HP Omen 25i Review: Uniquely Equipped

A speedy 25-incher with some tricks up its sleeve

HP Omen 25i
Editor's Choice
(Image: © HP)

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For our tests, we stuck to the default Standard, Game Remaster and Native modes. Standard is the right choice for sRGB (SDR) content, and Game Remaster is the go-to for low-res games. Native is visually identical to Game Remaster but without the extra image enhancements.

Grayscale and Gamma Tracking

Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.

Right off the bat, you can see that the Omen 25i does not need calibration. Grayscale tracking in both Standard (1st chart) and Game Remaster (2nd chart) is visually error-free. Meanwhile, agmma tracking is also as good as it gets with hardly any no deviation from the 2.2 reference line in both charts. Our measurements of the Native mode showed similar results and was visually identical to Game Remaster. 

Since we calibrate every monitor, a few tweaks of the RGB sliders was all it took to drop the average error levels even further. This is seriously excellent performance and rivals any professional screen we’ve tested.

Comparisons

The Omen 25i has the lowest default grayscale error we’ve seen in quite a while. It’s certainly above average for a gaming monitor or any type of monitor for that matter. With calibration (2nd chart), the Aorus manages to sneak into the top tier but we’re talking about tiny differences here which can only be detected by a color meter, not the human eye.

Gamma tracking is also superb with a tiny 0.06 range of values and an average of 2.19, just 0.45% off the 2.2 spec. That also puts the Omen 25i among the best displays we’ve tested.

Color Gamut Accuracy

Our color gamut and volume testing use Portrait Displays’ Calman software. For details on our color gamut testing and volume calculations, click here.

The Omen 25i’s color gamut accuracy is just as impressive for both sRGB and DCI-P3. In Standard mode, it tracks sRGB to near perfection with no measurements outside the target boxes. A default average of 0.75 Delta E (dE) is a rarity among gaming screens. Any monitor that manages a color gamut score of less than 1dE should be considered exceptional.

The Gaming Remaster Mode (2nd chart) has a slightly higher error level but it is still visually perfect, since the color error is under 3dE. There’s slight oversaturation in the inner targets, but this can’t be seen by the naked eye. Hues are spot on for all six colors. The same result was recorded for the Native mode.

Calibration produced tiny improvements that only our i1 Pro meter can detect. Game Remaster was still slightly oversaturated after calibration but in a good way. Calibration of the Native mode produced the same behavior.

Comparisons

The BenQ and Aorus monitors are solid performers in our color tests, but the Omen 25i is on another level of accuracy, especially in its Standard mode. We recorded the same numbers for both Native and Game Remaster at a 2.14dE calibrated average. This is exceptional performance.

The Omen 25i’s DCI-P3 gamut volume is about average among the extended color monitors we’ve tested at all price points. But in this category, most screens don’t offer the feature so the HP and MSI are standouts. We obtained the 96.39% sRGB coverage figure by measuring the Omen 25i in the Standard picture mode.

Christian Eberle
Contributing Editor

Christian Eberle is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware US. He's a veteran reviewer of A/V equipment, specializing in monitors. Christian began his obsession with tech when he built his first PC in 1991, a 286 running DOS 3.0 at a blazing 12MHz. In 2006, he undertook training from the Imaging Science Foundation in video calibration and testing and thus started a passion for precise imaging that persists to this day. He is also a professional musician with a degree from the New England Conservatory as a classical bassoonist which he used to good effect as a performer with the West Point Army Band from 1987 to 2013. He enjoys watching movies and listening to high-end audio in his custom-built home theater and can be seen riding trails near his home on a race-ready ICE VTX recumbent trike. Christian enjoys the endless summer in Florida where he lives with his wife and Chihuahua and plays with orchestras around the state.

  • Sleepy_Hollowed
    This is a really interesting panel, probably my top choice for 1080p gaming (which is honestly all the rage these days for retro gaming and due to lack of GPUs).

    The HDR is what really sets it apart and I will be getting this if no one else releases something like this in the 1080p sphere.

    I just wish it was available in 2560x1080p to play MMORPGs and shooters with more real estate, but it is what it is.
    Reply
  • efrenjjcarr
    There is a 27" QHD option OMEN 27i | HP® Official Site
    Reply
  • Aequanimitas
    The calibration settings table seems to be badly formatted. Is it possible for it to be corrected so it is more understandable?

    On another note, this is for me the best 1080p IPS monitor, just wish it had a better stand, the one it comes with it´s kind of a joke.
    Reply