HP OmniBook 5 14 is one of the least expensive laptops with OLED, but there's a catch
When choosing between OLED or IPS, most users will prefer OLED for their deeper colors and black levels. Perhaps not coincidentally, OLED laptops tend to be pricier and higher-end. The recently launched HP OmniBook 5 14 is notable for being one of the least expensive 14-inch laptops shipping with OLED as a standard option. There are, however, a couple of caveats.
Firstly, the laptop is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon meaning it is a Windows ARM machine. While this can offer some benefits over traditional Intel or AMD solutions like quieter fan noise and longer battery life, both performance and compatibility can be a mixed bag. Applications that aren't optimized for ARM must run by emulation instead.
Secondly, the OLED display itself is very basic when compared to most modern OLED panels on pricier laptops. While OmniBook 5 14 users are still getting those aforementioned P3 colors and pitch black contrast ratios, it lacks features such as higher refresh rates, higher resolutions, and Windows HDR support. Indeed, the display on the HP is limited to just 1200p, 60 Hz, and 300 nits compared to 2K or 4K, 120 Hz, and 500+ nits on pricier OLED alternatives like those on the HP Spectre series. The dimmer brightness in particular is unfortunate as glare becomes more noticeable on the OmniBook 5 14 even when indoors.
Users can check out our review on the OmniBook 5 14 for more data and comparisons.
