HP Omen 16: Two-minute review
Shopping for laptops can be difficult.
Do you want thebest laptopout there or do you want something more run-of-the-mill for work?
Or maybe you prefer a gaming rig?
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If you find yourself agonizing over the right laptop, allow me to introduce the HP Omen 16.
It’s aslim, lightweight laptopable to fit snuggly in almost any bag.
you could lug it around and hardly know it’s there.
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I used it as my main computer for everyday work for a few weeks.
The touchpad itself sports a smooth, responsive, enjoyably clicky feel.
And its large size makes it great for productivity.
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My review unit had anAMDRyzen 7-7840HS processor paired up with aNVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card.
Its matte Shadow Black color is a real head-turner, I have to say.
Speaking of the screen, there’s a problem with it that I find baffling.
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The bottom of the screen has a huge, 1.5-inch bezel taking up a large amount of space.
The laptop’s display is 16 inches and that bezel cuts in way too much for my liking.
Also, the colors look muted on this - not sure why this is the case.
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It’s great at being a work/gaming laptop hybrid.
If you need an all-rounder, this might just be the best computer out there.
Don’t get me wrong: I liked it a lot, but certain things do frustrate me.
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Gaming hardware can be handy in helping professional video editors in their work or developers render projects.
It’s able to handle intense visual workloads with aplomb.
However, if you have to do color-sensitive work, this computer isn’t the best choice.
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As stated earlier, colors can look dull on the screen.
Sure, the high model capping out with a GeForce RTX 4070 GPU may disappoint some.
But considering the price point, I think it’s a fair tradeoff.
(Image credit: Future)
HP Omen 16: Design
HP made some interesting design choices with the Omen 16.
Most of them are great, some not so much.
As stated earlier, typing on it felt pretty nice thanks to its springy feel.
Structure-wise, the laptop as a whole is quite solid so it can survive a bit of rough handling.
I should mention the keys are quiet.
They lack the clicky or tactile feel of a traditional gaming keyboard.
One of the areas the Omen 16 impressed was its cooling system.
Heat sinks are located on the sides, rear, and underneath the laptop.
What’s more the Omen 16 stands on slightly raised feet ensuring good airflow.
During the majority of my time using the Omen 16, it never once got hot.
It did get a little warm a few times, but that was because it was charging.
No matter how hard I pushed the machine, it never got uncomfortably hot which is wonderful.
I’ve typed on gaming laptops that got so hot I had to stop.
I’m very happy to not have had that experience with the Omen 16.
Additionally, I enjoy the array of ports present on the laptop.
What I am not a fan of is the storage space.
With so many big games coming out every year, players need more.Ineed more.
1TB would’ve been more appropriate for everything above the entry-level model.
In fact, they’re very good.
If you compare the benchmarks, you’ll notice HP’s rig outperforms in several areas.
It was able to achieve higher framerates than the Alienware in every listed game at 1080p Ultra resolution.
The Omen 16 did better than a computer that already had very high scores.
This hardware combination results in a 165Hz refresh rate which is a perfect number for competitive play.
I knew exactly when to throw out a punch or force ball keeping my opponent pinned to the wall.
This is all due to that stellar refresh rate.
Things could be better, admittedly.
The screen peaks at Full HD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels).
That is a perfectly good resolution, don’t get me wrong.
Games will look great, but it won’t be winning any awards either.
Outside of gaming, the HP Omen 16 runs well as a day-to-day computer.
This tech lowers the amount of blue light your eyes receive to lessen fatigue.
The short battery life is, without a doubt, the laptop’s biggest flaw.
It lasted about an hour and a half before it completely died on me.
That amount of time shocked me because the game is a decade old.
I figured since the game is pretty old at this point it wouldn’t be a huge burden.
I guess I was wrong.
This is with Battery Saver as well as Eco Mode turned on.
On average, it lasts about two hours.
The machine performs well, but it has low stamina.
Should you buy the HP Omen 16?
You want a lot of storageFor modern games, 512 GB of stock storage just isn’t enough.
It delivers solid performance and a great-looking HD screen, all for less than $1000.
Like the rest of Razer’s PC gaming hardware, this is a premium product for the serious gamer.
I wanted to see how the laptop performs on a light workload.
I wanted to see how well the Omen 16 boosted the performance of a 10-year-old game.
As stated earlier, I tried outMortal Kombat 1plusMonster Hunter Rise.I wanted to the high refresh rate in action.
Those titles are games where smooth character animations matter immensely.
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