HP Omen 16 2023 laptop review: 145 W GeForce RTX 4080 performance

The 2023 Omen 16 succeeds last year’s model with faster 13th gen Raptor Lake-H processors, Nvidia Ada Lovelace RTX GPUs, and a revamped chassis design. It can be considered a few steps up from the more budget-oriented HP Pavilion Gaming 16 . Our review unit is the highest-end configuration with the 13th gen Raptor Lake Core i7-13700HX CPU, 145 W GeForce RTX 4080 GPU, 1440p240 IPS display, per-key RGB lighting, and 32 GB RAM for just under $2600 USD.

Lesser SKUs with the RTX 4060, 1080p165 IPS display, and single-zone keyboard lighting are also available starting at $1100. All options at the moment must come with the same Core i7-13700HX CPU, however. Note that HP has dropped the AMD and Radeon options this year.

Alternatives to the Omen 16 include other high-end 16-inch gaming laptops like the Alienware x16 R1 , Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16 , Asus ROG Strix G16 , or Razer Blade 16 . More HP reviews: The major visual updates this year involve the extended rear and larger ventilation grilles to better accommodate higher TGP targets and faster performance. Thus, the model looks similar to its predecessor from the front while the changes are much more noticeable from the back.

The metal materials and smooth surfaces otherwise feel and appear identical between the two designs. Chassis rigidity is very good albeit not as firm or unyielding as the Razer Blade 16. Attempting to twist the base and lid, for example, would result in slightly more warping on the HP in comparison.

At least we can notice no creaking or visual defects on our unit. The new Omen 16 is actually longer than the 2022 design by about 11 mm due to the extended rear mentioned above. Even so, overall weight remains about the same and the size of the system is still smaller than the ROG Strix G16 , Legion Pro 7 16 , or Alienware x16 R1.

Port options have been reduced from last year’s model as there is now one fewer USB-A port and no more SD card reader. Both USB-C ports have been relocated from the rear edge to the left edge for easier access. An Intel AX211 is optional for Wi-Fi6E and Bluetooth 5.

3 connectivity. We experienced no issues when paired to our Asus AXE11000 6 GHz network. A 2 MP webcam comes standard alongside a privacy shutter to replace the 1 MP webcam on the 2022 Omen 16.

IR, however, is not supported on this series. The bottom panel is secured by six Phillips screws for easy removal. Owners have direct access to 2x M.

2 PCIe4 x4 2280 SSD slots, 2x SODIMM slots, battery, and removable WLAN module much like on the 2022 design. The retail box include a HyperX Cloud II Core wireless headset if configured with the RTX 4080. Otherwise, the retail box includes only the usual AC adapter and paperwork.

A one-year limited manufacturer warranty comes standard if purchased from the US. While the chassis and clickpad have received overhauls, the keyboard hasn’t changed and so the typing experience remains identical to the 2022 Omen 16. Key feedback is satisfying especially for the clicky Space key, but the Enter key could have been firmer.

Typing feels more spacious here than on the Blade 16. Interestingly, HP has reduced the size of the clickpad from 13 x 8. 6 cm on the 2022 Omen 16 to just 12.

5 x 8 cm on our newer 2023 model. However, feedback when pressing down on its surface has improved for a more satisfying and audible click. Thus, we’re not too bothered by the smaller size.

HP offers two display options as listed below. Our measurements reflect only the panel in bold. Neither panel can be considered a bad option for gaming purposes, but players of fast-paced titles like Overwatch 2 or Valorant may want to consider the 1440p option for its faster response times and refresh rates.

Color coverage is limited to 100% sRGB whereas competitors like the Legion Pro 7 or ROG Strix G16 may have fuller DCI-P3 panels. Note that the Omen 16 is one of the few remaining 16:9 gaming laptops in its size category as most others have already moved on to 16:10. The display is decently calibrated out of the box with average grayscale and color deltaE values of 2.

8 and 2. 18, respectively. Calibrating the panel ourselves with an X-Rite colorimeter would improve the average values even further to just 0.

5 and 0. 52, respectively. Owners can apply our calibrated ICM profile above if desired.

Outdoor visibility is acceptable only when under shade. The display is not as bright as the displays on the Legion Pro 7, ROG Strix G16 , or Blade 16 which are easier to see outdoors. We set our unit to dGPU mode via Nvidia control panel and Performance mode via both Omen Gaming Hub and Windows prior to running the benchmarks below.

There is also a Max Fan setting in addition to the regular Performance mode. We recommend owners become familiar with Omen Gaming Hub as it is the control center for adjusting power profiles, RGB lighting, gaming settings, and more. Annoyingly, the HP power profile settings are not synced with the regular Windows power profiles.

Advanced Optimus or MUX and G-Sync are supported. CPU performance is where we expect it to be relative to other laptops with the same Core i7-13700HX CPU meaning there is no major performance throttling on the Omen 16. Notably, the processor is neck-to-neck with the more expensive Core i9-13900HK in the Alienware x16 R1 while being about 15 to 20 percent faster than the outgoing 12th gen Core i7-12700H .

The Core i9-13900HX offers a much more significant boost in performance, but such an option is not available on this model. PCMark results are ahead of last year’s Omen 16 especially in the GPU-heavy Digital Content Creation subtest because of our faster RTX 4080. LatencyMon reveals DPC issues when opening multiple browser tabs of our homepage similar to the ROG Strix G16 or Blade 16.

4K60 video playback is otherwise nearly perfect with just one dropped frame during our minute-long video test. Our test unit ships with a 2 TB SK hynix PC801 NVMe SSD for sequential read and write rates of up to 7100 MB/s and 6000 MB/s, respectively, to be comparable to the popular Samsung PM9A1. However, read and write rates on smaller 4k q32 block sizes are unusually slow even after multiple retests.

Overall performance is nonetheless steady when stressed to suggest excellent heat dissipation. Graphics performance is excellent and comparable to other gaming laptops with the same GeForce RTX 4080 GPU within a 5 percent margin. Downgrading to the RTX 4070 or RTX 4060 from our RTX 4080 is expected to reduce graphics performance by about 20 percent and 30 percent, respectively.

If Max Fan mode is disabled, overall performance would suffer by just a hair as shown by the table below. GPU performance decreases by almost 15 percent if set to Balanced mode while the impact to CPU performance is much less severe. All games are playable at the native 1440p resolution with average frame rates above 60 FPS even on demanding games like Returnal .

The mobile RTX 4080 pairs very well with the 1440p panel. DLSS is recommended if enabling RT or if gaming on an external 4K monitor since the mobile RTX 4080 is much weaker than a desktop RTX 4080 . Average frame rates when running Cyberpunk 2077 in 4K, for example, would jump from 35 FPS with DLSS 2 disabled to 55 FPS with DLSS 2 enabled.

The fans are always active at almost 30 dB(A) against a silent background of 23 dB(A) no matter the setting or onscreen load. On the flip side, the fans don’t need to pulse as often and so fan noise is usually in the low and relatively unobtrusive 30 to 33 dB(A) range when running undemanding loads like video streaming. Gaming on Balanced mode instead of Performance mode results in noticeably quieter fans of just 44.

2 dB(A) which may be worth the 15 percent decrease in graphics performance. Otherwise, the Omen 16 is one of the louder gaming laptops on the market at over 57 dB(A) when set to Performance mode. Surface temperatures are symmetrical with hot spots nearest the keyboard center.

This region can reach 40 to 45 C when gaming compared to 55 to 60 C on the thicker, heavier, and faster Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16 . The generally cooler surface temperatures may be attributed to the larger ventilation grilles and lower TGP target of the HP design. CPU clock rates and board power draw when initiating Prime95 stress would spike to 3.

4 GHz and 110 W, respectively, lasting for about two minutes or until core temperature reaches 91 C. Thereafter, the CPU would average around 3. 0 GHz and 90 W in order to maintain a cooler temperature range between 80 to 90 C.

This temperature range is similar to what we recorded on the AMD-powered 2022 Omen 16 and on the faster Blade 16 . When running Witcher 3 on Performance mode with Max Fan on, GPU clock rates and board power draw would be slightly higher than on Performance mode with Max Fan off as shown by our screenshots below. The results match our Fire Strike results above and core temperatures would also be noticeably cooler with Max Fan on as well.

Thus, you’ll have to enable Man Fan mode if you want to squeeze as much performance out of the laptop as possible. Running Witcher 3 on Balanced mode would limit board power draw to just 95 W from a maximum of around 130 to 145 W. Fan noise is quieter, of course, but at the cost of graphics performance.

Running on battery power severely limits performance. A 3DMark 11 test on Batteries would return Physics and Graphics scores of 8347 and 10654 points, respectively, compared to 23751 and 56145 points when on mains. The stereo speakers are not nearly as loud as the quad speakers on the Alienware x16 R1 , but balance is respectable nonetheless.

Sound quality falls noticeably when gaming due to the loud fans. Power consumption when idling is higher than expected even when on the Power Saver profile with the iGPU active and the brightness set to minimum. The high floor may be responsible for the shorter battery life results in the next section below.

Fortunately, consumption when gaming shows significant improvements over the AMD-powered 2022 Omen 16 . Running Witcher 3 draws just 4 percent more power on average while providing 1. 5x to 2x the GPU performance of the Radeon RX 6650M .

This fact alone may explain why HP decided to drop any Radeon options for this year’s Omen 16 as the performance-per-watt advantages of Ada Lovelace is striking. Competing laptops with the same RTX 4080 GPU like the ROG Strix G16 or Blade 16 each demand about 30 W more than our HP system when running the same title. However, they also come with much faster Core i9 HX CPUs to compensate.

We’re able to record a temporary maximum draw of 270 W from the medium-sized (~18 x 8. 8 x 2. 4 cm) 280 W AC adapter when the CPU and GPU are each at 100 percent utilization.

A larger 330 W AC adapter would have likely been overkill. Battery capacity has increased to 83 Wh from 68 Wh on last year’s model. Unfortunately, battery life is shorter than before by almost 2 full hours.

We’re able to record a WLAN runtime of just over 5 hours similar to the Legion Pro 7 even when on the Balanced power profile with the iGPU active. Charging from empty to full capacity takes about 90 minutes with the included barrel AC adapter. The system can also be charged via USB-C, but compatibility is not guaranteed.

For example, connecting our 130 W Dell USB-C AC adapter would result in a pop-up message claiming incompatibility while our 135 W Lenovo USB-C adapter would charge without any issues. Perhaps the most lucrative aspect of the 2023 Omen 16 is its affordable starting price of $1100 USD for the Core i7-13700HX, RTX 4060, and 16 GB RAM configuration. It’s an upper midrange chassis with better build quality and a sleeker design than similarly-priced budget gaming laptops like the MSI Katana , Dell G16 series , or the Asus TUF F series .

If you’re in the market for an RTX 4060 laptop without having to settle for cheap plastic materials, then the Omen 16 is worth considering. The new model is slightly thicker and wider than its predecessor and with shorter battery life as well, but the changes are arguably worth the much faster CPU and GPU performance. Weight remains about the same despite the size differences and most gamers may not mind the shorter runtimes.

The 2023 Omen 16 looks and performs better than what its low starting price would otherwise suggest. Two notable features missing from the Omen 16 are DCI-P3 support and an integrated SD card reader. These don’t impact the core gaming experience of the system, but gamers who are also content creators may want to consider the Alienware x16 R1 or Razer Blade 16 instead which offer card readers, wider colors, and higher native resolutions.

Of course, these double-duty alternatives are also notably more expensive. The 2023 Omen 16 is now directly shipping from HP starting at $1100 USD for the base RTX 4060 configuration up to $2600 USD for our RTX 4080 configuration as reviewed. .