Mark Coppock / Digital Trends
TheMacBook Airhas dominated the $ 1,000 monetary value point for the past few years , and the most late M3 rise ( and subsequent bump to 16 GB of RAM in the foot model ) , has made it even well .
But there ’s an unexpected challenger for the crown ofbest laptop . TheHP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 . Do n’t get turned off by the name . It ’s powered by Intel ’s new Core Ultra Series 2 chips , which bring a surprising amount of barrage fire life into play . The OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 may not outright vote out the MacBook Air , but it gets improbably close .
Mark Coppock / Digital Trends
Specs and configurations
If you go by HP ’s listing prices , the OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 starts out as more expensive but substantially - configured than the MacBook Air 13 . Its base poser is $ 1,450 for an Intel Core Ultra 5 226V chipset , 16 GB of RAM , a 512 GB SSD , and a 14 - inch 2.8 special K OLED display ( the only option ) . Upgrading to a 1 TB SSD costs $ 50 , and 2 TB of storage is a $ 200 uncharge . At the gamy final stage , the OmniBook costs $ 1,900 for a Core Ultra 7 258V , 32 GB of RAM , and a 2 TB SSD . However , HP is currently offer $ 400 off , cause for a $ 1,050 base of operations fashion model and a $ 1,500 fully configure machine .
The MacBook Air 13 starts at $ 1,099 for an 8 - core CPU/8 - core GPU M3 chipset , a 512 GB SSD , and a 13.6 - inch 2560 x 1664 IPS display ( again , the only option ) . Applejust latterly increase RAM to 16GBwith the pedestal manakin for the same price , which is a good matter . Upgrading to an 8 - nub CPU/10 - core GPU M3 and a 512 GB SSD brings the price to $ 1,299 , while the high - end exemplar is $ 2,099 for 24 GB of RAM and a 2 TB SSD .
The OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 is less expensive than the MacBook Air 13 for a nicely - configured laptop if you may get it on sale . But at list , they ’re likewise priced .
Design
The MacBook Air 13 is perhaps the thinnest laptop useable today at just 0.45 inch , and that combined with its simple , graceful pattern in one of four typical coloration is what suffer out the most . But the OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 is also a gorgeous machine , coming in two colors with rounded edges and unique pass in the rearward chassis and exhibit bottom . Both of these laptops are great to look at and hold in hand .
Both are also built well , with all - aluminum construction that resist bending , flexing , and whirl . In this regard , the OmniBook is slightly well given the MacBook Air ’s hat that ’s a trivial too conciliatory . But , overall , both laptops are examples of how to make quality laptops .
The MacBook Air ’s flexible joint is a bit unruffled and permit you open up the hat with one hired hand , while the OmniBook has a more complex and stiffer flexible joint to accommodate its convertible 2 - in-1 functionality . That hinge allows it to be used in grapple , incline , media , and tablet modes — utter with an active pen for digital handwriting and drawing . So , there ’s substantially more flexibility with HP ’s 2 - in-1 .
Most people will also find these two keyboards to be every bit good . They both have large keycaps and tons of primal spacing with comfortable , legitimate layouts . The HP ’s inscription stands out more , which is a nod to accessibility . The switches are both consistent and zippy , offering a lot of preciseness . I favor the MacBook Air ’s Magic Keyboard just the midget bit , but I would be more than felicitous with the OmniBook ’s version . Both laptops also have with child , haptic touchpads that work highly well . I ’ll give the boundary to Apple ’s Force Touch haptic touchpad move over its Force Click feature that adds some functionality .
Connectivity slightly favor the OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 , given that it adds a USB - C port wine to the two Thunderbolt 4 ports that both laptop extend . You ’ll like the MacBook Air ’s MagSafe 3 power connexion , though , which pull through a port for connectivity over the OmniBook . And , HP built in more up - to - date wireless connectivity .
in conclusion , the OmniBook has a high - resolution 9MP webcam and it supports the full suite of Microsoft’sCopilot+ PC AIfeatures including enhance Studio Effects software program . The MacBook Air , meanwhile , supportsApple Intelligence , which has few characteristic overall and is still roll out .
Performance
The OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 uses Intel ’s latest Lunar Lake chipset , also known as Core Ultra Series 2 . It ’s a 17 - watt , 8 - core/8 - yarn chipset that ’s aim at efficiency and replace the low - baron U - serial Meteor Lake chipsets . It features quicker Intel Arc 140V integrated graphics that are an improvement but not yet to the level of distinct GPUs . It ’s pitted against Apple ’s 8 - core CPU/10 - gist GPU that ’s get at both performance and efficiency .
In our benchmark , these two laptop computer are closely matched in multi - core CPU processes , while the MacBook Air 13 is faster in single - core . Also , Apple ’s GPU is slightly faster , particularly when escape creative tasks . That makes both laptop computer good enough for demand productiveness exploiter , while the MacBook Air would have benefits for creators .
Display
There ’s no incertitude that the OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 ’s 14 - inch 2.8 K ( 2880 x 1800 ) OLED display is dear than the MacBook Air ’s 13.6 - in 2560 x 1664 IPS panel . The MacBook Air ’s presentation has gamy brightness , but that ’s it . The OmniBook has wider and more exact colors and inky total darkness . It also run at up to 120Hz , compared to the MacBook Air ’s more pedestrian 60Hz .
This is one expanse where the OmniBook has a clear vantage . The MacBook Air ’s display is very salutary for informatics technology , but the HP ’s display is near . The MacBook Air ’s 4 - talker audio is a peck better than the OmniBook ’s 2 - loudspeaker system setup , however , which is worth keeping in mind .
Portability
The MacBook Air M3 is a more portable machine , given its slightly little display and its harebrained tenuity . Both laptop consider about the same , though , and the OmniBook is enough portable in its own right .
However , Intel introduced Lunar Lake in part to battle the family - leading efficiency of Apple Silicon . The MacBook Air 13 has first-class battery life sentence , including when it ’s push the chipset severely in thing like video redaction . While the OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 gets good battery life compare to early Windows laptops , it ca n’t come close to matching the MacBook Air 13 no matter the task .
Two great laptops make for a tough choice
Sometimes , I compare two laptop computer and the difference is pretty stark . One is a exculpated winner . Other times , I eff two laptop equally . That ’s the case here , where both the OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 and the MacBook Air 13 proffer equally practiced figure , aesthetics , keyboard , touchpads , etc .
The big difference between these two splendid laptop computer is that the OmniBook has a better , fast display and a in high spirits - resolution webcam , while the MacBook Air 13 is thin and has right electric battery spirit . The MacBook Air also has better speakers . Price - wise , the OmniBook is an overall cheesy laptop , especially when on sales event ( as it presently is ) , but the MacBook Air has a lower starting price , especially since the upgrade to 16 gigabyte . Based on those difference , you’re able to probably state already which is a unspoiled primed for your needs .
Overall , the MacBook Air is belike the safe selection for its in effect electric battery liveliness alone , but truthfully , you ca n’t go wrong with either .
