I recently had the chance to test out the new HP Omnibook X14, one of the first set of PCs marketed under Microsoft’s Copilot+ line. This model is powered by the Snapdragon X Elite processor, an ARM-based chip similar to those found in smartphones and MacBooks. Historically, Windows on ARM has struggled with performance and compatibility issues, but this new chip aims to bridge that gap.
You can see it in action in my latest review!
The Omnibook X14 is priced at around $1,149 (compensated affiliate link), placing it in the mid-range of the laptop market. It boasts several AI features, although these seem underwhelming and not a significant reason to choose this model over Intel or AMD alternatives. I demoed those features in my previous video. My focus for this review is on its performance as a standard laptop.
In terms of hardware, it comes with 16 GB of LPDDR5x RAM and a 512 GB NVMe solid-state drive. The 14-inch display runs at a 2.2k resolution and is a touch panel, although it doesn’t support full 360-degree rotation. The build quality is solid, with an aluminum body and a weight just under 3 pounds. However, the keyboard tends to lift with the display, a minor inconvenience not seen in more premium laptops.
The Omnibook features a decent 1440p webcam with a manual shutter, suitable for video calls. The speakers are adequate for conference calls but not impressive for music. The keyboard is comfortable, with good key spacing and travel, and the trackpad works well once tap-to-click is disabled. It supports facial recognition for quick logins but lacks a fingerprint reader. In terms of ports, it includes a 10 gigabit USB-C port and a faster 40 gigabit USB 4.0 port, although compatibility with Thunderbolt devices is hit-or-miss in my testing on the USB 4.
Performance-wise, the Omnibook X14 handles productivity tasks well. Running Microsoft Word and browsing with the Brave browser was smooth and responsive, comparable to mid-range Intel or AMD laptops that cost about the same. This is a major improvement over prior ARM windows PCs I’ve tested where performance was well below comparably priced PCs.
Battery life is the standout feature here, with reports suggesting up to 24 hours on a single charge. In my experience, it easily handled a full day of work without needing a recharge, aligning it with the longevity seen in MacBook Air models. I have yet to hit a batter warning even with leaving it unplugged throughout the day.
For more demanding tasks, such as video editing, the laptop performed admirably with DaVinci Resolve when using the ARM-optimized version of the software. This marks a significant improvement over previous ARM-based machines, although the availability of optimized applications like this one remains a limiting factor.
Windows is doing a much better job of emulating Intel & AMD x86/x64 code on ARM processors – applications run without much fuss provided they’re relatively simple applications. But as before gaming remains a weak point. Popular titles like No Man’s Sky and Red Dead Redemption 2 failed to run properly due to compatibility issues. Doom Eternal did boot up but experienced significant glitches and inconsistent performance. All three games run at surprisingly good framerates on similarly priced Intel and AMD hardware.
Benchmark tests, such as 3DMark Wildlife, suggest there is potential for great performance once games are optimized for the chipset. But, like the video editing example above, developers have to make some effort to port their games over to the new platform to realize the performance potential. The Windows emulation layer simply doesn’t cut it.
I also attempted to run Linux on the Omnibook but was unsuccessful. The ARM version of Ubuntu did not fully boot, though it reached the GRUB screen. The Omnibook does run with a standard UEFI bios so it should be possible to get Linux up and running in the very near future.
The HP Omnibook X and the other Snapdragon Elite X PCs released this week represent a step forward for Windows running on ARM processors. Previous iterations sacrificed both performance and compatibility for battery life, but these new machines only struggle with compatibility.
For now, if your needs are basic productivity applications and super long battery life, the Omnibook X is a solid choice. However, if gaming or specialized software is a priority, you’ll want to stick with more traditional hardware unless there’s a specific ARM port of the application. By comparison, Intel and AMD battery life is much better than it was a few years ago (although not as good as the new Copilot+ line), and the latest iteration of x64 processors also have NPU hardware acceleration for AI applications.