Matt Elliott/CNET

Pros & Cons

Robust multi-core application and local AI performance
Sleek and refined build
High-quality construction
Stunning 16-inch 3K OLED touch screen

Average single-core results
Modest battery endurance
Runs warm and noisy during heavy tasks
Premium pricing

The HP OmniBook Ultra 16 marks the debut of Nvidia RTX Spark laptops aimed at creative professionals and AI developers. These machines from HP, Asus, Dell, Lenovo, Microsoft and MSI deliver strong graphics power, yet they prioritize content creation and agentic AI over gaming. Powered by the new RTX Spark N1X chip that blends an Arm processor with Blackwell graphics and up to 128GB unified memory, the devices target users seeking MacBook Pro alternatives on Windows.

HP fits this capability into a slim elegant chassis featuring fresh thermal design and hinge layout. Even advanced cooling cannot fully overcome physics, however, so the OmniBook Ultra warms up and becomes audible during intense workloads, much like the MacBook Pro with M-series chips.

Expect to invest significantly for an RTX Spark system. The OmniBook Ultra 16 begins at 3200 dollars with 32GB RAM and 1TB storage. Doubling both raises the cost to 5000 dollars, while the top 128GB configuration reaches 6200 dollars.

HP provided the entry-level model focused on creative work rather than heavy local AI. Testing continues, yet initial observations on design and early benchmarks are available now.

HP OmniBook Ultra 16 specifications

Nvidia offers two RTX Spark N1X variants. The base version includes an 18-core Grace CPU paired with a Blackwell GPU of 5120 CUDA cores supporting 32GB or 64GB RAM. The higher model features a 20-core Grace CPU and 6144-core GPU with capacity for 128GB RAM. HP equips the OmniBook Ultra 16 exclusively with the stronger chip. Its companion model, the OmniBook X 14, starts with the lower N1X at 3000 dollars.

Like Apple M-series and Qualcomm Snapdragon X chips, the RTX Spark N1X uses Arm architecture instead of x86. Windows-on-Arm devices may face compatibility hurdles, as some applications lack native Arm support and rely on Prism emulation that can reduce speed.

Memory selection matters because of unified architecture allowing CPU and GPU to share RAM directly. This avoids bottlenecks common in split-memory Intel designs. Bandwidth reaches 300GB per second. Memory is soldered and cannot be upgraded later.

Users can adjust GPU allocation via the Nvidia app slider. The test unit defaulted to 12GB out of 32GB total, with a maximum of 16GB. Higher RAM models allow greater GPU shares up to 96GB.

Tower hinge and trunk design

HP added a new cooling setup to sustain peak N1X performance. The display sits atop the rear edge instead of behind it, creating extra airflow space. Two fans and three heat pipes manage heat inside.

Beyond the distinctive hinges, the OmniBook Ultra 16 resembles the OmniBook Ultra 14, a top laptop this year. The aluminum body feels solid and maintains a slim profile comparable to the MacBook Pro in quality.

Standout features include the large 3K OLED touch display with vivid images and an expansive touchpad with responsive haptic feedback. The keyboard offers comfortable key travel, though a numeric keypad is absent on this 16-inch model.

RTX Spark performance

Early benchmark data shows how the HP model compares. Two additional RTX Spark laptops, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra and Lenovo Yoga 9N 2-in-1 16 Gen 11, were tested alongside it. All three 16-inch systems with the higher N1X chip performed closely across most evaluations.

On Geekbench 6 and Cinebench 2024 the RTX Spark units trailed the latest 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips in both multi-core and single-core scores.

Multi-core results on Geekbench 6 matched Snapdragon X2 Elite laptops such as the Asus Zenbook A16 and OmniBook Ultra 14, yet single-core scores lagged. Cinebench 2024 placed RTX Spark systems slightly ahead of those Snapdragon models but again behind on single-core tasks.

The RTX Spark laptops performed better on 3DMark Steel Nomad and Solar Bay tests with native Arm support, scoring below the M5 Max MacBook Pro yet above the M5 Pro version and other Windows machines. They led both MacBook Pros on Procyon Stable Diffusion XL for GPU AI inference by notable margins.

Gaming tests at 1080p yielded playable frame rates. The OmniBook Ultra 16 reached 96 fps in Guardians of the Galaxy on high settings and 99 fps in Shadow of the Tomb Raider on highest settings. These figures exceed Intel Arc B390 integrated graphics but trail dedicated RTX 5050 or 5060 gaming laptops.

HP claims all-day battery life, yet the unit lasted just over 11 hours in testing. That exceeded the Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra by about one hour but trailed the Lenovo Yoga 9n 16 by two hours. Both 16-inch MacBook Pros exceeded 20 hours on the same test.

Strengths so far include multi-core application work and local AI inference. Single-core performance remained average and battery life proved limited. A complete review with additional results and deeper design analysis will follow soon, along with coverage of the Lenovo Yoga 9N 16 Gen 11.

How we test computers

Laptop and desktop evaluations combine controlled lab performance testing with hands-on reviewer use covering aesthetics, ergonomics and features. Final scores blend objective data and subjective insights. Core benchmarks include Primate Labs Geekbench 6, Cinebench R24, PCMark 10 and 3DMark Fire Strike Ultra. Full methodology details appear on the How We Test Computers page.

Pros & Cons

HP OmniBook Ultra 16 specifications

Tower hinge and trunk design

RTX Spark performance

How we test computers

System configurations