MacBook Neo vs HP OmniBook 5 14
MacBook Neo (#2, best value) vs HP OmniBook 5 14 (#3): in our Student Laptops scoring the MacBook Neo totals 9/10 and the HP OmniBook 5 14 8.4/10, the MacBook Neo leading on Value and Portability and the HP OmniBook 5 14 on Battery Life.
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TopsFive comparison scores
Side by side
| MacBook Neo | HP OmniBook 5 14 | |
|---|---|---|
| OS | macOS | Windows 11 Home |
| Processor | Apple A18 Pro (6-core CPU) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 (8-core) |
| RAM | 8GB unified memory | 16GB LPDDR5x (on board) |
| Storage | 256GB SSD | 512GB PCIe SSD |
| GPU | Apple A18 Pro (5-core GPU) | Qualcomm Adreno X1-45 (integrated) |
| Display | 13" Liquid Retina 2408x1506 | 14" 2K OLED Touch 1920x1200 |
| Weight | 2.7 lbs | 2.84 lbs |
| Battery | 36.5Wh, up to 16 hours (video streaming) | 59Wh |
| Ports | 1x USB-C (USB 3, 10Gb/s, DisplayPort), 1x USB-C (USB 2), 3.5mm headphone jack | 2x USB-C 10Gbps (Power Delivery, DisplayPort 1.4a), 1x USB-A 10Gbps, 3.5mm audio |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 6 | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Camera | 1080p FaceTime HD | — |
| Price | Check price → | Check price → |
How they differ in real use
Built from our student laptops scoring, each product's published specifications, and verified owner feedback — not hands-on testing.
Both the MacBook Neo and the HP OmniBook 5 14 made our Top 5 Student Laptops, at #2 (best value) and #3. The MacBook Neo is the value pick for students who want macOS: it brings an aluminum MacBook build, a 13-inch 500-nit display, Apple-rated battery life of up to 16 hours of video streaming and a 2.7 lb weight to Apple's lowest laptop price. Its fixed 8GB of memory and USB 2 second port are the trade-offs that keep it behind the MacBook Air M5. The OmniBook 5 14 is the strongest Windows pick here for long campus days: reviewers measured about 17 hours of Wi-Fi browsing (Notebookcheck) and more than 25 hours of video playback (PCWorld) from its Snapdragon X Plus and 59Wh battery, and its 2.84 lb chassis is about a pound lighter than the 15.6-inch Aspire 5 and 16-inch OmniBook 5 16, with a 14-inch OLED touchscreen and 16GB of memory. It runs Windows on Arm, so some emulated apps are slower, which keeps its performance score below the two MacBooks.
We score student laptops on Value (30%), Battery Life (25%), Portability (20%), Performance (15%) and Build Quality (10%). On that basis the MacBook Neo totals 9 out of 10 and the HP OmniBook 5 14 8.4. The widest gap is Value, where the MacBook Neo scores 9.5 against 8 for the HP OmniBook 5 14: performance per dollar. Battery Life also separates them: 9.5 for the HP OmniBook 5 14 versus 8.5 for the MacBook Neo.
On paper, the specifications that actually differ: Operating System: macOS on the MacBook Neo versus Windows 11 Home on the HP OmniBook 5 14; CPU: Apple A18 Pro (6-core CPU) on the MacBook Neo versus Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 (8-core) on the HP OmniBook 5 14; RAM: 8GB unified memory on the MacBook Neo versus 16GB LPDDR5x (on board) on the HP OmniBook 5 14; Storage: 256GB SSD on the MacBook Neo versus 512GB PCIe SSD on the HP OmniBook 5 14; GPU: Apple A18 Pro (5-core GPU) on the MacBook Neo versus Qualcomm Adreno X1-45 (integrated) on the HP OmniBook 5 14; Display: 13" Liquid Retina 2408x1506 on the MacBook Neo versus 14" 2K OLED Touch 1920x1200 on the HP OmniBook 5 14.
Check current pricing at the merchant links below. Owners praise the MacBook Neo for aluminum MacBook build at Apple's lowest laptop price and A18 Pro chip handles browser-heavy coursework, office apps and light photo editing; the most common complaint is 8GB of memory is fixed and cannot be upgraded. Owners praise the HP OmniBook 5 14 for long battery life in independent reviews: about 17 hours of Wi-Fi browsing (Notebookcheck) and more than 25 hours of video playback (PCWorld) and 14" 1920x1200 OLED touchscreen with wide DCI-P3 color coverage; the most common complaint is windows on Arm: some emulated apps run slower and a few specialist programs are not supported, so check course software first.
MacBook Neo
- Aluminum MacBook build at Apple's lowest laptop price
- A18 Pro chip handles browser-heavy coursework, office apps and light photo editing
- Apple rates the battery for up to 16 hours of video streaming and 11 hours of web browsing
- 2.7 lbs with a 13-inch, 500-nit display
- 8GB of memory is fixed and cannot be upgraded
- One of its two USB-C ports runs at USB 2 speeds
- Touch ID is reserved for the 512GB configuration; this 256GB model does without it
HP OmniBook 5 14
- Long battery life in independent reviews: about 17 hours of Wi-Fi browsing (Notebookcheck) and more than 25 hours of video playback (PCWorld)
- 14" 1920x1200 OLED touchscreen with wide DCI-P3 color coverage
- 16GB LPDDR5x memory and a 512GB SSD
- 2.84 lbs, with a compact 65W USB-C charger in the box
- Windows on Arm: some emulated apps run slower and a few specialist programs are not supported, so check course software first
- Glossy OLED panel tops out around 300 nits, so glare is noticeable in bright rooms
- 16GB of memory is soldered, and there is no SD card reader or Thunderbolt port
Which should you buy?
The MacBook Neo is the better fit for students on a budget who want macOS and note-taking and coursework; it is the higher-scoring pick here, chiefly for Value and Portability. The HP OmniBook 5 14 is the better fit for all-day battery on campus and note-taking on a 14-inch touchscreen, and the stronger choice if Battery Life matters more to you than the overall score. The MacBook Neo is a poor fit for heavy video or 3D work; the HP OmniBook 5 14 is a poor fit for students whose course software needs x86-only Windows apps.
Choose the MacBook Neo if
- Students on a budget who want macOS
- Note-taking and coursework
- Long days on campus
Skip it if
- Heavy video or 3D work
- Students who need more than 8GB of memory
Choose the HP OmniBook 5 14 if
- All-day battery on campus
- Note-taking on a 14-inch touchscreen
- Windows users wanting OLED
Skip it if
- Students whose course software needs x86-only Windows apps
- Gamers
Common questions
Is the MacBook Neo better than the HP OmniBook 5 14?
In our Student Laptops ranking the MacBook Neo scores higher overall, 9 to 8.4, with the biggest advantage in Value. The HP OmniBook 5 14 is stronger on Battery Life, so it is the better pick if that matters most to you.
What is the main difference between the MacBook Neo and the HP OmniBook 5 14?
The headline spec difference is Operating System: macOS on the MacBook Neo versus Windows 11 Home on the HP OmniBook 5 14. In use, the gap that matters most is Value (9.5 vs 8 in our scoring): performance per dollar.