Review: HP OMEN: A Gaming Laptop

HP’s Gaming Powerhouse

HP has established itself as a prominent player in the gaming laptop arena, and the HP OMEN is no exception. In this detailed analysis, we explore the intricacies of the HP OMEN, providing you with essential insights if you’re considering this model or other gaming laptops.

Robust and Imposing Design

The HP OMEN is undeniably powerful and substantial, measuring 40 x 29 x 2.7 cm. Tailored for gaming enthusiasts, it boasts dual-textured black finishes with an aggressive aesthetic. As typical in this category, it is notably heavier than other laptop types—an attribute justified by its robust cooling system designed to prevent overheating issues. The OMEN Tempest technology ensures effective heat dissipation. It also features a mechanical keyboard with customizable backlighting, a fundamental feature in a high-end gaming laptop.

Design and Build Quality of the HP OMEN:

The design and build quality of the HP OMEN gaming laptop are essential aspects to consider when evaluating its suitability for gaming enthusiasts. Here’s an elaboration on these aspects:

1. Robust and Imposing Design: The HP OMEN impresses with its robust and imposing design. Its dimensions, 40 x 29 x 2.7 cm, make it substantial, catering to gamers who appreciate a bold and aggressive aesthetic. The dual-textured black finishes contribute to its gaming-focused design, creating a visually striking appearance that sets it apart.
2. Weight and Cooling System: As mentioned, the HP OMEN is notably heavier than typical laptops due to its robust cooling system. This additional weight is justified by the need to prevent overheating issues during intensive gaming sessions. The OMEN Tempest technology is crucial in ensuring effective heat dissipation, which is vital for maintaining optimal performance.
3. Mechanical Keyboard: Gamers often require a responsive and customizable keyboard, and the HP OMEN delivers with its mechanical keyboard. This feature is fundamental in a high-end gaming laptop, allowing for precise and tactile keypresses. Customizable backlighting adds both functionality and aesthetics.
4. Materials and Durability: While the laptop’s design is imposing, it’s also constructed to be durable. HP typically uses high-quality materials in their OMEN series laptops, including strong chassis materials and durable hinges, to withstand the rigors of gaming on the go. The build quality reflects the laptop’s premium status.
5. Display and Bezels: The display is a critical component in a gaming laptop. The 17-inch IPS panel with a 144 Hz refresh rate and 300 nits of brightness offers an immersive visual experience. Although it maintains a Full HD resolution, this choice optimizes performance and minimizes power consumption, resulting in smoother gameplay. The narrow bezels enhance the overall visual appeal of the laptop.

In summary, the HP OMEN gaming laptop boasts a design that caters to gaming enthusiasts, with a robust and imposing aesthetic, mechanical keyboard, and durable construction. Its focus on effective heat dissipation through the cooling system and high-quality materials reflects its commitment to delivering a premium gaming experience. The immersive display and attention to detail in the build quality make the HP OMEN a compelling choice for gamers who prioritize performance and aesthetics.

Technical Specifications

Let’s begin with connectivity, where the HP OMEN proves highly functional. It includes an Ethernet port, three USB 3.0 ports, a USB Type-C port, a headphone jack, and Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi capabilities.

In terms of performance, the HP OMEN is a true powerhouse. It is equipped with an Intel Core i7 8750H SoC, clocked at 2.6 GHz and overclockable to 4 GHz. Coupled with 16 GB of RAM and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 graphics card boasting 8 GB of RAM, this laptop can effortlessly handle games in ultra-quality settings. The inclusion of OMEN Dynamic Power technology further enhances gaming experiences by maximizing frame rates.

The HP OMEN gaming laptop’s technical specifications are impressive and contribute to its reputation as a high-performance gaming machine. Let’s elaborate on these specifications:

1. Connectivity: The laptop offers comprehensive connectivity options, making it versatile and suitable for various usage scenarios. These include:
   • Ethernet Port: This allows for a stable and high-speed wired internet connection, crucial for online gaming and low-latency performance.
   • USB 3.0 Ports (x3): These high-speed USB ports enable quick data transfer and are useful for connecting peripherals such as gaming mice, external hard drives, and more.
   • USB Type-C Port: USB Type-C is a versatile port that supports high-speed data transfer and can be used for various peripherals and accessories.
   • Headphone Output: This standard audio jack is essential for connecting gaming headsets or external speakers.
   • Bluetooth 5.0: Including Bluetooth 5.0 ensures seamless wireless connectivity for peripherals like headphones, controllers, and keyboards.
   • WiFi: WiFi connectivity provides wireless internet access for browsing and online gaming.
2. Processor: The laptop is powered by an Intel Core i7 8750H SoC (System on a Chip) with a base clock speed of 2.6 GHz, which can be overclocked to an impressive 4 GHz. This processor is known for its excellent performance in multitasking and demanding applications, making it well-suited for gaming and other resource-intensive tasks.
3. RAM: The laptop boasts 16 GB of RAM (Random Access Memory). Ample RAM capacity ensures smooth multitasking and responsiveness when running multiple applications simultaneously. It is especially beneficial for gaming, where more RAM can help in faster loading times and smoother gameplay.
4. Graphics Card: The standout feature is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 graphics card with 8 GB of dedicated VRAM (Video RAM). The GTX 1070 is a powerful GPU known for handling modern games at high settings and resolutions. With 8 GB of VRAM, it can comfortably manage resource-intensive tasks such as gaming at ultra-quality settings and handling graphics-intensive software.

The HP OMEN gaming laptop’s technical specifications are tailored for demanding gamers and users who require high-performance computing. It offers a robust combination of a powerful processor, ample RAM, and a high-end graphics card, ensuring it can handle the most graphically demanding games and resource-intensive applications. Its extensive connectivity options make it versatile for various usage scenarios, from gaming to productivity and multimedia tasks. This gaming laptop is a “beast” in terms of hardware, capable of delivering top-notch performance across various activities.

Immersive Display and Strong Battery Performance

The HP OMEN features a 17-inch IPS panel offering a 144 Hz refresh rate and 300 nits of brightness. While it maintains Full HD resolution, this choice optimizes performance and ensures a seamless gaming experience without excessive strain on battery life. Speaking of battery life, this laptop performs admirably in this department. Additionally, its integrated speakers deliver impressive audio quality, creating an immersive soundscape.

The HP OMEN gaming laptop display is a critical component that significantly contributes to the overall gaming experience. Here, we’ll elaborate on the key aspects of the display, including its specifications and how it enhances gaming performance:

1. Size and Type: The HP OMEN features a 17-inch display larger than the standard laptop screen size. This larger screen size gives gamers a more immersive and visually engaging experience, allowing for a wider field of view and better visibility of in-game details. The laptop also uses an IPS (In-Plane Switching) panel, known for its excellent color accuracy and wide viewing angles. This type of display technology ensures that colors remain vibrant and consistent, even when viewed from different angles.
2. Refresh Rate: The display offers a high refresh rate of 144 Hz. A high refresh rate is crucial for gaming because it results in smoother and more fluid motion on the screen. When playing fast-paced games, a 144 Hz refresh rate reduces motion blur and provides a competitive edge, allowing quicker reaction times. Gamers will appreciate the increased responsiveness and reduced ghosting effects, making gameplay more enjoyable.
3. Brightness: The display boasts a brightness level of 300 nits. This brightness level ensures that the screen remains visible and clear, even in well-lit environments. Gaming laptops must have adequate brightness to maintain visibility during gameplay, especially in brightly lit rooms or outdoor settings.
4. Resolution: The HP OMEN maintains a Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) resolution. While it may not offer the highest resolution on the market, it balances performance and visuals. This resolution ensures that games run smoothly without overly taxing the laptop’s graphics card. It also helps in preserving battery life during gaming sessions.
5. Bezels: The laptop features relatively narrow bezels around the display. Thin bezels enhance the overall aesthetic appeal of the laptop and maximize the screen-to-body ratio. This design choice contributes to a more modern and immersive visual experience and reduces the laptop’s overall footprint.
6. G-Sync Support: Although not explicitly mentioned in the provided information, many gaming laptops, including some HP OMEN models, come equipped with NVIDIA G-Sync technology. G-Sync synchronizes the display’s refresh rate with the laptop’s GPU’s frame rate, reducing screen tearing and providing a smoother, tear-free gaming experience.

In conclusion, the HP OMEN gaming laptop display offers a combination of features that are well-suited for gaming. With a large 17-inch IPS panel, a high refresh rate, sufficient brightness, and thoughtful design choices like narrow bezels, the display enhances the gaming experience by delivering clear, smooth, and immersive visuals. It caters to gamers who value performance and visual quality, making it an attractive choice for those seeking an exceptional gaming laptop.

Price and Conclusion

The HP OMEN is undeniably a premium gaming laptop, and its pricing reflects that. The base model starts at around €1,400 for the most modest configuration. If you seek a high-performance device capable of easily handling any game or application, the HP OMEN stands as an exceptional choice.

Advantages of the HP OMEN Gaming Laptop:

1. High-Performance Hardware: The HP OMEN boasts top-tier hardware, including a powerful Intel Core i7 processor, ample RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 graphics card with 8 GB of VRAM. These components deliver exceptional gaming and overall computing performance, making them suitable for demanding tasks and modern games at high settings.
2. Comprehensive Connectivity: The laptop offers many connectivity options, including USB ports, Ethernet, Bluetooth 5.0, and WiFi. This extensive connectivity ensures compatibility with various peripherals and accessories, enhancing its versatility for gaming and productivity needs.
3. Immersive Display: The 17-inch IPS display with a 144 Hz refresh rate and 300 nits brightness provides an immersive gaming experience. The high refresh rate and vibrant visuals contribute to smoother gameplay and better image quality, making it ideal for gaming enthusiasts.

Disadvantages of the HP OMEN Gaming Laptop:

1. Portability and Weight: The laptop’s robust gaming hardware and large display result in a relatively heavy and bulky design. While this is common for gaming laptops, it may not suit users seeking a highly portable, lightweight device for on-the-go usage.
2. Price: The high-performance specifications of the HP OMEN come at a premium price point. It may be out of budget for some users, especially those looking for a more budget-friendly gaming laptop. The cost can be a significant drawback for price-conscious consumers.
3. Battery Life: Gaming laptops are notorious for their limited battery life, and the HP OMEN is no exception. The powerful hardware components, high-refresh-rate display, and gaming usage can drain the battery quickly. Users should expect to be tethered to a power source for extended gaming sessions.

The HP OMEN gaming laptop offers outstanding performance, comprehensive connectivity, and an immersive display, making it a strong choice for gamers and power users. However, its drawbacks include its relatively bulky form factor, premium price, and limited battery life, which may not suit all users’ preferences and needs.