HP OmniBook 3 17 Laptop Review: A bargain or smelly leftovers depending on how you see it
The HP OmniBook 3 17 is a large-screen Windows laptop aimed primarily at students, home users, and office workers who want plenty of display space without spending a fortune. On paper, its combination of a 17.3-inch Full HD screen, 16 GB of RAM, a 512 GB SSD, and an AMD Ryzen 5 processor looks appealing for a machine in the €550 price range.
However, the hardware underneath the attractive exterior tells a different story. HP has equipped this model with the Ryzen 5 40, a processor based on AMD’s older Zen 2 architecture. In practical terms, the chip is closely related to the Ryzen 5 7520U, despite the newer-looking product name. That makes the OmniBook 3 feel less like a modern budget laptop and more like an older platform packaged in a refreshed chassis.
The result is a notebook that makes sense for basic productivity, but becomes considerably less attractive when more demanding workloads, gaming, or long-term value enter the equation.
Verdict
Table of Contents
The HP OmniBook 3 17 is best viewed as an affordable office machine rather than an all-purpose multimedia laptop.
Its biggest strengths are its large display, attractive styling, relatively low power consumption, respectable battery life, moderate operating noise, and reasonable price. For browsing, writing documents, watching videos, attending online meetings, and handling everyday office tasks, it can do the job.
Unfortunately, several weaknesses prevent it from being an especially strong recommendation. The processor is based on an aging architecture, the integrated Radeon 610M graphics are very weak by 2026 standards, and the included SSD is not particularly fast. The RAM is soldered to the motherboard, while only a single M.2 storage slot is available for upgrades.
The input devices are another weak point. The keyboard lacks backlighting and uses an unusual layout, while the touchpad does not feel especially sturdy.
The biggest problem, however, is performance. Modern processors in similarly priced laptops can be substantially faster. Even routine Windows tasks can occasionally feel sluggish because of the combination of the older CPU and relatively slow storage.
At the same time, the low-power hardware has one important advantage: efficiency. The laptop consumes little energy and can deliver around 10.5 hours of web browsing in the tested configuration.
Overall, the OmniBook 3 17 is a reasonable low-cost office laptop, but buyers looking for stronger performance or gaming capability should consider newer alternatives.
Advantages
- Attractive and understated design
- Large 17.3-inch display
- Relatively low power consumption
- Good battery endurance
- Moderate fan noise
- Decent built-in speakers
- Compact 45 W power adapter
- 16 GB of RAM
- 512 GB SSD
- Competitive price
Disadvantages
- Outdated Ryzen 5 40 processor
- Weak Radeon 610M graphics
- Slow SSD compared with newer systems
- RAM cannot be upgraded
- Only one M.2 storage slot
- Keyboard has no backlight
- Unusual keyboard arrangement
- Touchpad feels inexpensive
- Chassis could be more rigid
- Wi-Fi performance is only average
- Display covers only about 62% of the sRGB color space
- Very high measured DPC latency
- Gaming performance is extremely limited
Design and Build Quality
The OmniBook 3 17 has a pleasant appearance. Its light-colored exterior gives it a more premium appearance than the plastic construction might suggest, and the overall design is clean and modern.
Despite the attractive finish, the chassis does not feel particularly robust. Some areas flex more than expected, and the display lid can be difficult to open with one hand. The screen also has a maximum opening angle of roughly 130 degrees, which limits flexibility when positioning the laptop.
Build quality is otherwise acceptable for an inexpensive machine. The transitions between the various chassis components are reasonably clean, and there are no major manufacturing flaws.
At approximately 2 kg, the notebook is relatively light for a 17-inch device. Its 16.4 mm thickness also keeps it from feeling excessively bulky.
Ports and Connectivity
HP provides a useful selection of modern connections.
The laptop has:
- Two USB-A ports
- Two USB-C ports
- HDMI 2.1
- 3.5 mm audio connectivity
The USB-C ports support both Power Delivery and DisplayPort output, making them useful for charging and external displays.
There is no Ethernet port and no built-in SD or microSD card reader. Users who regularly connect wired networks or transfer files from memory cards will therefore need adapters.
Wireless networking is handled by a MediaTek Wi-Fi 6 adapter. Its performance is adequate for normal internet use, although it does not match the speeds offered by newer Wi-Fi 7 hardware.
The integrated Full HD webcam is another average component. Despite its resolution, images lack sharpness and can appear grainy, especially in less-than-ideal lighting.
Maintenance and Upgrade Options
Accessing the internal hardware requires removing five Phillips-head screws. The bottom cover is also secured by several clips, so some care is necessary when removing it.
Unfortunately, the upgrade possibilities are limited.
The 16 GB of LPDDR5 memory is soldered directly to the motherboard and cannot be expanded. Storage is more flexible, but there is only one M.2 slot, which is already occupied by the 512 GB SSD.
For buyers who plan to keep their laptop for many years, the limited upgradeability is worth considering before purchasing.
Keyboard and Touchpad
The input devices are among the weaker aspects of the OmniBook 3.
The keyboard does not have backlighting, which is disappointing for a modern 17-inch laptop. Its layout is also somewhat unusual and may require a period of adjustment.
Typing is usable for ordinary office work, but the overall keyboard experience does not feel particularly refined.
The touchpad is functional, but its construction leaves room for improvement. Clicking produces a somewhat cheap-sounding response, and the surface assembly could be more stable.
For long periods of writing or productivity work, an external keyboard and mouse would noticeably improve the experience.
17.3-Inch Display
The 17.3-inch IPS display operates at 1,920 x 1,080 resolution and 60 Hz. Its large physical size makes it comfortable for office applications, browsing, and multitasking.
One positive surprise is brightness. HP advertises around 300 cd/m², but testing produced an average brightness of approximately 374 cd/m², with a maximum measurement of about 403 cd/m².
The matte coating is also helpful because it reduces distracting reflections.
Color reproduction is less impressive. The panel covers roughly 61.6% of the sRGB gamut, 42.8% of AdobeRGB, and 41.3% of Display P3. As a result, colors can appear relatively muted compared with laptops equipped with higher-quality panels.
Color accuracy is also only moderate in the factory configuration. Calibration improves the results, but this is not a display designed for professional photo or video work.
The contrast ratio is considerably better, reaching approximately 1,679:1. Viewing angles are typical for an IPS panel.
Response times are mediocre, particularly for gray-to-gray transitions, so this is not a screen intended for competitive gaming.
One positive detail is the absence of detected PWM flickering during testing.
Processor Performance
The most controversial component in this laptop is the AMD Ryzen 5 40.
The processor has four cores and eight threads and can reach up to 4.3 GHz. Despite its newer branding, however, its underlying architecture is AMD Zen 2.
In practical terms, it is closely related to the Ryzen 5 7520U platform rather than AMD’s newer Ryzen AI processors.
This distinction matters.
In the tested Cinebench R15 multi-core loop, the OmniBook 3 scored around 769 points. Newer Ryzen AI 5 330 and Ryzen AI 5 430 systems reached approximately 1,186 and 1,177 points respectively in the same comparison.
The Intel Core Ultra 7 255U system used for comparison was faster still.
That means buyers should not expect the Ryzen 5 40 to compete with contemporary mid-range mobile processors. Its performance is sufficient for basic productivity, but it has considerably less headroom for heavier workloads.
Everyday System Performance
The relatively weak CPU is not the only factor affecting responsiveness.
The 512 GB Western Digital SSD installed in the review system is also on the slower side. This combination can make the laptop feel less responsive than its specifications might suggest.
Basic tasks such as web browsing, document editing, video playback, and email generally work without problems. However, opening multiple applications or performing more demanding operations can expose the limitations of the platform.
Benchmark results place the OmniBook 3 near the bottom of the comparison group in overall system performance.
One particularly concerning measurement was DPC latency. The system recorded a maximum latency of approximately 98,089 microseconds during testing, considerably higher than the competing machines. Such behavior can potentially cause problems in latency-sensitive audio or real-time workloads.
SSD Performance
The 512 GB M.2 SSD provides enough capacity for everyday use, but its performance is far from class-leading.
Sequential read speeds were measured at roughly 904 MB/s, while sequential writes reached about 888 MB/s in the relevant CrystalDiskMark testing.
Those numbers are usable, but significantly below what modern high-performance PCIe SSDs can deliver.
The positive news is that the drive maintained relatively consistent performance during sustained testing and did not exhibit severe thermal throttling.
For ordinary office applications, the storage is adequate. Nevertheless, the slower drive contributes to the generally less responsive feel of the laptop.
Integrated Graphics
The Radeon 610M is the other major limitation.
It is a very basic integrated GPU with limited gaming capability. Compared with newer integrated Radeon graphics such as the Radeon 820M and Radeon 840M, the performance gap is substantial.
In 3DMark testing, the newer Radeon 820M was roughly 80% ahead, while the Radeon 840M delivered an even larger advantage.
Intel’s newer integrated graphics solution in the comparison system was also considerably faster.
Consequently, the OmniBook 3 should not be purchased as a gaming laptop.
Gaming Performance
Gaming performance is extremely limited.
Older and relatively lightweight games can be playable after reducing graphical settings. Dota 2 Reborn and GTA V were among the few titles that produced reasonable frame rates under suitable settings.
The situation changes dramatically with newer games.
At 1080p, Cyberpunk 2077 averaged only around 3 frames per second at ultra settings and remained below playable levels even with reduced settings. Baldur’s Gate 3 also struggled badly, while more demanding recent releases performed even worse.
Examples from testing include:
- GTA V: approximately 61 fps at low settings
- Dota 2: approximately 78 fps at low settings
- Baldur’s Gate 3: approximately 7 fps at low settings
- Cyberpunk 2077: approximately 7.5 fps at low settings
- F1 25: approximately 13 fps at low settings
These results make the Radeon 610M unsuitable for serious gaming.
Heat and Fan Noise
One advantage of the low-power hardware is its manageable thermal behavior.
During normal idle operation, the laptop generally remains below 30 dB(A), making it relatively quiet.
Under heavier workloads, noise rises to roughly 32–38 dB(A). This is noticeable but still acceptable for an inexpensive office notebook.
Surface temperatures are also generally controlled. During maximum load, the top of the chassis reached around 39 °C, while the underside peaked at approximately 49 °C.
The palm rest remained much cooler, reaching only around 29 °C in the measurements.
During combined CPU and GPU stress testing, the Ryzen 5 40 remained below approximately 77 °C, indicating that the cooling system can keep the processor within a safe operating range.
Speakers
The integrated speakers perform better than expected for this price category.
They can reach approximately 84 dB and produce reasonably balanced midrange and high-frequency sound.
The major weakness is bass reproduction. Low frequencies are noticeably limited, so music and movies lack some depth.
For watching videos, online meetings, and casual listening, however, the speakers are perfectly usable.
Power Consumption
Efficiency is one of the OmniBook 3’s strongest characteristics.
Idle consumption is extremely low, with measurements ranging from approximately 3.5 to 4.3 W depending on the operating state.
Average consumption under load was around 25 W, while maximum measured consumption reached approximately 43 W.
This low power demand explains why HP can use a relatively small 45 W power adapter.
It also helps the machine achieve respectable battery life despite having only a 41 Wh battery.
Battery Life
The battery is not especially large, but the efficient hardware makes good use of it.
In the standardized Wi-Fi browsing test at reduced display brightness, the OmniBook 3 lasted approximately 10.5 hours.
That is a strong result for a 17-inch laptop with a 41 Wh battery and puts it roughly on par with some competing systems equipped with significantly larger batteries.
Heavy workloads naturally reduce endurance considerably. Gaming and maximum-load scenarios can drain the battery much more quickly.
For office work, browsing, and video consumption, however, the battery performance is one of the laptop’s most attractive features.
Overall Assessment
The HP OmniBook 3 17 is a laptop with a very specific target audience.
If your priority is a large screen, low price, quiet operation, good battery life, and enough performance for documents, web browsing, streaming, and other basic tasks, it can make sense.
The 17.3-inch IPS panel is bright enough for everyday use, the speakers are surprisingly competent, and power consumption is impressively low. The design is also attractive enough that the plastic construction does not immediately reveal its budget positioning.
The problem is that the internal hardware is already showing its age.
The Ryzen 5 40 may have a new name, but its Zen 2 foundation is old compared with today’s mobile processors. The Radeon 610M is similarly weak, while the SSD is only modestly fast. Soldered memory and a single storage slot further reduce the machine’s long-term flexibility.
For basic office use, these limitations may not matter much. For demanding applications, creative work, gaming, or users expecting several years of strong performance, they become much more significant.
Final Verdict
The HP OmniBook 3 17 is a budget office laptop rather than a modern performance machine.
Its large 17.3-inch display, efficient hardware, good battery endurance, low noise, decent speakers, and attractive price are genuine strengths. However, the outdated processor, weak integrated graphics, slow storage, limited upgrade options, and mediocre input devices hold it back.
At around €550, the laptop can still be considered if your needs are limited to everyday productivity. But with newer processors available in similarly priced laptops, shoppers should compare alternatives carefully before choosing this model.
Recommended for: office work, web browsing, studying, streaming, and general home use.
Not recommended for: modern gaming, demanding creative applications, professional color work, or buyers seeking strong long-term performance.
Overall rating: 75/100 — Good for basic office use, but difficult to recommend as an all-purpose 17-inch laptop.