Review of the HP Omen 16 (2023)

Gaming laptops are moving away from bulky space-age designs and striving for a more sleek and refined look, and the HP Omen 16 (2023) is no exception. But don’t let its stylish appearance fool you, because underneath it all, this laptop offers solid performance and features that make it a great midrange portable PC.

This review is based on the configuration with an AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, 1TB SSD, 16GB of 5,600MHz DDR5 RAM, and a 16-inch 165Hz 1080p display. With a price tag of around $1,500, this could be a good choice for gamers on a budget.

Design of the HP Omen 16 (2023)

The HP Omen 16 (2023) strikes a balance between understated and nondescript. Unlike competitors with bold designs, this midrange laptop features an all-black chassis with a triangular speaker grille above the keyboard and small Omen logos on the top and bottom.

In terms of size, the Omen 16 (2023) is relatively slim at 23.9mm, but it weighs 2.36kg, which is a bit heavy compared to other laptops in its category. However, it’s still within the expected range for a laptop with similar specs.

Despite its slimness, the Omen 16 (2023) offers excellent connectivity. On the left side, you’ll find an Ethernet port, a 5Gbps USB Type-A, and a headphone/microphone combo jack. The right side features a 5Gbps USB Type-C, two more Type-A ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a DC-in for power. This laptop offers one of the best port selections in its price range, giving you plenty of options for connecting peripherals.

The build quality of the Omen 16 (2023) is solid, with sturdy plastics used in its construction. However, the top casing tends to attract grease and fingerprints, so you might want to use a sleeve or bag to keep it clean.

Compared to other laptops with cramped keyboard layouts, the Omen 16 (2023) features a more conventional TKL layout, which feels comfortable to use. Although it doesn’t have a number pad, the keys are well-spaced. The keys themselves provide decent tactile feedback, although they feel a bit soft compared to some other laptops like the Razer Blade 16 (2023).

The trackpad of the Omen 16 (2023) offers enough space for your fingers, but its tracking can feel a bit skittish, and the buttons don’t provide the best tactile response. While it gets the job done, there are better trackpads available.

Features of the HP Omen 16 (2023)

In addition to its understated design, the Omen 16 (2023) offers a range of features. It features a 16-inch 1920×1080 display with an upgraded 165Hz refresh rate, providing smooth motion. This is an improvement over the base model’s 144Hz option. Paired with the 8GB RTX 4060 GPU, this laptop is well-equipped for 1080p gaming.

The Full HD resolution, combined with the RTX 4060, delivers modern graphics capabilities and a responsive experience. The IPS screen ensures accurate colors and solid viewing angles. It also covers 100% of the sRGB color space, providing excellent color accuracy for gaming and everyday use.

Under the hood, the Omen 16 (2023) is powered by the Ryzen 7 7840HS processor, which features 8 cores, 16 threads, and a boost clock of 5.10GHz. This processor handles FHD gaming workloads and everyday tasks with ease. It’s part of AMD’s mid-range lineup, designed for higher power laptops while balancing power consumption.

As a laptop from the Ryzen 7000 series, it supports the latest generation of RAM. The Omen 16 (2023) comes with 16GB of DDR5-5600 RAM, providing fast memory in a reasonable capacity. It also features a 1TB NVMe PCIe Gen 4 SSD, offering ample storage capacity and impressive speeds. Overall, the laptop feels snappy and responsive.

In terms of connectivity, the Omen 16 (2023) includes Wi-Fi 6E for fast network performance and Bluetooth 5.3 support out of the box.

Performance of the HP Omen 16 (2023)

When it comes to gaming laptops, performance is key. I tested the Omen 16 (2023) with a variety of games and synthetic benchmarking suites, and it delivered solid performance for its price. The combination of the RTX 4060 and Ryzen 7 7840HS provided good frame rates in many titles, including demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077.

Under heavy load, the Omen 16 (2023) can get hot and noisy as the fans spin up. This was noticeable during benchmark tests and gaming sessions. However, for general tasks, it remains quiet and comfortable to use. To get the best cooling performance, it’s recommended to use the laptop on a desk rather than on your lap.

Battery life is solid on the Omen 16 (2023). It features an 83Whr battery, which HP claims lasts for 8 hours on a single charge. In the PC Mark 10 Modern Office Benchmark, it achieved a run time of 7 hours and 16 minutes, which is close to HP’s claims. However, during gaming on battery power, the battery lasted just over two hours. Therefore, it’s best to use the laptop while plugged in for optimal performance.

Verdict on the HP Omen 16 (2023)

The HP Omen 16 (2023) offers solid performance and features at an affordable price. It delivers a satisfying gaming experience at 1080p and comes with excellent connectivity options and battery life for everyday use. However, it can get loud and hot under heavy load, and it may lack the excitement and flair of some other options on the market.