OMEN 17 Gaming Laptop: A Complete Review | HP® Tech Takes (2024)

Looking for a desktop-grade gaming laptop with an immersive, super-sized display?

The OMEN 17 delivers the goods - and then some. Chock full of top-tier hardware, this potent gaming laptop powers through the latest Triple-A (AAA) titles with ease. A best-in-class graphics card, high-tech cooling system, and long-lasting battery make this 17-inch monster a killer option for gaming on the go. And thanks to its crisp, extra-large display, you’ll enjoy desktop-level immersion as you play.

Top-tier specs

If you’re unfamiliar with the OMEN, HP’s flagship gaming laptop range is the brand’s most potent. Custom-designed with hardcore fanatics in mind, the series sports top-tier hardware to handle even the most demanding AAA games.

The HP OMEN 17 gaming laptop is no exception. Let’s take a squiz at what you get under the hood:

• Processor: Intel® Core™ i7-13700HX
• RAM: 16GB RAM
• Storage: 1TB solid-state drive (SSD)

Its 16-core or 24-thread Intel Core i7 runs at up to 5.0 GHz thanks to Turbo Boost Technology. That gives you enough grunt to handle virtually any PC game. And with 16GB of RAM, you’ll have sufficient memory to multi-task apps and stream.

Are you the kind of player who has a sizeable game collection ready to load at a moment’s notice? You’ll be pleased to hear this unit has a massive 1TB SDD - no more sifting through and deleting games to free up space.

High-performance graphics

A speedy processor and all the RAM in the world won’t do a gamer much good if their graphics processing unit (GPU) isn’t up to scratch. Thankfully, the OMEN 17 has this base covered with a powerful NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 4060.

Sporting 8GB of VRAM, this sought-after GPU has enough juice to run many modern games at over 100 FPS. Of course, the exact frame rate will depend on your resolution and settings - rest assured, it performs beautifully at 1080p. Players addicted to competitive online titles like Valorant and Overwatch 2 will appreciate these silky-smooth frame rates.

Expect a frame rate of about 60 FPS for graphically intense titles on 1440p. That’s plenty fast enough for an immersive, single-player experience and sufficient for most online gamers. You may need to tone down the settings just a smidgen for some games on 1440p.

This card isn’t suitable for 4K gaming, at least not with ray-tracing enabled. However, the OMEN 17 ships with a Quad-High Definition (QHD) display, thus negating the issue.

Cool as a cucumber

Overheating is the arch nemesis of many laptop gamers, especially hardcore enthusiasts pushing their hardware to the limits. Even the best GPU on earth isn’t much use in a laptop without a potent, fit-for-purpose cooling system.

The OMEN 17 remains cool under pressure thanks to state-of-the-art Tempest Cooling technology. Two sizeable bottom-mounted fans generate a refreshing, GPU-cooling breeze and expel hot air from three separate side vents.

This seamless cooling cycle performs flawlessly for hours on end. No matter how hot the in-game action gets, you can rely on Tempest to keep your OMEN cool.

Large, vivid display

For on-the-go gamers seeking a desktop-like device, this product’s enormous 17-inch screen is a major drawcard. Forget about hunching over a tiny display or squinting to read dialogue from NPCs. A 17-inch display looks and feels almost like a desktop monitor, offering a more immersive and enjoyable gaming experience.

This isn’t a bog-standard, low-resolution display. The OMEN 17 ships with a QHD (1440p) screen for crisp, crystal-clear images. Its IPS panel offers excellent colour accuracy for life-like visuals and a rapid response time to reduce motion blur in frantic shootouts.

An ultra-smooth 165 Hz refresh rate eliminates screen tears to provide a superior visual experience. This speedy refresh rate makes fast-paced titles look extra enticing when coupled with a high 100+ frame rate.

Not only is the OMEN 17 display a joy to play on, but it also boasts awesome ergonomic features to enhance comfort during those extended late-night sessions.

The Eyesafe®-Certified Display shields your pupils from circadian-rhythm-wrecking blue light, thus reducing eye strain and ensuring a better night’s sleep. The display uses DC Dimming technology to eliminate flickering. You also get an in-built anti-glare coating to play with wide-open curtains - no more gaming inside a dark little hovel.

Display specs:

• Screen size: 17.3” (43.9 cm)
• Resolution: QHD (2560 x 1440)
• Refresh rate: 165 Hz
• Response time: 3 ms

Premium build quality

A gaming laptop is a significant investment, especially for players seeking silky-smooth frame rates on demanding, recent-release titles. Given you’ll frequently move your device, you need something durable to withstand the rigours of the road.

The HP OMEN 17 has you covered with a robust, long-lasting design. Thanks to its rugged sheet metal chassis and polycarbonate panels, the laptop isn’t prone to scuffs and cracks.

The OMEN 17 looks the part with a slick shadow-black case and a sandblasted keyboard frame. The optical-mechanical keyboard has backlit RGB keys for a cool, cyberpunk touch. In-built NKRO Anti-Ghosting and optical switches facilitate faster, more accurate gameplay.

It’s eco-friendly, too. The speaker box and keys come from recycled ocean-bound plastics.

Long-lasting battery

Gaming laptops are notoriously power-hungry. One all-too-common conundrum is fighting your way to the end of an epic battle royal only to have your laptop battery run flat.

HP has gone to great lengths to optimise the battery life on the OMEN 17. While other laptops might only get a few hours from a single charge, the HP OMEN 17 boasts up to 5 hours and 15 minutes.

That might not sound like much compared to a typical business laptop. But remember, this is a gaming laptop with a power-hungry GPU and a huge high-resolution display. The impressive five-hour battery life comes from its chunky 6-cell, 83 Wh Li-ion polymer battery.

When your battery inevitably does run low, you can charge it back up to 50% in just 30 minutes thanks to the 330W Smart AC power adapter.

On-the-go gaming

The whole point of a gaming laptop is the freedom to slide it into a bag and lug it off to some far-flung locale. After all, if portability weren’t important, you’d buy a gaming desktop instead.

While it can’t match a slimline business notebook, the HP OMEN 17 is surprisingly light for a device of its type. Weighing in at just 2.78 kg, this huge, high-octane gaming laptop is portable enough to carry around town without busting your back.

Plentiful ports

Every seasoned player knows peripherals form a pivotal part of the ultimate gaming setup. Thanks to its broad array of high-speed ports, the HP OMEN 17 lets you plug in everything you need. From high-end wired headsets and custom-designed mice, there’s no gaming-related accessory the HP OMEN 17 won’t support.

Here’s a round-up of what ports you’ll find on the side of this device:

• 1 USB Type-A 5Gbps (HP Sleep and Charge)
• 1 Thunderbolt 3 40Gbps with USB Type-C 10Gbps signalling rate (USB Power Delivery, DisplayPort™ 1.4, HP Sleep and Charge)
• 2 USB Type-A 5Gbps
• 1 HDMI 2.1
• 1 mini DisplayPort
• 1 RJ-45
• 1 AC smart pin
• 1 headphone/microphone combo

OMEN Hub

Like other OMEN gaming laptops, the HP OMEN 17 ships with a pre-installed version of the ever-popular OMEN Hub. This sought-after gaming software includes a slew of nifty features to elevate your gameplay.

• Chat and share a 30 FPS 720p screen with your online chums using Oasis.
• Sync lighting effects across multiple OMEN devices and customise your preferences.
• Switch seamlessly between power-saving and supercharged settings with the performance control tab.
• Monitor vital metrics in real-time on a dashboard, including the temperature of your GPU, CPU, and RAM.
• Prioritise gameplay above everything else on your network and ensure all gaming traffic gets sent over the fastest network at the quickest possible speeds.

Summary

Is your underpowered laptop not delivering the in-game performance you need? Or maybe you’re struggling to see the battlefield clearly on a tiny screen?

Boasting high-end specs and a humongous QHD display, the HP OMEN 17 is the ultimate option for hardcore gamers on the go. A premium build quality, high-tech cooling system, impressive portability and plentiful ports make this one of the best gaming laptops from HP.