDR4 RAM (good for budget!)
- 512GB PCIe 3.0 SSD
- 14-inch 1080p display
- Decent build quality
Missing:
- Discrete GPU
- Bright, colorful display
- Premium materials
- Thunderbolt ports
- Keyboard backlight
HP Software
HP's pre-installed software is minimal:
- HP Support Assistant
- Basic system tools
It's mostly unobtrusive.
Who Should Buy This?
The OmniBook 5 is perfect for:
- Students on tight budgets
- Casual users (web, email, streaming)
- Budget-conscious families
- Basic productivity workers
- First laptop for kids/teens
Skip it if you:
- Need performance (gaming, creative work)
- Want premium display
- Prefer premium materials
- Need discrete GPU
Comparison to Competitors
vs Acer Aspire:
- OmniBook 5: Better build, 16GB RAM
- Aspire: Similar specs, comparable
vs Budget Chromebooks:
- OmniBook 5: Full Windows, more capability
- Chromebook: Better battery, simpler, cheaper
vs Used/Refurbished Premium:
- OmniBook 5: New with warranty
- Used Premium: Better specs but older, no warranty
At $899, the OmniBook 5 offers good value for new laptop.
Budget Laptop Expectations
At $899, realistic expectations:
- Performance: Adequate for basic tasks, not fast
- Display: Functional, not beautiful
- Build: Decent, not premium
- Battery: Good enough
- Features: Basic
The OmniBook 5 meets realistic budget expectations.
Upgrade Path
Budget buyers often want to upgrade:
- RAM: Soldered (non-upgradeable)
- Storage: M.2 slot (can upgrade SSD)
Limited upgrade options, but storage is upgradeable.
Verdict
The HP OmniBook 5 (2024) is budget friendly without sacrificing too much. At $899, the AMD Ryzen 5 handles everyday tasks adequately. The 16GB DDR4 RAM is generous for a budget laptop. The 512GB SSD provides reasonable storage.
The 14-inch 1080p display is dim and washed out but functional. The plastic build feels budget but is well-executed. The 51Wh battery delivers 10+ hours of use.
Is this for enthusiasts? No. Is it for power users? No. But for students, casual users, and budget-conscious buyers who need a functional laptop for basic tasks, the OmniBook 5 delivers.
Good enough for web browsing, office work, video streaming, and everyday computing. Not exciting, not premium, but functional and fairly priced.
Budget friendly. Decent build. Good for basic tasks. The OmniBook 5 does budget right.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can it handle light gaming? A: Very light indie games only. Integrated graphics are basic.
Q: Is the display terrible? A: Not terrible, just dim and basic. Functional for indoor use.
Q: Should I buy this or spend more? A: If budget is tight, this is solid. If you can spend $1,200-1,400, you'll get significantly better laptop.
Q: How long will this last? A: For basic tasks, 3-5 years reasonable. Performance won't age well for demanding tasks.
Q: Can I upgrade RAM later? A: No, RAM is soldered. Storage is upgradeable via M.2 slot.
