Menu
 

BestReviews is reader-supported and may earn an affiliate commission. Details

Best HP Gaming Laptops

Updated September 2021
Why trust BestReviews?
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

54
Models
Considered
60
Consumers
Consulted
8
Hours
Researched
Category cover

Buying guide for best hp omen laptops

Some people prefer gaming with consoles, such as Xbox One or PS4. However, others swear by gaming on a computer. When gaming on a computer, you have the ability to upgrade components, giving you more power to run the latest games.

HP’s OMEN family of gaming laptops are designed to handle the latest games and are easy to upgrade and customize. You’ll find HP OMEN laptops in many different configurations, creating a mixture of power and value to meet your gaming needs. As with any gaming laptop, you need to consider what types of games you want to play and what their system requirements are. While OMEN laptops are easy to upgrade, you still want the best machine possible out of the box. 

You will pay an above-average price for an HP OMEN laptop versus a general laptop, but the processing power in an OMEN machine makes it well worth the price for the gamer who wants outstanding quality. To learn more and find the best gaming machine for you, continue reading our buying guide. 

Content Image
The majority of HP OMEN laptops ship with the Windows operating system preinstalled.

Key considerations

Software needs

The area where HP OMEN laptops clearly outperform other HP laptops is in the type of software they can run. 

Gaming software requires strong CPU and GPU processing power. HP OMEN gaming laptops contain the latest graphics cards and CPU and GPU chips, including Intel Core i5, i7, and i9 CPUs and NVIDIA GeForce RTX and GTX graphics cards. You’ll also be able to run software that creates large databases or that processes video with this type of laptop.

Having the latest components drives up the price of the laptop, though. So if your software needs are more about word processing, using a web browser, and checking social media, you can have plenty of success with a less expensive HP laptop.

Screen resolution and size

HP OMEN laptops have large screens, usually measuring 15.6 or 17.3 inches diagonally. They generally have full HD resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, although some models will offer 4K resolution (3840x2160). This type of screen quality is great for gaming or watching video, as the images and graphics will be pin sharp.

With a smaller screen, your laptop will have a smaller-sized chassis, which some people prefer. Screen size plays a key role in determining the overall size of any laptop.

Features

Here are the most important features you’ll find in an HP OMEN laptop — and any gaming laptop.

  • Graphics card: For gamers, the graphics card is a very important piece of hardware. If the graphics card, which contains the GPU (graphics processor unit), doesn’t have enough power, your gameplay will lag. You’ll find NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, 2070, and 2080 graphics cards in OMEN laptops. Lower-priced models may include the GeForce GTX 1660Ti and 1650.

  • Graphics RAM: The RAM contained on the graphics card (also called VRAM) is exclusively for use by the GPU. Having at least 4 GB of graphics RAM is a necessity, but 8 GB or more is generally better.

  • CPU: The central processing unit (CPU) is the primary processor for the laptop. You will want plenty of processing power in your HP OMEN laptop, as the CPU runs the gaming software. A powerful CPU can handle the quick inputs you must make when gaming. OMEN laptops may contain 9th generation Intel Core i5, i7, and i9 CPUs.

  • RAM: System RAM is different from graphics RAM. The system RAM is available for everything other than graphics processing. Large amounts of RAM allow the computer to run smoothly and fast. RAM is the temporary storage area for data the CPU needs to access quickly. OMEN models are available with between 8 GB and 32 GB of DDR4 RAM.

  • Storage: Storage in an HP OMEN laptop is available in three configurations. SSD (solid state drive) storage is fast, but it’s expensive per GB. HDD (hard disk drive) storage is slower, but it’s cheaper than SSD. Some HP OMEN laptops have a hybrid storage system, which uses SSD and HDD together. Commonly, OMEN laptops have 1 TB or 2 TB HDD storage or 256 GB to 1 TB SSD storage.

  • Keyboard: For gamers, the keyboard must be highly responsive, as many rapid inputs occur through the keyboard. Keyboards in gaming laptops should also have a backlight so you can see the keys when playing in a darkened room. OMEN laptops have zone backlighting for precise keystrokes, as well as a 26-key rollover feature with anti-ghosting (for simultaneous keystroke commands). The OMEN 17 line allows for independent macro key settings, too.

HP OMEN Laptop prices

Because of their high-end components and large display screens, OMEN Laptops have higher price tags than general use laptops and business laptops.

Budget-priced OMEN laptops cost between $800 and $1,100. These units have screens measuring around 15 inches in size. Don’t expect to receive the latest CPUs or large capacity SSDs in these machines.

Mid-range HP OMEN laptop prices run between $1,100 and $1,500. These laptops may have screens around 15 or 17 inches in size, and they will have excellent graphics processors and CPUs with up to 6 cores.

The most expensive HP OMEN laptops cost from $1,500 to $3,000. These machines have top-of-the-line components across the board with screen sizes of around 17 inches. 

"OMEN laptops have large chassis to allow for airflow and cooling, which prevents overheating. "
STAFF
BestReviews

Tips

If you aren’t sure whether the HP OMEN laptop will handle the kinds of games you want to play, here are some ways to ensure that your gaming laptop is up to the task.

  • Buy a high-end GPU. As new software gaming titles appear on the market, they demand more and more graphics processing. A strong GPU will allow your HP OMEN laptop to give you strong performance over a few years. For virtual reality gaming, the latest GPU is a must-have feature.

  • Look for SSD storage. SSD storage has significantly faster read and write speeds versus HDD storage. This can be helpful for loading complex gaming software quickly. However, SSD storage is generally two to three times the price of HDD storage.

  • Make sure you can upgrade the RAM. Although it’s notoriously difficult to upgrade components inside laptops because of the sealed chassis, HP OMEN laptops are different. With many of these laptop models, you can upgrade the amount of RAM relatively easily to keep up with increasingly complex gaming software.

  • Look for an overclocking option. Sometimes, the CPU in an HP OMEN laptop works with overclocking software. This means you can boost the clock speed on the CPU to above its maximum recommended level, delivering a processing boost for high-end gaming software.

Other products we considered

If you are looking for features that aren’t offered in our top picks, we did consider a few other HP OMEN laptops that are worth purchasing.

The HP OMEN 15 Laptop with Max-Q includes an outstanding graphics processor that runs cooler with Max-Q technology. Customers love the impressive 13-hour battery.

The HP OMEN 15-dc1030nr 2019 Gaming Laptop has a reasonable price and is ready for virtual reality gaming, thanks to its powerful graphics performance. 

When you want a big display screen at a good value, the HP OMEN 17-cb0060nr 2019 Gaming Laptop includes a 17.3-inch display with full-HD display. THe 512 GB SSD is another plus that makes for smooth performance and short load times.

Content Image
Look for an HP OMEN laptop that has plenty of connection ports so you can add all of the accessories you need for gaming.

FAQ

Q. Do I have to use a gaming laptop for gaming?
A. Gaming laptops have the processing power and graphics performance required for high-end gaming software. However, because of their highly capable components, you can use these laptops for almost any kind of computing. If you only plan to browse the internet and answer emails with your laptop, an HP OMEN gaming laptop probably has more power than you need. 
 

Q. How long should my HP OMEN laptop last?
A. An OMEN gaming laptop should give you 18 to 36 months of solid performance. Some models are upgradeable in a few ways, like upgrading RAM, which will give you closer to the 36 months of performance (or even more). 
 

Q. Should I use WiFi or Ethernet for online gaming?
A. If you want to be able to game from anywhere, WiFi gaming is the better choice. If you are going to sit in one place for gaming, connect an Ethernet cable for the most reliable connection speeds. 
 

Q. How can I conserve battery power in my HP OMEN laptop?
A. The best way to increase the battery life in a laptop is by turning down the brightness setting in the display screen. Additionally, close any apps or software running in the background that you don’t need to use. Right-click on the taskbar on the bottom of the Windows screen and left-click on Task Manager to see what items are running.

Our Top Picks