The HP Omen 16 Intel offers solid mid-range gaming laptops with an Intel Core i7 12700H processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 GPU. But should gamers be investing in it?
HP is having a good year when it comes to laptops. Their latest launches this year, such as the HP Pavilion Plus and the HP Spectre X360 (2022) edition have received positive feedback. Even the first HP Omen laptop of the year, the HP Omen 16 AMD edition, received a handsome review from everyone. However, a positive lineup so far also means that the expectations are high and the pressure is on the HP Omen 16 Intel edition to deliver.
Since it’s a gaming laptop, first looks can often be deceiving and that is the case with the HP Omen 16 Intel. The out-of-the-box appearance is quite generic, which while consistent with all the Omen laptops in the past, does not inspire confidence. It lacked the flair of ASUS ROG, MSI, or Acer Nitro laptops.
When to take a look at the specification you truly get intrigued with this gaming machine. It is not a top-end gaming laptop. But for a mid-range option, it has some impressive features. It comes with the 12th Gen Intel i7 12700H processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 GPU, a 1920×1080 pixel resolution display with 144Hz refresh rate, and a big 83Wh battery. And all of that at the price of Rs. 1,49,999. It’s a good deal, at least on paper.
As we always say, real-life experience is what matters the most. And with that, we dove into the HP Omen 16 Intel and this is what we found out after using it for about two weeks.
HP Omen 16 Intel: Specifications
| Price in India | ₹1,39,999 |
| Display | 16.10-inch IPS 1920×1080 pixel resolution |
| Refresh Rate | 144Hz |
| Processor | Intel Core i7 12700H |
| GPU | Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 GPU |
| RAM | 16 GB |
| Backlit Keyboard | Yes |
| Ports | 3 x USB-A ports, 1 x ThunderboltUSB-C port, 1 x Mini DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.1 port, RJ-LAN port, SD Memory Card reader, 3.5mm Headphone Jack |
| Battery | 83Whr around 3 -4 hours of playtime |
HP Omen 16 Intel: Design
The laptop has a minimalistic design on the top. It has a soft plastic build with a reflective gradient Omen logo in the center. The laptop is only available in a single matte black color and it lacks any design, engraving, or fancy Led lights on top. while we were not big fans of it, the minimalistic design has its distinct appeal.
Opening the lid showcases a spacious deck complete with a full-scale keyboard that lights up in an RGB color palate. It was a definite welcome inclusion as many other laptops in this price range do not offer the same. The display is supported with two hinges which almost hold it mid-air. What makes a good look, is that the display tends to wobble a little, which can be mildly annoying. the sides have thin bezels but the chin is pretty prominent, it does not impact the experience due to the large display size.
coming to the ports, there isn’t special about it. Being a gaming laptop, it offers more ports than you will possibly need. It has 3 x USB-A ports, 1 x ThunderboltUSB-C port, 1 x Mini DisplayPort 1.4, an HDMI 2.1 port, an RJ-LAN port, an SD memory Card reader, and a 3.5mm Headphone Jack. Interestingly, Legion 5i, which is priced in the same range, does not come with an SD memory card slot, which can be an important requirement for those using it for creative work.
HP Omen 16 Intel: Display
Gaining about 0.5 inches from its predecessor, The HP Omen 16 Intel is now 16.1- inches large and comes with a 1920×1080 resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate. It is an IPS display but with 300 nits of brightness, it feels very vibrant and the colors appear dynamic. Whether gaming or just watching videos, you will appreciate the finer details. The viewing angles are pretty good due to the anti-glare effect and even wider angles offer a crisp viewing experience.
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HP Omen 16 Intel: Performance
Now, this was the first part that intrigued us. The HP Omen 16 Intel features an Intel Core i7 12700H processor, which is a decent fit for mid-range gaming laptops. We largely spent our time playing Spider-Man Remastered, Saints Row 2022, and Valorant and the performance never felt like an issue. Ans a part of the reason is the GPU that it comes with. The laptop sports Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 GPU with 6 GB of GDDR5 VRAM and it is a pretty smooth sailing experience.
However, do know the limits of the graphics and the processor, they are not high-end specs and if you decided to play Crysis Remastered or Cyberpunk 2077, you will have to run them at the Low to Medium settings, especially if you do not want any frame drops. Valorant at 1920×1080 did make it difficult to get a consistent 60 FPS. But again, unless the shadows of the leaves and houses matter a lot to you, medium settings will not affect your overall experience significantly.
For everyday usage, HP Omen 16 Intel was a delight to use. It comes with Windows 11 out of the box and everything from productivity tasks to general usage is a smooth fair. Since our work involves a lot of typing, we have to hand it to the keyboard. The keys are spacious and big, the travel is substantial and the feedback makes work a lot of fun.
One minor issue we faced was that the arrow keys felt tiny and jammed together compared to all other keys. This was annoying even during gaming especially since we prefer arrow keys to WASD.
The trackpad was large, and supported multi-touch, and has a palm rejection feature which meant there was no chance for an accidental touch in case we rested our hand on the trackpad.
Finally, the Bang and Olufsen speakers on the HP Omen 16 Intel were decent. the audio quality was not out of the world but it did its job. We would still recommend investing in a nice pair of headphones while gaming because the sound is not very loud. It works fine for casual video watching on YouTube or social media.
HP Omen 16 Intel: Battery Life
It might be strange to say the best part of a gaming laptop is its battery performance, but for HP Omen 16 Intel, it does stand true. The laptop is backed with an 83Whr battery and it lasts quite a while. During our regular work, which includes opening multiple tabs on Google Chrome, watching YouTube videos, and switching between multiple apps, the battery life lasted for freaking 7.5 hours to 9 hours. This may vary based on your usage.
While continuous gaming, we could get around 3 -4 hours of playtime on the device, which is above average. The laptop comes with a 230W AC Adapter which takes it from 0-100% in a little longer than 2.5 hours.
HP Omen 16 Intel: Verdict
When it comes to performance and battery life, it is difficult to pinpoint a flaw in this device. The HP Omen 16 Intel is a no-nonsense gaming unit and it does not pretend to be anything else. Yes, we did have a few minor issues with its design, the arrow keys location, the little gap between the life and deck in the middle, and the lack of probably higher quality 2K display, but it is important to recognize that is not a general purpose laptop but a gaming laptop.
This was the first part that intrigued us. The HP Omen 16 Intel features an Intel Core i7 12700H processor, which is a decent fit for mid-range gaming laptops. We largely spent our time playing Spider-Man Remastered, Saints Row 2022, and Valorant and the performance never felt like an issue. Ans a part of the reason is the GPU that it comes with. The laptop sports Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 GPU with 6 GB of GDDR5 VRAM and it is a pretty smooth sailing experience.
The Bangs and Olufsen speakers on the HP Omen 16 Intel were decent. the audio quality was not out of the world but it did its job. We would still recommend investing in a nice pair of headphones while gaming because the sound is not very loud. It works fine for casual video watching on YouTube or social media.
HP has placed all the right components to make it a very different gaming machine. If you are someone who enjoys gaming but is not super competitive and is not bothered by the looks of the laptop, this one will give you a lot to be happy about. The laptop does not cost more than Rs. 1 Lakh ($1200) but that is because Intel machines are more expensive due to higher performance efficiency and superior driver support. So, if you can afford it and value performance, go for it.
If you do value the appearance and flashiness of your device, you can go for the Acer Nitro 5, Asus ROG Strix G17, and MSI Gaming Katana GF66.