HP Reveals Several New Omen-Branded Gaming PCs
HP announced several new Omen-branded gaming PCs, ranging from laptops, to desktops, to compact desktops with backpack accessories.
A New Omen With AMD Ryzen
First up is an updated version of the Omen, HP’s gamer-centric desktop PC. The redesigned chassis features twice the number of fans as the previous iteration, and therefore, increased airflow. There’s an optional windowed side panel and a handle at the top of the chassis for easy transportation (for the LAN party-goers out there). There’s also two external drive bays in the front of the case.
The Omen desktop PCs will come with varying combinations of components. Most notably, AMD Ryzen processors are making their HP debut, with the new Omen desktop offering up to an AMD Ryzen 7 1800X. You can also choose up to an Intel Core i7-7700K, and there are liquid cooling options for the CPU, too.
The new Omen desktops have four SODIMM memory slots that can be equipped with up to 32GB of DDR4 memory. Graphics options start with Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 3GB graphics, and you can go all the way up to dual GeForce GTX 1080 Ti in SLI. HP said it can also be equipped with up to dual AMD Radeon RX580 graphics.
Storage options include M.2 PCIe SSDs (the maximum capacity of which is not stated in HP’s materials) or up to a 512GB 2.5” SATA SSD. The Omen can also be equipped with up to a 2TB HDD. Specific capacities and combinations of the storage options will vary across the range of available Omen desktops.
The new HP Omen desktops are available now from HP.com, starting at $900.
A Smaller Omen X, With A Backpack
HP also revealed a new, small form factor (SFF) PC called the Omen X Compact Desktop. It takes the edgey design philosophy of the massive Omen X and shrinks it down to a more manageable size.
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The Omen X Compact Desktop features up to an unlocked 7th generation Intel Core i7-7820HK processors, and it can be equipped with up to a factory overclocked Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 graphics card. It can also be loaded with up to a 1TB PCIe M.2 SSD.
The new Omen X Compact Desktop sports a USB Type-C Thunderbolt 3 interface, in addition to four USB 3.0 ports, and an audio combo jack. For display output, there’s an HDMI 2.0 and mini-DisplayPort interface. The Omen X Compact Desktop also comes with a docking station, which expands connectivity options with an additional USB Type-C port, five USB 3.0 ports, an RJ45 connection for networking, and an HDMI and DisplayPort output.
The Omen X Compact is meant to travel, and it can even be strapped to your back with an additional backpack accessory to make it a VR backpack PC. The top of the device sports a 12V HTC Vive power output, and the backpack comes with two sets (four total) of batteries, a charging dock for them, and a shortened headset cable for the HTC Vive. Simply attach the Omen X Compact Desktop to the backpack and you’re ready for untethered VR gaming.
The Omex X Compact Desktop is slated to start at $2,499, with the backpack accessory starting at $599. Both will arrive this July.
Omen Laptops, Max-Q Onboard?
HP’s Omen notebooks have also been updated with new CPUs, GPUs, and displays. The Omen 15 and 17 both feature up to an Intel Core i7-7700HQ and up to 32GB of DDR4 memory. The Omen 15 can be equipped with up to an AMD Radeon RX550 2GB GDDR5 graphics card, or up to an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060, a claim HP said is made possible thanks to Nvidia’s Max-Q design. The Omen 17 is more robust, offering up to Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 or AMD Radeon RX580 graphics.
Curiously, Nvidia never mentioned that Max-Q would be applicable to GeForce GTX 1060 graphics, and the company focused on the GTX 1070 and GTX 1080 when it revealed its thin-and-light design philosophy. However, it’s entirely possible HP applied the same ideology to its mainstream-oriented Omen 15.
The Omen 17 also received new display options, including a 120Hz 1080p G-Sync panel, a UHD 60Hz G-Sync screen, or 60Hz 1080p with AMD FreeSync (for AMD GPUs). The Omen 15 offers up to a UHD 60Hz display, but variable refresh rate technology doesn’t appear to be on board for the smaller laptop.
The new Omen 15 and 17 laptops will arrive June 28, starting at $1,000 and $1,100, respectively.
Derek Forrest was a contributing freelance writer for Tom's Hardware. He covered hardware news and reviews, focusing on gaming desktops and laptops.