HP's $699 OmniBook 5 goes Intel to chase the MacBook Neo
HP has a new budget Windows laptop aimed squarely at Apple's MacBook Neo, and it starts at $699.99. The 2026 OmniBook 5 moves from last year's Qualcomm Snapdragon X chips to Intel's Core 5 320, part of the Wildcat Lake family. It has a backlit keyboard, which the MacBook Neo lacks. Anyone shopping for a cheap, light laptop for school or office work now has another option to check.
The hardware
The body is aluminum, 11.77mm thick and 1.16kg (about 2.6lb). The hinge opens a full 180 degrees. There are two full-function USB-C ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack and a compact 65W GaN charger, which is a small charger built around a more efficient semiconductor material.
The screen is a touch OLED panel at 1200p, with 100% DCI-P3 color coverage and up to 300 nits of brightness. A 2.5K version is due later. The colors of the casing look a lot like Apple's laptops.
The 2026 HP OmniBook 5 in its Apple-like colors
Memory is modest. The model in the report has 8GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage, so it suits browsing, documents and video calls. If you plan to keep it for years, our guide to RAM needs is worth a read.
Claims to check
The original report quotes 42 hours of local video playback. HP's official specs list up to 34 hours for OLED models, so the higher figure may apply to a specific configuration. Treat either number as a best case, not a daily result.
The keyboard backlight also varies. It is confirmed on the Snapdragon X versions, but some Intel configurations may go without. Check the exact model number before buying.
Intel's Core 5 320 is real and appears in the OmniBook 5 line, according to RTINGS. It is not the only chip on offer, though. Core 5 120U, Core 7, Core Ultra and Snapdragon X versions all exist.
Price and availability
HP said in an October 1 release that the laptop arrives in October from $699.99, with Core 7 versions following in mid-October. Some early coverage gave a November 13 date, but HP's release doesn't mention it. It will sell on HP.com and at Best Buy in the US. A configuration with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage costs $50 more. UK pricing hasn't been confirmed.
HP isn't alone in this niche. Dell's 14S uses the same Wildcat Lake platform, and Lenovo's IdeaPad Vibe goes for color and a lower price.
