As you’d expect from any new or updated range of gaming laptops, HP has offered plenty of configuration options for those keen to get the best bang for their buck. The Omen 16 is potentially the most interesting of the bunch being an entirely new size for the Omen range. Its 16.1-inch display can be configured with up to a QHD resolution with a 165Hz refresh rate. In layman’s terms, that means it’s ideal for gaming needs although you won’t notice much of a difference with daily use. There’s a choice of either AMD or Intel processors to be had here with graphics configurations available up to the rather impressive GeForce RTX 3070. Other benefits include the option to add a Thunderbolt 4 port, SD card slot, or HDMi 2.1 port for up to 4K output. Understandably then, the Omen 16 isn’t cheap but it is reasonably affordable for a gaming setup. The AMD model with a Ryzen 7 5800H processor, RTX 3050 Ti graphics card, 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage starts at $1,049.99 while the Intel version has a RTX 3060 graphics card and Intel Core i7-11800H processor and retails at $1,149.99. Both will launch in June.
Go big, or go budget?
Alternatively, you can go big with the Omen 17 which has very similar functionality but the choice of a faster processor and the RTX 3080 graphics card. And, of course, there’s the beefier screen too. That starts at $1,369.99. Then there’s the somewhat tempting Victus range of gaming laptops. It’s another 16-inch screen but it starts at just $799.99 for an AMD processor or $849.99 for an Intel processor. If you’re looking for the best laptop for college (opens in new tab) and can stretch a little further so you can play a few games, this seems like it could be the one for you. It’s also available from June. Gaming laptops don’t always offer the best value for money as they’re so focused on portability. If carrying it around with you isn’t important to you, one of the best home computers (opens in new tab) might be a better bet. However, with gaming laptops gradually becoming more affordable than in the past, these new systems from HP may well lure you over to the more mobile friendly side of things. We’ll just have to wait until June to see how well they perform in real life tests.
