HP has given its 15-inch Omen gaming notebooks a fresh redesign with a smaller footprint, more conservative design and a new, cooler logo. Gone are the aggressive angles and slightly off-putting logo from the Voodoo days. The laptop’s also, for the first time, coming with both Intel and AMD processor options. Both start at $999.99 and are available today.
The company claims that the laptop is the smallest 15-inch gaming laptop on the market at 14.1. x 9.4 x 0.89 inches. It features a keyboard with 1.5mm travel and four-zone RGB.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | HP Omen Laptop 15 (Intel) | HP Omen Laptop (AMD) | HP Pavilion Gaming Laptop 16 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Up to Intel Core i7-10750H | Up to Ryzen 7 4800H | Up to Intel Core i7-10750H |
| GPU | Up to Nvidia RTX 2070 Max-Q | Up to Nvidia GTX 1660 Ti (RTX 2060 coming in July) | Up to RTX 2060 Max-Q |
| RAM | Up to 16GB DDR4-2933 SDRAM | Up to 16GB DDR4-3200 SDRAM | Up to 12GB DDR4-2933 SDRAM (1x 8GB, 1x 4GB) |
| Storage | Up to 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD | Up to 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD | Up to 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD and 1TB 7,200-rpm HDD |
| Display | 15.6-inch, 4K OLED 60 Hz, 4K 120 Hz, FHD 300 Hz | 15.6-inch, up to 144 Hz FHD | 16.1-inch, 144 Hz FHD |
| Connectivity | Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX 201 (2x2) and Bluetooth 5 | Wi-Fi 5 or Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX 200 (2x2) and Bluetooth 5 combo | Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX 201 (2x2) and Bluetooth 5 |
| Color | Mica Silver | Shadow Black | Black with green accents |
| Ports | Thunderbolt 3, 3x USB Type-A, Ethernet, Headphone jack, Mini DisplayPort, HDMI | USB Type-C, 3x USB Type-A, Ethernet, Headphone jack, Mini DisplayPort, HDMI | USB Type-C, 2x USB Type-A, Ethernet, Headphone jack, HDMI |
| Battery | 6-cell, 70.9 Wh | 6-cell, 70.9 Wh | 3-cell, 52.5 Wh |
| Starting Price | $999.99 | $999.99 | $799.99 |
The Intel and AMD models aren’t entirely equal. Both start at $999.99, (Intel with a Core i5-10300H, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, a 256GB SSD and 300-nit, 1080p display; AMD with a Ryzen 5-4600H, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650Ti, 8GB DDR4, 256GB SSD and 250-nit FHD display), but they do divert.
The Intel model, which comes in black, can be configured up to an RTX 2070 Max-Q and 4K OLED display. The gray AMD version is stuck, for now, at a 1660 Ti at best, though an RTX 2060 configuration will be available in July, HP told Tom’s Hardware. With AMD parts, it also doesn’t go higher than FHD at a 144 Hz refresh rate.
Additionally, Intel has Thunderbolt 3, while AMD offers USB Type-C.
Either way, you’ll get HP’s new thermal management. It’s promising 16% larger heat outlets than the previous generation model, with some relegated to the side. Additionally, HP has added a thermopile sensor, which is supposed to increase performance and allow for quieter, more regular fan control.
Both also come preinstalled with HP’s Omen Command Center, with different performance modes (using Nvidia’s Dynamic Boost), adjustable fan speeds, graphics switcher (on models with a GTX 1660 Ti or better), keyboard lighting and system stats.
HP is also announcing a new machine in its budget Pavilion brand, the HP Pavilion Gaming 16. That laptop will start at $799.99 in June. It will come with either an Intel Core i5 or i7, up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q, a 16.1-inch screen surrounded by small bezels on three sides and a larger touchpad. Despite not having the Omen name, it will also come with the Omen Command Center preinstalled.
