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$500 is something of a sweet spot for budget laptops. There are plenty of them that slide under that price…and very few that I’d actually recommend, since I think you need a decent processor and at least 16GB of RAM to run Windows 11 well. Today’s HP deal, cutting an OmniBook 5’s price nearly in half, is a budget laptop actually worth buying. It’s going for $449.99 on HP’s official store.
For that price you get a 6-core AMD Ryzen AI 5 340, a mid-range processor that’s one of the newest, most efficient models, which also includes some respectable Radeon 840M integrated graphics for gaming. There’s also the aforementioned 16GB of RAM, a decent 512GB of SSD storage, and a 16-inch, 1920×1200 IPS screen. This base model configuration does not include a touchscreen, but that body is wide enough for a full-length keyboard with a number pad.
Other pluses include double USB-C and double USB-A ports, full-sized HDMI for plugging in a monitor or TV, and an IR webcam for easy Windows Hello logins. At about four pounds it’s not particularly light (though not too heavy for its size), and a 59-watt-hour battery won’t make it an endurance runner. But this is about as cheap as you’ll find any Copilot+ laptop from a major brand, and those plentiful ports and light gaming power make this a good choice for a student on a budget.
HP has this marked as a sale, but I’m not sure how long it will last — there’s no expiration time on the discount. A sale this deep for a budget design is pretty rare, so hop on it quickly if you’ve been waiting for a deal. If this one doesn’t quite meet your needs, then check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best laptop models.
Get an HP Ryzen laptop with 16GB of RAM for $450
Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer, PCWorld
Michael is a 10-year veteran of technology journalism, covering everything from Apple to ZTE. On PCWorld he’s the resident keyboard nut, always using a new one for a review and building a new mechanical board or expanding his desktop “battlestation” in his off hours. Michael’s previous bylines include Android Police, Digital Trends, Wired, Lifehacker, and How-To Geek, and he’s covered events like CES and Mobile World Congress live. Michael lives in Pennsylvania where he’s always looking forward to his next kayaking trip.
