The OMEN lineup has been HP’s gaming go-to for years, and it incorporates several tiers of PCs to accommodate all types of users. Last year’s high-end OMEN Transcend laptops came at us with more premium features and a sleeker design than its standard OMEN siblings, but it sacrificed raw power to keep itself relatively thin and light.
HP seemingly identified this OMEN Transcend weakness and engineered a fix, resulting in the new OMEN MAX 16 announced at CES 2025 that the company is calling its “most powerful gaming laptop.” That’s not hard to believe, as it’s shipping with NVIDIA’s next-gen laptop GPUs and the latest Intel or AMD processors. With prices expected to start at about $2,699 when it launches in the coming months, it’s also going to be the most expensive gaming laptop from HP’s stable.
The laptop follows HP’s premium design cues, with rounded corners, a lattice-free keyboard, and tons of RGB lighting. Inside, though, is where the big changes are found. HP has paired its Cryo Compound with a new Vapor Chamber to help lower system heat, allowing more power to be pumped through the system to boost performance. It also has a fancy new self-cleaning fan feature, but it’s only available for Intel models.
The OMEN MAX 16 is HP’s new flagship gaming laptop
With the imminent launch of NVIDIA’s next-gen RTX 5000 GPUs, gaming laptop makers are introducing new high-end PCs to handle the power and heat. That’s where the OMEN MAX 16 comes in, and I’m expecting it to compete directly with the likes of Dell’s refreshed Area-51 laptops.
HP OMEN MAX 16 specs
CPU: Up to AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 or Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
Graphics: Next-gen NVIDIA Laptop
Memory: Up to 64GB DDR5-5600 (Intel) or Up to 32GB DDR5-5600 (AMD)
Storage: Up to 1TB M.2 PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSD (Intel) or Up to 2TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD (AMD/Intel)
Display: 16 inches, up to 2560×1600, OLED, 240Hz, 0.2ms, 100% DCI-P3, VRR, HDR 500 (Intel only); 16 inches, up to 2560×1600, IPS, 240Hz, 3ms, anti-glare, 500 nits, 100% sRGB (Intel/AMD)
Keyboard: 4-zone or per-key RGB, number pad, lattice-free, anti-ghosting, 26-key or N-key rollover
Camera: 1080p, IR
Audio: Dual speakers, DTS:X Ultra
Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 4 (Intel), 2x USB4 (AMD), 2x USB-A (10Gbps), RJ45 Ethernet (up to 2.5GbE), 3.5mm audio, HDMI 2.1, AC smart pin
Wireless: Up to Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Battery: 83Wh, 280W or 330W AC adapter
Weight: From 5.49 pounds (2.49kg)
Dimensions: 14.39 x 10.59 x 0.9-1.08 inches (365.5mm x 269mm x 22.95-27.5mm)
Color: Shadow black or Ceramic white
With a raised power capacity, redesigned cooling system, and all-metal chassis, HP wants the OMEN MAX 16 to not hold back when being pressed. That seems to be the opposite approach compared to Transcend. As Windows Central’s Zachary Boddy remarked in their OMEN Transcend 14 review:
“HP seems to have gone much further in the same direction ASUS took the latest Zephyrus G14, meaning sacrificing some top-end performance in favor of portability and efficiency. Unfortunately, HP goes too far in that direction without gaining any meaningful advantages.”
The OMEN MAX 16 has two intake fans on the bottom, with an extra feature for Intel-based models. HP says it teamed up with Intel to create an auto-cleaning fan system in which the intakes reverse their spin every four hours to dispel dust and detritus.
On paper, it’s a great concept that, as far as I know, isn’t available in any other gaming laptops on the market today. I’m eager to test the feature; as a caretaker for two cats, it’s common for my electronics to quickly clog up, and any help dispelling dust is welcome. However, I am worried that self-cleaning fans might have a tweaked curve that results in more noise.
HP has favored Intel elsewhere for the OMEN MAX. AMD systems top out at 32GB of DDR5-5600MHz RAM (assumedly upgradeable thanks to it not being LPDDR), whereas Intel systems go up to 64GB from the factory. For storage, only Intel models are available with a PCIe 5.0 SSD, falling back to PCIe 4.0 for AMD.
Display options are also different, with a QHD+ OLED screen with 240Hz refresh rate and 0.2ms response time paired with Intel CPUs. Opting for an AMD CPU can still land you a QHD+ IPS display with 240Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time; an FHD+ version with 165Hz refresh rate is available for both CPU types.
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Other standout features include optional per-key RGB keyboard lighting, an RGB lightbar along the front of the chassis, up to Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 wireless connectivity, and 2.5GbE LAN. The OMEN MAX will be available in Shadow black or Ceramic white colors.
Working behind the scenes is an updated HP OMEN Gaming Hub now featuring OMEN AI. It’s still in beta testing and HP says it will initially only work with Counter-Strike 2, offering easy performance optimizations that learn your habits and make automatic adjustments. Thanks to Intel and AMD’s processors with a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) inside, the OMEN MAX 16 is also considered a Copilot+ PC with access to AI tools in Windows 11.
More new OMEN gaming PCs are on the way
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HP’s new OMEN MAX 16 might be the most intriguing new device for gamers, but HP also has new OMEN 16 and Victus 15 laptops, as well as a new OMEN 16L desktop.
HP OMEN 16L specs
CPU: Up to AMD Ryzen 7 8700G or Intel Core i7-14700/Core Ultra 7 265
Graphics: Up to NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 7600
Memory: Up to 32GB DDR5-5600
Storage: Up to 2TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD
Wireless: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
PSU: Up to 500W 80+ Platinum
The OMEN 16 is HP’s mainstream gaming laptop, and it’s been updated with higher power allowances and a new “Unleashed” power mode that takes the barriers off of thermal management. That will come in handy with the latest AMD and Intel CPUs, as well as NVIDIA’s next-gen laptop GPUs.
HP says it’s the quietest OMEN 16 that it’s ever made, with fan noise topping out at 46dBa. That’s no doubt partly thanks to airflow being improved by 1.49x compared to the previous generation. You’ll be able to pick up the OMEN 16 in Shadow black or Ceramic white colors; no word yet on availability or pricing.
What I can confirm is a host of new budget-minded Victus 15 gaming laptops expected to launch in January 2025 starting at $1,199.99. You won’t get access to the latest AMD, Intel, or NVIDIA hardware, but you’ll be able to save a considerable amount of dough and still get a PC that can handle modern titles.
And finally, the trend of compact desktop gaming PC has arrived at HP with the new OMEN 16L. While I love the idea of a massive desktop PC like the OMEN 45L we reviewed, the much smaller OMEN 16L is a better fit for a majority of PC gamers. HP is offering AMD and Intel CPUs, AMD and NVIDIA GPUs, and a couple of color combinations to better suit your style. I’ll update this article when HP lays out pricing and availability.
