HP OmniBook X Flip 16 Review: Endurance Over Refinement

The HP OmniBook X Flip is a 2-in-1 convertible laptop built around a 16-inch OLED panel and an AMD Ryzen chip. It sits at the entry level of HP's catalogue, yet carries no less than 24 GB of memory, an unusually generous allocation for its position in the range. The obvious question is where the compromises have been made.

The configuration examined here pairs the 16-inch OLED panel with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. A second version differs in one respect only, offering a higher-resolution 2880 x 1800 panel.

The OmniBook X Flip does not upset a recipe now well established in HP's line-up. The design is understated and the dimensions are average for a laptop of this size, at 35.6 x 24.50 x 1.53 cm. Its weight of 1.9 kg stands out rather less happily at a time when office laptops keep getting lighter, although it is a figure to be expected of a 2-in-1 convertible.

What is harder to forgive is the aluminium chassis's tendency to sag and twist under any pressure, or when the keyboard is struck a little firmly. It does not inspire confidence in the laptop's solidity.

HP has chosen a single-piece keyboard for its input module, a choice more often associated with Dell's XPS range and used here to leave a wide berth for the speaker grilles flanking it on either side. The result is convincing in use, although it demands a decisive touch and a short period of adjustment compared with a conventional keyboard with separate keys. The touchpad makes the concessions expected of a product at this level, and its click feedback would have benefited from being a little firmer.

A stylus is supplied with the OmniBook X Flip. It is carefully made, with a USB-C port tucked behind a cover in its lower section, and two spare nibs are included. There is nothing to criticise in its responsiveness or in its use in tablet mode: it glides without friction and the experience is excellent.

Connectivity stays within the bounds of an office laptop: two USB-C Gen 3.2 ports, two USB-A ports, an HDMI output and a headphone socket. The lower part of the right-hand edge of the chassis is magnetised to hold the stylus, unlike most convertibles, which usually magnetise it to the front edge.

Wireless connectivity is handled by a MediaTek MT7925 module, which brings compatibility with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3. The single-fan cooling system is efficient enough to hold a maximum noise level of 36.2 dB under heavy load, with acceptable temperatures at the keyboard.

The processor is an AMD Ryzen AI 7 350, and it is a familiar part, appearing in other laptops of similar size such as the Framework 16, the Asus Vivobook S14 and HP's own OmniBook 7 Aero Laptop 13.

This is known territory, then. Its eight CPU cores, climbing to a maximum frequency of 5 GHz, prove capable of holding their own on the majority of everyday tasks. The AMD Radeon 860M graphics, by contrast, are beginning to look dated in 2026.

Benchmarks confirm that reading. The OmniBook X Flip returns a CPU index of 78, placing it exactly in the middle of the most recent laptops in the same comparison group. It remains behind the current flagships, namely the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H, Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme and the M5 in Apple's 2026 MacBook Air, but it still fares well against less rapid alternatives such as Intel's Core Ultra 5 325 Wildcat Lake. For the classic office work expected of a laptop of this kind, the AMD chip will have no trouble at all.

No miracles should be expected on the graphics side. The machine trails in content-creation benchmarks, whether exporting video in Premiere Pro or handling 3D modelling in Blender. Gaming tells the same story, with a meagre average of 22 frames per second in Shadow of the Tomb Raider at Full HD resolution using the Very High graphics preset. The AMD part is showing its age here, while rivals have optimised their laptop integrated graphics considerably.

The panel is a 60 Hz OLED unit with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. It is a touchscreen, as a 2-in-1 requires, but it is also exceptionally glossy, and not in a flattering sense.

Glossy finishes are common on OLED panels, all the more so on touchscreens, but matt coatings have been spreading. Not here: the laptop reflects 58 per cent of the ambient light, one of the worst results in the comparison. A portable mirror, in effect.

Calibration does not redeem it. With a delta E of 4.7, the panel is prone to visible colour deviation, and the colour temperature of 6224 K sits below the 6500 K reference value. The OmniBook X Flip does at least benefit from the outstanding contrast inherent in OLED technology, along with near-zero image persistence.

The speakers do not transcend the display they are wedged into, thanks to a noticeable absence of bass and a limited soundstage. Reproduction nonetheless stays faithful up to 80 per cent volume, and they can serve as occasional listening when needed.

The headphone output is a different matter, with a very high output level capable of driving high-impedance headphones, contained distortion and dynamic range in the average. Only crosstalk is middling, which limits stereo effects on listening.

The OmniBook X Flip has nothing to be ashamed of on a battery test protocol that simulates concrete use, mixing heavy tasks, content consumption and web browsing. At 8 hours 40 minutes before giving up, it sits just below Apple's very enduring MacBook Air M5 and the Honor MagicBook 16 with its Core Ultra 5 325, and comfortably ahead of the rest of the recent comparison group. A very good score indeed.

The inside of the OmniBook X Flip holds no more surprises than the outside: a single SSD slot, a Wi-Fi module and a battery that can be removed, and that is the extent of it. A minimum service, then, although that has been the norm in this market for some time. A chassis that was easier to open would have been welcome, since the back plate can be obstinate.

The OmniBook X Flip makes its case through its 2-in-1 format, with a tablet mode and an included stylus, while also affording itself the luxury of 24 GB of memory, an unusual allocation for its place in the market. Against it, the Honor MagicBook 16 stakes everything on affordability and exceptional endurance, while the Samsung Galaxy Book6 16 has the reassurance of brand recognition on its side but remains technically behind, with limited battery life and a poorly calibrated screen.