Verdict
All guidesResearchOpen dataMethodologyAboutContact
Head-to-head · Best Budget Laptops Under $700

Apple MacBook Neo vs HP OmniBook 5 14

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

Verdict is reader-supported. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Some links on this page are affiliate links — if you click through and buy, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Our ratings are sourced from independent publications, not sponsors.
The short answer

Apple MacBook Neo comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.4 vs 4.0). Apple MacBook Neo is best for: Buyers who want a light, well-built laptop for web, documents and video, and who are comfortable with macOS, 8GB of memory and two USB-C ports. Read the strengths below before deciding.

Apple MacBook Neo
Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Budget Laptops Under $700
Apple MacBook Neo
4 sources$699as of Oct 11

The MacBook Neo is Apple's 13-inch budget laptop, built around the A18 Pro chip with 8GB of memory and a 256GB SSD. PCMag rated it 4.5 out of 5 and wrote that it "rewrites the budget laptop playbook" with a higher-end build, a more advanced screen and longer battery life than many laptops in its price range. Tom's Guide, also 4.5 out of 5, measured 13 hours 28 minutes of web surfing, and PCWorld, 4 out of 5, measured 13 hours 15 minutes of looped video. The compromises are in the details: one of the two USB-C ports is USB 2, the keyboard is not backlit, and Touch ID costs extra. PCWorld lists the price as $699, up from $599 at launch.

Strengths
  • — Aluminum build that PCMag calls premium and rigid
  • — 13-inch 2408 x 1506 display; Tom's Guide measured 480 nits and 110% of sRGB
  • — 13 hours 28 minutes in Tom's Guide's web-surfing battery test and 13 hours 15 minutes in PCWorld's video loop
Watch-outs
  • — One of the two USB-C ports is limited to USB 2 (PCMag, PCWorld)
  • — No keyboard backlighting (PCMag, Tom's Guide)
  • — Touch ID costs $100 extra, per CNET
$699 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →
HP OmniBook 5 14
Ranked #2 in Best Budget Laptops Under $700
HP OmniBook 5 14
5 sources$699.99as of Oct 10

The OmniBook 5 14 is the battery-life champion: an ARM-based ultraportable. PCWorld called it "a strong contender if you want a Windows laptop with great battery life," and TechRadar praised its display and endurance. The catch is the Snapdragon platform's app-compatibility quirks.

Strengths
  • — Battery life of 25 hours in PCWorld's video test, 28 hours 19 minutes in CNET's streaming test and 34 hours 48 minutes in PCMag's rundown
  • — 14-inch OLED display, which PCMag describes as having deep contrast and broad color coverage
  • — Fast charging adds up to 50 percent in 30 minutes, per PCWorld
Watch-outs
  • — Snapdragon X is an Arm chip, so some Windows apps run emulated or not at all
  • — The base model linked here has the Snapdragon X X1-26-100, which PCWorld calls a less powerful chip than the X Plus the reviews tested
  • — Base storage is 256GB
$699.99 · Buy at walmart.comFull review →

How they stack up

Apple MacBook Neo

It is the only macOS laptop on this page. Its roughly 13-hour battery results from PCWorld and Tom's Guide sit below the 17 hours PCMag and PCWorld recorded for the Acer Aspire 14 AI and the 25-plus hours PCWorld measured on the HP OmniBook 5 14. It has two USB-C ports where the Aspire 14 AI adds USB-A and HDMI, and 8GB of memory against the 16GB in the Aspire 14 AI and the OmniBook 5 14.

HP OmniBook 5 14

The trade-off is the ARM Snapdragon platform's app-compatibility limits, which the x86 machines avoid.

Specs side-by-side

SpecApple MacBook NeoHP OmniBook 5 14
ProcessorApple A18 Pro—
Memory8GB—
Storage256GB SSD256GB PCIe NVMe SSD
Display13-inch Liquid Retina, 2408 x 1506, 500 nits14-inch OLED, 1920 x 1200 (HP calls it 2K), non-touch
Ports1x USB-C (USB 3), 1x USB-C (USB 2), 3.5mm audio2x USB-C 10Gbps, 1x USB-A 10Gbps, 3.5mm audio
WirelessWi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 6Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Webcam1080p FaceTime camera—
Weight2.7 pounds—
Dimensions0.50 x 11.71 x 8.12 inches—
Charger20W USB-C—
OSmacOSWindows 11 Home
CPU—Qualcomm Snapdragon X X1-26-100 (8-core)
RAM—16GB LPDDR5x
Battery—Up to 34 hours rated by HP; 25 hours (PCWorld), 28 hours 19 minutes (CNET), 34 hours 48 minutes (PCMag) tested on the X Plus configuration
Model—14-he0017nr
← See the full ranking of best budget laptops under $700