{"id":5867,"date":"2026-08-22T13:35:54","date_gmt":"2026-08-22T13:35:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/silvybrand.com\/?p=5867"},"modified":"2026-08-22T13:35:54","modified_gmt":"2026-08-22T13:35:54","slug":"hp-omnibook-3-16-snapdragon-laptop-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/silvybrand.com\/?p=5867","title":{"rendered":"An okay laptop with 16GB of RAM is better than a nice laptop with 8GB, and this $520 HP OmniBook proves it"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Laptop prices are out of whack. $500 used to get you a tolerable laptop, and $900 got you a really good one. They often had similar CPU, RAM, and storage options because that stuff was comparatively cheap; the difference was often in build quality and screen rather than power. But RAMageddon has thrown everything off. Even laptops like the $950 Surface Laptop now start with 8GB of RAM, which isn\u2019t enough. And on the lower end, where manufacturers are struggling to compete with the $700 MacBook Neo, they\u2019re cutting corners on storage, CPU, and build quality too.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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However, one low-cost laptop has bucked this and genuinely surprised me. HP\u2019s 16-inch OmniBook 3 is a basic productivity laptop that regularly goes for around $520 at Walmart<\/a> and Amazon<\/a>. It has Qualcomm\u2019s base Snapdragon X chip, meaning passable everyday performance and excellent battery life. But it also has a humdrum screen, mediocre speakers, a run-of-the-mill trackpad, and a plastic build. Pre-RAMageddon, it would be nothing to write home about.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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But 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD in an okay laptop for around $500? That counts as good news in 2026.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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$516<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Good<\/h4>\n