The HP OmniBook 3 is a simple, useful laptop made for students, professionals, and anyone who needs a dependable computer every day without spending a lot of money. It costs about ₹69,999 in India and comes with AMD’s Ryzen AI 5 processor, a large 15.6-inch display, and a set of AI-powered features. But does it have enough to stand out in a crowded market for cheap laptops? Here’s a detailed look at the OmniBook 3’s pros, cons, and overall value after spending some time with it.
Design and Build: Simple, Strong, and Long-Lasting
The HP OmniBook 3 doesn’t try to look cool. The Glacier Silver finish is neat and professional, making it good for both classrooms and offices. It weighs 1.7 kg, which isn’t the lightest laptop, but the weight is evenly distributed, so it’s easy to carry. The chassis feels strong and doesn’t bend much, and the hinge is strong, so the device stays stable while you use it. HP’s dedication to the environment is clear, with ocean-bound plastics in the chassis and recycled materials from consumers in the keyboard parts. This earns it eco-friendly points.
The keyboard is big, and the 15.6-inch model has a separate number pad. However, the typing experience is only okay because the keys don’t move very far. The off-center touchpad works well with multi-touch gestures and is responsive, but some people may find its alignment strange. In general, the build puts function ahead of style, which is good for its target audience of people who want to get things done.
Display: Useful but Not Notable
The OmniBook 3 has a 15.6-inch Full HD (1920×1080) IPS anti-glare screen that is 250 nits bright and has a color range of 62.5% sRGB. It’s made to work, not to look cool. The text is clear indoors, and the matte finish cuts down on reflections, making it perfect for long periods of editing documents. But when the sun shines directly on it, the display has trouble, and the colors aren’t bright enough for creative tasks like editing photos. The viewing angles are also narrower than those of high-end panels, so it’s not good for watching with a lot of people.
A 1080p True Vision webcam with temporal noise reduction and two microphones above the screen makes for clear video calls on Zoom or Google Meet, even in mixed lighting. A physical privacy shutter is a nice touch for people who care about their security. The display and webcam work well for the price, but people looking for OLED-level quality won’t be impressed.
Performance: The Ryzen AI 5 works well for daily tasks.
The OmniBook 3 handles everyday tasks with ease thanks to its AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 processor, which has 6 cores and 12 threads and a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) that can do 50 TOPS. With 16GB of DDR5 RAM and a 512GB PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD, it works quickly for browsing, video calls, Microsoft Office, and light creative tasks like basic photo editing. PCMark 10 and other synthetic benchmarks put it in the mid-5K range, which is better than many 13th-gen Intel U-series laptops and a good value for its price.
The built-in Radeon 840M graphics are fine for casual gaming and watching HD videos, but they aren’t good enough for demanding games or heavy graphics work. Thermals are well-managed, so the laptop stays cool and quiet during normal use. However, it can get hot when it has to do a lot of work. The OmniBook 3 has AI features like HP’s AI Companion and Copilot+ that help you get more done by letting you blur backgrounds, summarize voices, and optimize your system. Even though it’s a budget laptop, it feels modern.
Battery Life: Good, but not great
The 3-cell, 41Wh battery can be charged quickly, reaching 50% in about 45 minutes. In balanced mode, you can expect 6 to 7 hours of battery life, which is enough for a school or work day but not the best. Some competitors, like the Lenovo Yoga 7i, last longer, though. For normal use, the battery lasts a long time, but it may need to be charged for long sessions.
Connectivity: Covers the Basics
The OmniBook 3 has a useful selection of ports: one USB-C with DisplayPort and Power Delivery, two USB-A, an HDMI 1.4b, a combo audio jack, and HP’s barrel charging pin. A second USB-C port would have been nice, but for most people, the mix is dongle-free, and USB-C charging makes it easier to use power banks or adapters.
AI and software: a way to get more done
The OmniBook 3 runs Windows 11 and has HP’s AI Companion and Copilot+ built in to help with things like scheduling, finding files, and making performance tweaks. These features seem natural and don’t get in the way, which is great for people who want to work smarter. Some people, on the other hand, may not need the AI tools as much if their needs are simple.
Verdict: A Good Option for People on a Budget
The HP OmniBook 3 is a good, useful laptop for students and professionals who want a reliable laptop that doesn’t cost a lot of money. The Ryzen AI 5 processor makes everyday tasks go quickly, and the AI tools give it a modern touch. It has a good build quality and a sustainable design, but the average display, keyboard, and battery life make it less interesting.
The OmniBook 3 is a great deal for people who are upgrading from an older laptop or buying their first Windows computer, especially if they can get it on sale. If you need a brighter screen or a longer battery life, though, you might want to look into other options like the Lenovo Yoga 7i or ASUS Vivobook S14. The OmniBook 3 is a reliable workhorse that does its job without any fuss.
