ZDNET Highlights
- The HP OmniBook 7 Aero typically retails for $1,250.
- This laptop is designed to impress thanks to its AMD Ryzen AI 7 processor, vibrant 2K display, and attractive magnesium-aluminum finish.
- Its battery life is less than similar models.
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2025 has been a strong year for HP. Over the past 10 months, I’ve tested several of the company’s latest releases, from the EliteBook Ultra G1i to the Omen 32X Smart Monitor, and aside from a few criticisms, each one has impressed me.
This trend continues with one of its recent products: the hp omnibook 7 aeroA good performing laptop that lives up to its name as a thin and light device.
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“Aero” is the perfect descriptor here. Weighing just 2.1 pounds, it’s lighter than the M4 MacBook Air, which comes in at 2.7 pounds. However, it is thicker than Apple’s machine, measuring 0.69 inches.
That extra thickness pays off with better port selection. You get two USB-C ports, two USB-A inputs (one supports 10Gbps transfer speeds, the other 5Gbps), an HDMI 2.1 port, and a headphone jack.
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The weight distribution is interesting to say the least. When held there, the Omnibook feels quite compact in the centre. However, when you pick it up from the corner, it is light and even a little wobbly. Because of this construction, the laptop technically fails the one-finger lift test. When I lifted the screen up it stayed in one place, even though I lifted the entire device at the same time.
HP’s laptop comes in two colors: Glacier Silver and Ceramic White – I had the latter for my review unit. The white model had a slightly bumpy texture that is not completely smooth to the touch. In fact, the texture reminded me of the “ceraluminum” finish found on some 2024 laptops like the Asus ZenBook S 16, although HP says it used recycled magnesium aluminum to build the computer. Whatever the material, it helps the laptop achieve that featherweight form factor while still providing a durable, premium feel.
Overall the keyboard is solid, with raised keycaps for comfortable typing. I don’t usually comment on letter fonts, but I found the bold letters against the white keyboard particularly attractive. My only real complaint with the OmniBook’s design is the touchpad. It’s a little too small for my liking, although that’s understandable since the laptop measures only 13.3 inches.
small yet mighty
Talking about size, the OmniBook 7 Aero sports a 13-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600 resolution) IPS display that covers the entire sRGB color gamut. As a result, the screen is impressively vibrant. It helps that the glass is covered with an anti-glare coating, which reduces disruptive reflections and increases clarity. I also appreciate the thoughtful hinge design.
The display does not open completely. Instead, it stops at about 45 degrees. This has the effect of raising the back of the laptop slightly to improve typing ergonomics. My only major complaint with the screen is the 400 nits brightness. This level of brightness is quite low, so the display may be difficult to see in bright environments.
As far as audio is concerned, HP has placed the speaker at the bottom edge. Normally, I would criticize the placement; However, it seems someone at HP is prescient because they have responded to my complaints ahead of time by adding sound system support for DTS:X Ultra, HP Audio Boost, and Poly Studio. Together, these features allow the speaker to deliver rich, dynamic sound with clear vocal and instrument separation. The bass is surprisingly impressive. This adds depth to tracks and movie scores that would otherwise sound flat on such an ultraportable.
impressive performance
At a glance, HP’s OmniBook 7 Aero looks very similar to another recent model – the OmniBook 5. Both go for a sleek, MacBook-esque aesthetic. However, what differentiates the two is the hardware. Instead of a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset, the Aero packs a high-end loadout with an AMD Ryzen 7 350 processor, AMD Radeon 860M graphics card, and 32GB of RAM. It’s a well-balanced configuration that gives the OmniBook 7 an edge over its competitors.
Below is a benchmark results table that compares the OmniBook 7 Aero to other HP models. All four offer a similar experience, with the Aero comfortably second only to the top-tier model, the EliteBook G1A. In fact, it’s interesting not just how big the price difference is between the two, but how close some of these benchmarking metrics are.
I also want to highlight how the OmniBook 7 Aero compares to the OmniBook 5. Both are excellent at being everyday laptops, and with my typical multitasking test (running more than 50 open tabs with multiple high-resolution YouTube streams, a movie on Netflix, and an Amazon listing), neither of them slowed down remotely.
However, where the 7 Aero excels is in handling heavy workloads. Thanks to the AMD configuration, the new laptop is better equipped to handle demanding tasks like graphic design or photo/video editing. Another major advantage of AMD chipsets is wide app compatibility. I was able to run all my usual benchmark tests without any issues.
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The benefit of this improved performance is battery life. During testing, the OmniBook 7 Aero lasted just under 10 hours on a single charge. That’s enough for a whole day, but it’s a far cry from the OmniBook 5’s impressive 25-hour run time, or the OmniBook X14 with the Snapdragon X Elite chip, which claims up to 26 hours of runtime on a single charge.
ZDNET’s shopping advice
HP’s OmniBook 7 Aero It normally retails for $1,250, but at the time of this writing, you can pick up the laptop in Glacier Silver on sale for $840. I would recommend it to anyone looking for an ultra-thin computer that performs above average and has a solid display. However, if you travel frequently or want longer battery life, the OmniBook 5 remains a better choice due to its great endurance.
