I traveled 13,528 miles with these Snapdragon-powered laptops — Three key things make them ideal for trips

Last week, I flew a total of 13,528 miles going to and from Taiwan for Computex 2025. Before my departure, Qualcomm was kind enough to send me two Snapdragon-powered laptops, so I brought the HP OmniBook X 14 (X Elite) and the Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 (X Plus) with me and used them throughout my work trip.

While these Windows laptops offer different use cases, the experience proved that laptops with Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon X chips are the perfect travel companions for personal or business use. Here's why.

What to know about these Snapdragon X laptops

The HP OmniBook X with a Snapdragon X Elite processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD has an MSRP of $1,449.99 at HP.com, but at the time of writing, it was on sale for $1,049.99. Strangely enough, reducing your configuration to 512GB brings the price up to an MSRP of $1,699.99 at HP. I'm not sure if that's a mistake, but it's a chance to save some money.

If you want to save even more, you can go with a configuration that utilizes a Snapdragon X Plus chip, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD for $899.99 at Best Buy.

Meanwhile, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 with its Snapdragon X Plus processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD is a bit more affordable, selling for $859.99 at Lenovo.com.

I'll talk more about what makes each of these devices such good travel laptops, but first, take a gander at their specs.

Windows on Snapdragon makes for excellent travel companions

Thanks to their smaller 14-inch displays and slim, lightweight designs, both the HP OmniBook X and Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 were very convenient to travel with.

I easily packed both into my previously reviewed, carry-on Waterfield Air Porter Backpack (designed specifically for airplane storage) during my flights, and they easily fit on my Delta tray tables, so I could type while in transit.

Then, while at Computex, I was also able to take one laptop at a time to my appointments in my inconspicuous computer bag that I love so much. It sells for $39.99 on Amazon, in case you're interested.

As previously noted, these are both Qualcomm Snapdragon-powered laptops, which means they are Windows on ARM devices. Contrary to the outdated compatibility opinions some people have, these laptops are fantastic and were able to run all of the programs I needed for work, as well as after-work entertainment.

In case you didn't already know, Snapdragon X laptops are lauded for their battery life, and I was able to take full advantage of this while running around Taipei all week. I never got close to running out of juice, even though my work days were longer than eight hours each day.

I'll go over specific pros and cons for each device in the next section, but to sum up, Snapdragon X laptops are ideal work trip companions since they are slim, lightweight, and offer fantastic battery life.

You just need to choose a configuration and model that best suits your needs.

HP OmniBook X 14
★★★★½
Was: $1,449.99
Now: $1,049.99 at HP

This slim laptop offers excellent performance and long-lasting battery life to keep up with you even while you're on long business trips. It's sleek and lets you log in easily with a camera that supports Windows Hello.

Alternative option: HP OmniBook X with Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD $899.99 at Best Buy

👉 See at: HP.com

Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1
★★★★☆
Buy now: $859.99 at Lenovo

Thanks to its versatile design, this computer can be used as both a laptop and a tablet. It offers a good range of ports, including an HDMI 2.1 port, two USB-C ports, and two USB-A ports. Plus, the fingerprint reader offers fast biometric login.

👉 See at: Lenovo.com

The HP OmniBook X 14 gives MacBook Air a real rival

The HP OmniBook X 14 came out in June 2024, but it's still a fantastic laptop, and one of the best MacBook Air M3 and Surface Laptop competitors on the market.

It ran smoothly and worked quickly with every application and task I set it to, from editing images in Photoshop to streaming Netflix.

I love how sleek and understated the chassis looks, since it never draws attention to me when I'm in formal settings. Some might find the design a little boring, though.

The configuration I used houses a Snapdragon X Elite chip, which is Qualcomm's latest flagship laptop processor, since the company hasn't launched a new one this year.

While performing some HP OmniBook X 14 performance testing, our sister site Tom's Guide compared it to the 13-inch MacBook Air M3 and found that the Snapdragon-powered laptop offered better multicore scores and a better display color gamut.

It even lasted up to 16 hours and 22 minutes in their testing, which was roughly an hour and 12 minutes longer than the MacBook Air 13.

Meanwhile, the 16GB of RAM and ample 1TB SSD perfectly suit this device and my storage needs.

I enabled Windows Hello when I first set up the OmniBook X, and it always detected me with the webcam quickly and easily. It's a simple thing, but one that I appreciated when listening to different speakers and taking notes.

Image 1 of 4

As with most HP laptops, it does feature a controversial USB-A drop-jaw port design, but this also allows the OmniBook X to be thinner than other laptops. There are also two USB-C ports that support Power Delivery and DisplayPort 1.4 for your added convenience.

One thing I found strange was that the display only goes back as far as 130 degrees. As it is, it reaches a somewhat abrupt stop and makes me worried that I might press too hard and break it.

While I wish the display could go back a little further, this won't be a big issue for most people.

Speaking of the panel, it's a little odd that HP doesn't offer a configuration with an OLED display. However, as it stands, the 2.2K IPS touchscreen panel offers very crisp detail with a respectable color gamut that I appreciated using when working in Photoshop.

Before I move on to the other laptop, I'll quickly say that the keyboard and touchpad are spacious and feel great to use.

The function row is also full of useful quick options, but I do wish the delete key wasn't quite so close to the power button. I ended up pressing it by accident a few times. Still, I could probably get more used to this placement over time.

You should buy this if ...

✅You want a lightweight AI laptop with long battery life

This Copilot+ PC and AI laptop offers reliable performance in a lightweight and slim design. Its long battery life makes it an ideal travel device for busy people on the go.

You should not buy this if ...

❌You need a laptop that offers more power or has a better screen

Snapdragon laptops aren't all-out powerhouses, so if you need to use graphically intensive software locally on your device, then this isn't the laptop for you. Additionally, if you want an OLED display, you'll have to go with another device.

HP OmniBook X 14
★★★★½
Was: $1,449.99
Now: $1,049.99 at HP

This slim laptop offers excellent performance and long-lasting battery life to keep up with you even while you're on long business trips. It's sleek and lets you log in easily with a camera that supports Windows Hello.

Alternative option: HP OmniBook X with Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD $899.99 at Best Buy

👉 See at: HP.com

The good and bad of Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1

My colleague, Zac Bowden, previously wrote a Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 review, so you can check out his full insights if you want more details on its performance. I'll largely just talk anecdotally about how useful this laptop was on my trip.

Unlike the OmniBook X, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 is a more versatile device that can be used as a traditional laptop but can also be folded back into a tablet.

I personally like standing it up in tent mode so I can conveniently interact with the screen while seated at a desk. If you'd like, you can even pay Lenovo a little extra to get the Base Pen 3, a stylus that works with the IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1.

I found the OLED touchscreen to be both very responsive to my finger swipes and beautiful to look at. As with most 2-in-1s, the keyboard deactivates when folded back, so I can't accidentally send inputs when in tablet mode.

While this laptop does not support Windows Hello with its webcam, it does have a fingerprint reader for quick biometric login. This feature worked beautifully each time I used it, so I could get back to work as soon as possible.

This laptop utilizes the Snapdragon X Plus with 8 cores, which is a step down from the flagship X Elite seen in the OmniBook X. Even so, this laptop was able to keep up with my busy workdays and didn't have a problem accessing the software I needed.

It offers 16GB LPDDR5x RAM and 512GB SSD, which is a good amount for most work and personal needs.

Image 1 of 3

The Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 is a little bit thicker and slightly heavier than the OmniBook X, but it also offers more ports and is thus more useful connection-wise.

There are three display connection areas in the form of two USB-C ports and an HDMI 2.1 port. On top of that, there are two USB-A ports, a microSD slot, and a headphone jack at my disposal.

So, when I was back in my hotel room and needed to plug in my external SSD, recharge my wireless Sony ANC headphones, and connect a wireless mouse, I found this laptop more suited to the task.

During performance testing in our review, this laptop earned scores that prove that "it's excellent for productivity-based workflows such as Office, online meetings, email, and entertainment."

Meanwhile, in our battery life testing, the IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 lasted 15 hours and 37 minutes, which is more than long enough for an average workday. I'm not surprised, given that it was able to keep up with me while I bustled around Computex.

You should buy this if ...

✅You're looking for a relatively thin AI laptop with long battery life and a good range of ports

While there certainly are more compact and slim AI laptops on the market, the IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 provides a lot of conveniences that some other devices don't offer. You'll easily be able to connect multiple displays and accessories to this laptop, and it will last all day too.

You should not buy this if ...

❌You specifically want a laptop with Windows Hello camera support

Having the fingerprint reader is useful, but if you'd rather have a laptop that unlocks via facial recognition, then this might not be the device for you.

Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1
★★★★☆
Buy now: $859.99 at Lenovo

Thanks to its versatile design, this computer can be used as both a laptop and a tablet. It offers a good range of ports, including an HDMI 2.1 port, two USB-C ports, and two USB-A ports. Plus, the fingerprint reader offers fast biometric login.

👉 See at: Lenovo.com

Which of these Snapdragon X laptops should I get?

I can easily recommend both the OmniBook X and the IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 thanks to their fantastic battery life, reliable performance, and relatively compact sizes.

That said, I recommend the HP OmniBook X 14 for busy people on the go, who just need a simple, slim, and lightweight laptop that can keep up with long workdays and trips.

Meanwhile, if you want a more affordable Snapdragon-powered laptop that offers a better range of ports and also can function like a tablet, then you should go with the Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1.

Of course, you can always check out our list of the best Windows on ARM laptops if neither of these fits the bill.