HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 review: A long-lasting 2-in-1 with an OLED display

Sometimes going all in on next-gen tech is a great way to buy future-proof devices that will ultimately last longer as the rest of the world catches up. Other times, going next-gen will hamper you in the long run because the latest technology isn’t quite ready. The HP OmniBook Ultra Flip Next Gen AI PC 14 (fh0047nr) falls more into the latter. It feels great in the hands and the battery life is to die for, but it’s ultimately hampered (on paper!) by the latest processor inside.

But not everything is quite what it seems. The HP OminBook Ultra Flip houses an Intel Core Ultra 7 256V processor, thus making it among the earliest Lunar Lake laptops. While you’ll see some mixed results in the benchmarks, the devil as always is in the details.

Further reading: Best laptops 2024: Premium, budget, gaming, 2-in-1s, and more

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14: Specs

What makes this laptop “next-gen” is that aforementioned Lunar Lake processor, and along with new AI features. Here are the specs as tested:

• Model number: fh0047nr
• CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 256V
• Memory: 32GB LPDDR5X
• Graphics/GPU: Intel Arc integrated graphics
• Display: 2880 x 1800 OLED multi-touch display
• Storage: 1TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe solid state drive
• Webcam: 9MP 1440P IR AI camera
• Connectivity 2x USB Type-C (Thunderbolt 4, USB4 40Gbps), 1x USB Type-C (10Gbps), 1x combo audio jack
• Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
• Biometrics: IR Camera, Fingerprint reader
• Battery capacity: 64 watt-hours
• Dimensions: 12.35 x 8.51 x 0.59 in
• Weight: 2.97 pounds
• MSRP: $1,599.99 (as specced)

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14: Build quality

IDG / Josh Hendrickson

I have two stories to tell when it comes to this HP OmniBook, a story of choices that make me happy and another of choices that confuse me. Thankfully, the latter story is a question of taste and preference, so what I don’t like you may love.

Let’s start with build quality, which is very good. Sure, this isn’t a fancy metal unibody machine, but that’s fine. The plastics here look good (for plastic) and feel nice. There’s not much (if any) give or wiggle and you get a nice understated look that won’t embarrass you when you travel. Even the hinge is just the right amount of stiff, which earns bonus points since this is a 2-in-1 that folds all the way around.

As someone in his 40s who will surely need reading glasses in the next ten years, I honestly appreciate the large print style lettering on the keys. The choice of blue for the combo power button and fingerprint sensor allows for a tiny splash of color and makes that important key easy to spot.

The port placement, however, just confuses me. Never mind how few ports you get, we’ll discuss that in a bit, it’s the positioning I don’t like. Instead of just placing all ports on the left and ride side of the machine, HP put two USB-C ports in the back corners as cutouts.

At first glance, that actually seems like it might be nice. After all, it’s similar to a power port in the back of a laptop. But similar isn’t the same and this introduces awkwardness, especially if you need to plug your laptop into an outlet that’s off to the side of you or behind you. That leads to your laptop cord doing a strange bendy curve to get where you need and it’ll stick out pretty far since the connector of your cord is coming out the laptop. Thankfully, HP does include a nice braided cable that should stand up to the abuse.

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14: Keyboard, trackpad

IDG / Josh Hendrickson

I already mentioned that I like this keyboard’s big bold lettering and that praise extends to using the keyboard. With some laptops, things get scrunched around and you almost have to re-learn how to hold your hands to get back up to fast typing speed. That’s not the case here. The buttons are all a good size and other than the usual squashed arrows you find on most laptops these days, everything is just where I expect it. Of course, the cost of a generously sized keyboard is losing a numpad, so keep that in mind if you absolutely need one.

Key travel is good enough all things considered and the click noise is soft yet satisfying. As someone who deals with hand issues, I judge a laptop’s keyboard by how long I can type on it before I start feeling pain and I managed hours on this keyboard with no issues.

The trackpad is a nice size and, much to my pleasure, perfectly centered with the keyboard. I never accidentally brushed it and jumped up in my document. It detects my swiped and gestures perfectly and clicking technically worked well, though I did wish for more travel.

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14: Speakers, display

IDG / Josh Hendrickson

You can’t expect much in terms of audio in thin and portable laptops, so I say this in the nicest terms possible. The Ultra Flip’s speakers are just okay. That’s a low bar, but I’ve honestly listened to far worse speakers in similarly designed 2-in-1s.

The volume gets more than loud enough, though you’ll wreck the quality of the sound in the process. There’s a hint of thin bass, which is still better than some, and the soundstage exists. I know that doesn’t sound very complimentary, but when I test laptops, I generally expect speakers to be essentially useless and that’s not the case here. Sure, you’ll still be better off with headphones, but if you forget them, it won’t be the end of the world.

The display is a pretty big win thanks to the OLED touchscreen tech behind it. Blacks are oh-so inky, which makes watching movies a joy, especially in tablet mode. And it gets a bit brighter than its AMD counterpart, which addressed one of our few complaints with that model. At 500 nits, it’s more than bright enough for indoor use and good enough for outdoor use as long as it’s not too sunny. When I saw that this is a 3K display, I worried that it would lead to wonkiness in font sizing and video playback, but I never noticed any issues.

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14: Webcam, microphone, biometric options

IDG / Josh Hendrickson

Right in the usual spot, you’ll find a 9MP 1440p IR webcam, which puts it as a higher resolution than most webcams and a huge step up from the old 720p standard. Alas, specs aren’t everything and this webcam is decent at best. That’s not really HP’s fault. Much like speakers, fitting a great webcam into the tiny space a laptop can afford is a fight with physics you just can’t win. Colors are a little on the yellow and red side, giving me a slightly sunburned and sickly look. But it gets the job done and, of course, you get AI features as well both through Windows and HP’s custom options.

I do appreciate the hardware shutter switch, especially since it slides so easily you won’t even need a fingernail. And it’s a nice bonus that this is an IR camera that works with Windows Hello. Speaking of biometrics, the power button also doubles as a fingerprint sensor. Both work quickly and consistently, and it’s nice to have options.

The microphone isn’t quite as good. It picked up my voice just fine, but it lacked clarity, especially for a laptop at this price point. Between the microphone, the speakers, and the webcam, you have everything you need for a Zoom call. But you’ll probably be better off if you use Bluetooth earbuds that have a decent microphone.

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14: Connectivity

IDG / Josh Hendrickson

I often complain when a laptop’s only two USB-C ports are on the same side, especially when they’re also the power ports. Thankfully, that’s not a problem here. Even better, two of those USB-C ports, located on the right side, are lightning fast Thunderbolt 4 ports. The third, found on the left corner, is a 10 GBPS port, which is slower but not the slowest.

The port selection is limited to USB-C, though. If you need USB-A, Ethernet, HDMI, or an SD reader, you’ll need to buy a dongle.