A Familiar but Sleek Design
In classic Aero fashion, the OmniBook 7 feels incredibly portable. Weighing just under 2.2 pounds, it remains one of the lightest 13-inch laptops available. The magnesium–aluminum chassis feels smooth and resists fingerprints, though it lacks the solid rigidity of pricier rivals like the Dell XPS 13. There’s some flex in the lid and keyboard deck, but that’s the trade-off for such a featherweight build.
The white model looks elegant but has white keycaps and a white backlight — a poor combo in bright environments. The silver variant with darker keys is a better pick for usability.
Pros
- Very light and portable
- Good display options
- Comfortable keyboard
- Affordable pricing when on sale
- Looks stylish
Cons
- Battery life is nothing special
- Laptop gets warm
- Keyboard backlight is white with white keycaps, making it harder to read on occasion
- Not suitable for performance applications
Display: Sharp and Bright
The 13.3-inch 2560×1600 matte IPS display is a standout at this price point. It’s sharp, bright (over 500 nits), and ideal for work in well-lit spaces thanks to its anti-glare finish. Color accuracy is good enough for general creative work, though not on par with OLED competitors. A 1920×1200 version is available for around $70 less, trading resolution for a slight battery boost.
Keyboard and Trackpad
HP continues to deliver one of the best keyboards in the budget ultralight segment. Key travel and feedback are excellent, and it’s genuinely comfortable for long writing sessions. The only annoyance is the faint wobble of the keycaps. The mechanical trackpad is serviceable but feels a bit clunky compared to the precision haptics of higher-end laptops.
Ports and Connectivity
Port selection is straightforward but practical: two USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, and an HDMI 2.1 output. The downside? All display-capable ports and charging are on the right-hand side, which can lead to cable clutter. Still, having HDMI on such a small laptop is a nice bonus.
Powered by AMD’s Ryzen 7 350 (or Ryzen 5 340), the OmniBook 7 Aero performs well in everyday tasks and benchmarks. It outpaces Intel’s Lunar Lake chips in many CPU workloads, though its integrated GPU only supports light gaming.
Where it falters is heat. During sustained workloads, surface temperatures reached up to 46°C on the keyboard deck — warmer than ideal. HP has tuned the fans to stay quiet, but that choice keeps the laptop hotter than competitors.
Battery Life
Despite its efficient Zen 5 processor and large battery, endurance is merely average. Expect 7–8 hours of mixed use, which lags behind options like the MacBook Air M3 or Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i. The high-resolution display likely contributes to this underwhelming result.
Pros
- M4 CPU is very fast for a thin and light laptop
- Premium built laptop - chassis, speakers, keyboard, trackpad
- Sky Blue color looks good
- Improved webcam
- Price is good for what you get
Cons
- M4 chip throttles a little in the MacBook Air's chassis
- Display is out dated. 60 Hz IPS panel
- 256 starting storage is disappointing
- Keyboard feels a little low travel
Pros
- Fantastic battery life
- Comfortable keyboard
- Price is very reasonable
- Good OLED screen
- Powerful enough for most office, home, or school use
Cons
- Screen refresh rate is 60Hz
- Display resolution is 1920 by 1200
- Not a premium feeling laptop - build quality, speakers, trackpad are all very basic
Verdict: Great on Sale, Not at MSRP
At its sale price of $600–$700, the OmniBook 7 Aero is a very compelling pick for students or professionals seeking an ultra-light, well-rounded 13-inch laptop. It’s fast, portable, and comfortable to type on.
However, at full MSRP, it’s harder to recommend. Competing models like the Yoga Slim 7i and MacBook Air 13 offer cooler operation and longer battery life for similar money. If you spot the Aero heavily discounted, it’s worth grabbing — otherwise, there are better-balanced options.
