HP Omnibook 3 review: AI smarts, budget roots

AI-powered laptops are quickly becoming the norm, not just the exception. And HP is bringing that promise to the budget segment with the OmniBook 3, a 15.6-inch device that claims to offer “next-gen AI performance” at a relatively affordable ₹69,999. I’ve been using the OmniBook 3 for a bit now, and while it does pack in some solid features and modern AI flourishes, it’s clear that this is a machine built with a specific user in mind.

Design and Build: Simple, Silver, and Sustainable

Out of the box, the OmniBook 3 strikes a clean, professional look. The Glacier Silver finish isn’t flashy, but it’s stylish enough for both students and office users. It can feel slightly heavy at 1.7kg, but the weight is well balanced, so carrying it around hasn’t been an issue.

What I do appreciate is HP’s commitment to sustainability: the chassis includes ocean-bound plastics, and the keyboard components use post-consumer recycled materials. It doesn’t change the way it feels in hand, but it’s good to see a brand making these choices, even at this price point.

The 15.6-inch display is decent. It’s a Full HD anti-glare panel, and while the 250 nits of brightness and 62.5% sRGB coverage won’t win over content creators, it’s perfectly fine for web browsing, watching videos, and working on documents. The bezels could be slimmer, but it’s not a dealbreaker. 

Keyboard and Trackpad: Gets the Job Done, But Lacks Finesse

Here’s where the experience started to get a bit mixed for me. The full-size keyboard does include a numpad, which a lot of people will appreciate, but I found the typing experience to be a little frustrating. The key spacing feels off, which led to more typos than usual, and the overall feel just doesn’t match the kind of precision I’d expect, even in this price range. If you type a lot like I do, this may end up bothering you.

The trackpad is another area where I can see some compromises being made. The feedback just isn’t there. It’s not clicky enough, feels a bit mushy, and overall, it didn’t offer the tactile responsiveness I’d hoped for. For general navigation and productivity, it’s serviceable, but power users or students doing long hours of typing may find themselves reaching for an external keyboard and mouse.

What I did like, and use more than once, was the dedicated mic mute switch on the keyboard, as well as the privacy shutter on the webcam. While these features are slowly becoming the norm, it’s nice to still appreciate the little things on laptops that give your user experience just that tiny bit of boost.

Performance: AI-Enhanced, Entry-Level Fast

Inside, the OmniBook 3 runs on AMD’s new Ryzen AI 5 340 processor, a 6-core chip with 12 threads and a dedicated NPU capable of 50 TOPS. Paired with 16GB of DDR5 RAM and a 512GB PCIe Gen4 SSD, the performance is more than adequate for everyday tasks like browsing, video calls, Microsoft Office, and even some light creative work.

AI features are the star of the show. Whether it’s background blur in video calls, voice summarisation, or boosting productivity with the HP AI Companion app, you really get a sense that this isn’t just another entry-level laptop.

That said, don’t expect gaming or high-end editing capabilities here. The integrated Radeon 840M graphics are fine for HD video and light graphics work, but that’s where the line is drawn.

Thermal Performance: Manages Heat Well, But Not Immune

Thermals on the OmniBook 3 are generally well-managed. During regular use, like editing documents or streaming, the laptop stays relatively cool and quiet. However, when I pushed it with multiple heavy tabs and background AI tools running, I did notice it getting warm, especially around the palm rest and the bottom.

It never got hot enough to worry me, but if you’re using it on your lap or during long working sessions, you’ll definitely feel that warmth. The fans do kick in occasionally, but they’re mostly quiet and not disruptive. There’s no real performance throttling either, which is reassuring.

Connectivity and Battery: Ticking the Right Boxes

HP hasn’t cut corners on ports. You get a USB-C (with Power Delivery and DisplayPort), two USB-A ports, HDMI 1.4b, and a headphone/mic combo. It’s a well-rounded mix, especially for students and home-office users.

Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4 keep things current, and the 41Wh battery gave me just over 7 hours on a regular workday. Fast charging works well, getting me to around 50% in 45 minutes, which has come in handy more than once.

Verdict: For the Practical, Not the Picky

The HP OmniBook 3 isn’t here to wow power users, and that’s perfectly fine. It’s designed for people who want a reliable, modern laptop with AI-powered smarts and solid everyday performance. If you’re upgrading from an ageing device or buying your first Windows laptop, this is a compelling option.

That said, there are compromises: the typing and trackpad experience could definitely be better, and the display won’t win any awards. But if you value AI tools, sustainability, and a trusted brand at under ₹70,000, the OmniBook 3 delivers real value.