HP OmniBook 5 16-bc1970nd

I've been putting this HP laptop with 32GB through its paces for a few days now.

It's a great laptop, but the screen size is definitely something you'll enjoy. It took me a little while to get used to the 16-inch screen instead of the familiar 15.6-inch. The size (so not a widescreen) is especially noticeable when I first opened it, and it felt a bit awkward. But this disappeared immediately after 10 minutes of use, and it never bothered me at all.

Unfortunately, this HP laptop also comes with a fair amount of bloatware (software pre-installed by HP/Microsoft, but which you don't actually need). This includes all sorts of HP software, though I only find the HP Assistant useful for easily updating all drivers and applications.

So, I uninstalled as much of this software as possible immediately after the initial setup.

It's clear that the laptop has plenty of good hardware. It boots quickly, applications launch quickly, and everything responds as you'd expect from a new laptop. The 32 GB of RAM is definitely future-proof for me and allows me to multitask effectively on this machine. This excellent new hardware isn't noticeable in the laptop's weight. It's nice and light and comfortable to use.

Tip! You can configure the laptop's BIOS to turn on when you open the lid. This works really well! I discovered this when I had to go into the BIOS to change the function key (Fn button) to use F1 through F12 on my keyboard, but only to adjust things like the volume or brightness.

The keyboard is comfortable and easy to type on, and the mousepad is a good size and works very well. The screen is matte, which is great for backlit use, which I sometimes do with a window behind me.

What a premium device. HP has always been known for its excellent laptops, and this version proves that once again.

I bought it for my son, who is going to school and will naturally be working a lot with AI. He wanted a large, but not too large, screen. Fast, plenty of memory. It had to be Windows-based. And it had to be able to withstand a few knocks. So that's why I chose this laptop.

No regrets so far. It's a 16-inch version, so slightly larger than all the other laptops. It's a good size, not OLED, so not super sharp. But more than adequate for a student. My son was immediately impressed the first time he used it; it's nice and fast and has 1TB of storage and 32GB of RAM. That should keep him going for the next four years. He doesn't game on this laptop, so he doesn't need to. He mainly uses it for schoolwork and social media. For that, it has more than enough power.

What does stand out is the chassis; it's beautifully designed. A thin bezel around the screen, yet equipped with all the conveniences. In this case, the student can easily cover the back with stickers, something they all seem to be doing these days.

I can't hear the keyboard when he's typing. Personally, he appreciates the numeric keypad, which allows him to easily perform calculations in Excel. So, a big plus.

In short, a satisfied student with a good, solid laptop.

I've had the computer for a few weeks now, and it's absolutely fantastic. Super fast with that Ryzen AI and 32GB of RAM, everything runs smoothly. The large, sharp touchscreen, the AI button is handy, the battery lasts a long time, and it charges quickly. Sturdy chassis and a comfortable keyboard. I'm really happy with it!