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| HP's new OmniBook Ultra 14 in its Eclipse Grey colour option. |
CES 2026 is in full swing, and HP is making waves with a strategic overhaul of one of its popular laptops. The newly updated OmniBook 14 Ultra marks a significant departure from last year’s model, swapping out AMD’s hardware for a dual-pronged attack featuring next-generation Intel and Qualcomm processors. This move signals HP's aggressive push into the AI PC era and gives consumers powerful new choices in the thin-and-light category.
Last year’s OmniBook 14 was a solid contender, offering configurations with AMD’s Strix Point APUs like the Ryzen AI 9. For 2026, HP is changing the playbook entirely. The company has announced that the OmniBook Ultra 14 will be available with either Intel’s forthcoming “Next Gen AI Processors” or a range of high-performance Qualcomm Snapdragon X series chips.
While HP is keeping official Intel naming under wraps for now, industry whispers suggest we’re looking at Panther Lake series CPUs, potentially including options like the Core Ultra 5 338H or the Core Ultra X7 356H. On the Qualcomm side, the lineup is detailed: you’ll be able to choose from the Snapdragon X2 Plus (X2P-64-100) or the more powerful X2 Elite (X2E-84-100 and X2E-90-100) processors.
A Stunning Screen and Long-Lasting Battery, Regardless of Chip
No matter which brain you choose for your laptop, HP is equipping all variants with a truly premium display and substantial battery. The centerpiece is a gorgeous 14-inch, 2.8K (2880 x 1800) OLED panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio for extra vertical space. It boasts a smooth 120Hz variable refresh rate for slick visuals, and gets exceptionally bright—500 nits for standard content and a peak of 1,000 nits for HDR content, making it a visual feast for work and entertainment.
Powering it all is a sizable 70 Wh battery, supported by 65W fast charging. This combination promises all-day mobility, a critical feature for professionals and students alike.
Configurable Performance and a Touch of Color Personality
Performance tuning differs between the architectures. Both platforms support up to a massive 2 TB of PCIe NVMe storage, but RAM speeds vary. Qualcomm models will leverage faster 9,522 MT/s LPDDR5X memory, while Intel variants start at 8,533 MT/s. Interestingly, if you max out the Intel configuration to 64 GB of RAM—a notable offering for a laptop this size—the speed jumps to 9,600 MT/s. For a closer look at HP's full ecosystem of devices and services that complement this laptop, visit the official HP website.
The laptop maintains a sleek, portable profile at just 1.27 kg (about 2.8 lbs). All models share a robust port selection including three USB-C ports, a 3.5mm audio jack, and Wi-Fi 7 connectivity. The haptic trackpad also introduces intuitive gesture controls for brightness and volume.
HP uses color to distinguish the two processor families. Intel-based OmniBook Ultra 14 laptops will come in Eclipse Grey or Silk Sand, while the Qualcomm-powered versions get an exclusive Stone Blue finish.
Availability and Final Thoughts
The big unknowns remain price and exact availability. HP has not released those details, leaving potential buyers to speculate. This strategic shift clearly positions the OmniBook 14 Ultra as a flagship AI PC, ready to compete with the latest offerings from other majors. For those still considering last year's capable AMD model, it may still be found at retailers like Amazon.
By offering both the raw performance potential of next-gen Intel Core Ultra chips and the legendary efficiency and integrated AI of Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite platform, HP is covering all its bases. The OmniBook 14 Ultra 2026 isn’t just an update; it’s a statement that HP is serious about providing top-tier, AI-accelerated computing in a stunning, portable package. We await the final pricing to see just how competitive that statement will be.
