HP OmniBook 430
| Company type | Product line |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer hardware |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Founder | Hewlett-Packard |
| Defunct | 2002 (original line) |
| Fate | Phased out in favor of Compaq Presario, HP Compaq, and HP Pavilion (2002); revived in 2024 under HP Inc. |
| Successor | HP OmniBook (2024 revival) |
| Parent | Hewlett-Packard (original), HP Inc. (current) |
OmniBook represents a series of laptop computers initially developed by Hewlett-Packard and now distributed by its successor, HP Inc. Launched in 1993 as laptops and notebooks tailored for business users, the brand remained active until 2002.
In 2024, HP Inc. brought back the OmniBook name under its broader Omni brand, merging earlier consumer lines such as Spectre, Envy, Pavilion, and Essential. The renewed OmniBook collection incorporates AI-enhanced hardware and software, reflecting HP's vision for future computing technologies.
History
The OmniBook series was introduced in 1993, taking over from the HP Vectra LS models as Hewlett-Packard's dedicated business laptop range. Following HP’s 2002 acquisition of Compaq, the OmniBook line was phased out in favor of the Compaq Presario, HP Compaq, and HP Pavilion product families.
In 2024, HP Inc. unified its consumer PC offerings under the Omni brand: OmniBook for laptops, OmniDesk for desktops, and OmniStudio for all-in-one devices. This strategic rebranding replaced legacy lines such as Pavilion and emphasized the integration of artificial intelligence into both hardware and software to address shifting market expectations.
Reviving the OmniBook brand capitalizes on its historical significance to strengthen HP’s position in the AI-driven PC landscape, marking the return of a notable nameplate after more than two decades.
Models
The original OmniBook lineup (1993–2002) included business notebooks and laptops available in multiple sizes and configurations, powered by various generations of Intel and AMD processors—from the initial Pentium to the Pentium 4, along with some models featuring 386, i486, and Celeron CPUs. Early versions were distinguished by a distinctive pop-up mouse located on the right side.
Since its 2024 revival, the OmniBook range is organized into five tiers: 3, 5, 7, X, and Ultra—where Ultra denotes the top-tier model and 3 serves as entry-level. This grading system is also used across other HP Omni products like OmniStudio and OmniDesk. By mid-2025, the X variant operates on Qualcomm Snapdragon processors (Snapdragon X series), whereas the 5, 7, and Ultra models utilize either AMD Ryzen or Intel Core Ultra CPUs; the 3 model is exclusively equipped with AMD Ryzen processors. Every current OmniBook device features AI-accelerated processors with dedicated neural processing units (NPUs) and comes pre-installed with Microsoft's AI assistant software, Copilot, running on Windows.
List of models
NOTE: This table includes business-focused models from 1993–2002 alongside current consumer-oriented AI-enabled models released from 2024 onward.
| Model | LCD size & resolution | LCD technology | Processor | Clock speed (MHz) | Graphics | RAM | Max memory | Storage | Audio | Operating system | Release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 | 9 in, VGA | Monochrome STN (reflective) | AMD 386SX-LV | 20 | — | 2 MB | 10 MB | 40 MB HDD, 10 MB Flash | — | Windows 3.1 with MS-DOS 5.0 | 1993-06 |
| 425 | 9 in, VGA | Monochrome STN (reflective) | Texas Instruments 486SLC/e | 25 | — | 2 MB | — | — | — | Windows 3.1 with MS-DOS | 1993-11 |
| 430 | 9 in, VGA | Monochrome STN (reflective) | TI 486SLC/e | 25 | — | 2–4 MB | — | 40 or 105 MB HDD | — | Windows 3.1 with MS-DOS 6.2 | 1994-02 |
| 530 | 9 in, VGA | Monochrome STN (reflective) | Intel 486SX | 33 | — | 4 MB | 12 MB | 130 MB HDD | — | Windows for Workgroups 3.11 with MS-DOS 6.2 | 1994-06 |
| 600C | 8.5 in, VGA | Color STN | Intel i486DX4 | 75 | — | — | 16 MB | — | — | 1994-11 | |
| 4000 | 10.3 or10.4 in, VGA | Color STN or TFT | Intel i486DX2 | 50 | — | — | 32 MB | — | — | 1994-11 | |
| 600CT | 9.5 in, VGA | Color TFT | Intel i486DX4 | 75 | — | — | 16 MB | — | 1995-07 | ||
| 5500CT/CS | 12.1 or10.4/12.1 in SVGA | Color STN/TFT | Intel Pentium (100–133) | 100–133 | (Local bus video with1MB display RAM) | 64 MB | (1.35 GB HDD) | — | Windows for Workgroups/Windows95 | 1996-05 | |
| 800CT/CS/5000CT | 10.4 or12.1 in SVGA/XGA | Color TFT | (Pentium100–133) | 100–133 | (varied) | 48 MB | (1.44 GB to external floppy) | Sound Blaster Pro-compatible audio on some models | Windows for Workgroups/Windows95 | 1996-09 | |
| 5700/2000CT/CS/3000/2100/3100/4100/7100 Sojourn/7150/4150/XE/XE2/6000/XE3/500/6100/XT6200/VT6200 |
Various sizes/resolutions up to15 in SXGA|| Intel Pentium MMX to Pentium IV M CPUs|| Clock speeds from133 to1700 MHz|| Varied graphics including ATI Mobility and S3 Savage IX|| RAM from64 MB up to1 GB|| Storage ranged from160 MB HDD to multi-terabyte SSDs on newer models|| Audio included Sound Blaster Pro compatibility and Dolby Digital support|| Operating systems spanned Windows for Workgroups through Windows XP|| Release dates ranged from1997 to2002 | ||||||||||
| X (2024) | 14 in,2240×1400 OLED IPS touchscreen |
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite or X Plus|| 3400 MHz (12 cores)|| Qualcomm Adreno GPU|| 16 or32 GB RAM|| 32 GB max memory|| 512 GB to2 TB SSD storage|| Windows11|| 2024-05 | |||||||||
| Ultra (2024) | 14 in,2240×1400 OLED IPS touchscreen |
AMD Ryzen AI 300 or Intel Core Ultra (5/7/9)|| 4500–5100 MHz|| —|| Up to512 GB RAM|| 32 GB max memory|| Windows11|| 2024-11 |
OmniBook 300
Introduced in June 1993, the HP OmniBook 300 (OB300) was among the first models in HP’s OmniBook series of subnotebook computers. It weighed just 2.9 pounds and measured 1.4 × 6.4 × 11.1 inches. This model was equipped with an AMD 386SX-LV processor, a full-sized keyboard, and a pop-up computer mouse—a design feature later incorporated into the OmniBook 800CT. The device sported a 9-inch VGA display and included two PCMCIA slots to accommodate memory expansions, modem, network cards, or other peripherals. Storage configurations varied: the F1030A model offered no mass storage (), the F1031A included a 10 MB flash memory disk, and the F1032A featured a 40 MB hard drive. Notably, the flash memory version provided advantages in weight reduction and battery longevity compared to its hard drive counterpart. A standout aspect of this system was its “Instant On” functionality.
The OmniBook 300 shipped with simplified editions of both MS-DOS 5.0 and Windows 3.1. Given its limited storage capacity, it came preloaded with versions of Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word stored in ROM—a practice that remains relatively rare. The “International English” variant utilized code page 850 as its hardware code page rather than the standard code page 437.
OmniBook X
Announced in May 2024, the HP OmniBook X (14-fe000) represents the newest addition to HP’s OmniBook lineup and embodies the company’s vision for AI-enhanced personal computing. Weighing about 2.97 pounds, it measures 12.32 × 8.8 × 0.56–0.57 inches. The system is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor featuring a dedicated neural processing unit (NPU) for AI acceleration, along with a Qualcomm Adreno GPU. It boasts a 14-inch OLED IPS touchscreen with a resolution of 2240 × 1400 pixels and offers memory options of either 16 GB or 32 GB paired with solid-state storage capacities of 512 GB, 1 TB, or 2 TB. Additional hardware highlights include an integrated 5MP webcam and wireless connectivity through Qualcomm’s Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 standards. The battery supports an estimated usage time of up to approximately 26 hours.
The OmniBook X comes pre-installed with Windows 11, featuring integration with Microsoft’s Copilot AI assistant, Windows Studio Effects, and Poly Studio audio enhancements. It adheres to Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC platform specifications and introduces a dedicated Copilot key on the keyboard that replaces the traditional menu key.
See also
External links
- Official HP pages
- Search results for OmniBook on HP’s official website
- OmniBook support page , including an extended list of models [1]
- Official HP landing page for OmniBook X
- Official HP landing page for OmniBook Ultra
- Additional resources
- Comprehensive HP OmniBook information by Kieran Garbutt
- Dedicated HP OmniBook website maintained by Sean McCreary