HP Omen 25i Review: Uniquely Equipped

A speedy 25-incher with some tricks up its sleeve

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

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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

The Omen 25i’s HDR mode appears automatically when an HDR10 signal is present. All image controls, including brightness, become locked out, and only one picture mode is available.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

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HP Omen 25i
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

The Omen 25i has no problem exceeding its DisplayHDR 400 certification, which calls for a minimum peak brightness of 400 nits, with over 479 nits. But the best part is its effective dynamic contrast feature, which selectively dims portions of the backlight’s edge array. It delivers a class-leading 0.0502-nit black level and an impressive contrast ratio of 9,548.5:1. That blows the rest of the comparison screens out of the water. The Omen 25i doesn’t merely support HDR, it truly delivers an enhanced image with deep contrast, so you’ll notice the difference over SDR.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

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HP Omen 25i
(Image credit: Portrait Displays Calman)

There are no calibration controls available in HDR mode, but it seems HP has dialed in the Omen 25i well. There are no visible grayscale errors up to the 70% tone-map transition point and only a slight coolness is visible in the brightest areas of the image. The luminance curve starts a bit too dark and takes a smooth approach to 70%. This is a minor error.

HDR color tracking shows the primaries near their targets with some slight oversaturation in blue and under-saturation for green. This is typical of nearly all the extended color monitors we’ve tested. We also measured hue errors for magenta. Visually, there are no issues to speak of. HDR images pop nicely with natural hues that take the quality beyond SDR.

Christian Eberle
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.

3 Comments Comment from the forums
  • 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