GROUP TESTWINDOWS LAPTOPS
Don’t worry, be lappy
Pick the perfect laptop, whether you need a whizzing workmate, a creative comrade, a gaming grunter or an awesome all-rounder
WALKIN’ BACK TO LAPPINESS: HOW TO CHOOSE
● Pay attention to both size and weight, and think about how much travelling your new PC is going to be doing. Don’t forget to factor in the power brick either: these can sometimes be seriously chunky.
● The CPU dictates the speed of your laptop and how it handles demanding tasks. Go with one that’s as new as possible.
● Equally important is your SSD storage. Most of the models on test offer 1TB, which is plenty for most people.
● Battery life also deserves a good look if you’re likely to be away from a power outlet for any length of time. It varies a lot.
● Pay attention to how much RAM you’re getting – it affects performance hugely. There are budget PCs with a meagre 4GB, which won’t do; 16GB is generally enough.
[ Words Dan Grabham ]
HP OmniBook Ultra Flip
What’s the story?
HP recently simplified the names for all its PC ranges. While ‘OmniBook’ has been around as a name for ages, it’s now being used for HP’s consumer notebooks, all of which feature HP’s own AI tech as well as what’s now standard in Windows.
This is a Copilot+ PC built around Intel’s Core Ultra 7 chip (be aware of cheaper versions with Core Ultra 5). The spec sheet is strong, and build-to-order storage upgrades aren’t too costly . At 1.34kg it’s fairly light and sleek, though it’s not a head-turner – it feels like the intention was to fit in rather than stand out. For a portable productivity PC, that’s fair enough.
Is it any good?
There are two main stories here – firstly the OLED display, which looks terrific. It’s a touchscreen too, and you can pair the device with HP’s own stylus. As you may have gathered from the name, this is a 2-in-1, and the display flips around smoothly. Watching video in the ‘tent’ mode is top, and it’s great for anybody who needs to show PowerPoint decks on the go – you can flick through presentations or demos just as you would on an iPad.
The other key point is the battery life: I got around 15-16hrs out of the Ultra Flip between charges. That’s a little under what you might expect from ARM-based laptops running Snapdragon or Apple M chips, but it’s still way over the traditional working day and it’ll easily see you through most long-haul flights.