I went hands-on with the HP OmniBook Ultra 14 — and the MacBook Air should be nervous

What’s thiner than the MacBook Air M4 but packs a 3K OLED display and your choice of the latest Intel or Qualcomm CPU. And it’s mil-spec tested for durability?

That would be the HP OmniBook Ultra 14 2026, which I had a chance to go hands-on with ahead of CES 2026. It promises stellar battery like in a chassis that feels light but also tough enough to survive life on the go for road warriors, students and more. Here's my pros and cons so far.

Thinner (and tougher) than the Air

HP says this new laptop is 5% thinner than the MacBook Air while being 52% lighter than the previous OmniBook Ultra. How light? It’s just 2.81 pounds, which is just slightly more than the 2.7-pound Air.

But remember that HP not only gives you a bigger display but it’s also a touchscreen — something you won’t find on any MacBook (yet).

The Snapdragon X2 Elite version if the one to get if you want the longest battery life plus serious AI horsepower with 85 NPU TOPS. If you’re looking for more graphics might, I’d opt for the Intel Panther Lake model.

HP calls the OmniBook Ultra 14 the “world’s most durably slim 14-inch consumer notebook.” But what the heck does that mean? It’s built to survive 20 military-standard (MIL-STD-810) tests for drops, shocks, temperature extremes and more.

There’s another feature on board here that some might say is helpful and others might say is creepy. A new posture detection feature can detect if your neck is tilting, if you’re slouching or at an awkward angle.

Extra long endurance (promised)

Picking up the OmniBook Ultra 14, it feels lightweight but quite sturdy. And I like the forged stamped aluminum design, complete with the tattooed look of the logo.

The sculpted keys felt comfortable when typing, and I like the wide and responsive touchpad. The touchpad has a couple of cool hidden features, too. You can slide your finger up on one side of the touchpad to quickly control the volume and the other side for adjusting screen brightness.

So what about battery life? You’ll get up to 22.5 hours with the 3K OLED display and up to 30 hours if you opt for a less powerful CPU and 3K display. The 65-watt charger will get you to 50% in 45 minutes.

The color options vary by CPU choice. I’m partial to the Stone Blue model but that’s only available with the Snapdragon chip. The Intel model has a more subdued Eclipse Gray/Silk Sand color.

HP OmniBook Ultra 14 Outlook

Overall, the OmniBook Ultra looks good so far, but I'm worried about the $1,549 starting price. It's way more expensive than the MacBook Air M4. It's closer to the $1,499 MacBook Pro M5, so this system will really have to deliver on performance and battery life.

Stay tuned for our full HP OmniBook review, and for more of the latest tech news check out our CES 2026 live blog.

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Mark Spoonauer is the global editor in chief of Tom's Guide and has covered technology for over 20 years. In addition to overseeing the direction of Tom's Guide, Mark specializes in covering all things mobile, having reviewed dozens of smartphones and other gadgets. He has spoken at key industry events and appears regularly on TV to discuss the latest trends, including Cheddar, Fox Business and other outlets. Mark was previously editor in chief of Laptop Mag, and his work has appeared in Wired, Popular Science and Inc. Follow him on Twitter at @mspoonauer.

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