The HP Omen Max 16 is its most powerful gaming laptop yet
HP only has one all-new laptop in its Omen gaming line to show off at CES 2025, but it looks like a doozy because the company claims it’s the most powerful 16-inch notebook it has ever made.
The Omen Max 16 looks like HP took a standard Omen 16 (which is retaining the same design but getting refreshed with new components for 2025) and then crammed in as many high-end components as it could. This includes support for CPUs from both Intel and AMD with up to a Core Ultra 9 275HX or Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 along with a range of NVIDIA RTX 5000-series GPUs.
Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget
But the blazing specs don’t stop there, because the Max 16 can also be equipped with up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM (at 5,600 MT/s), PCIe Gen 5 SSDs and either OLED or IPS displays with 240Hz refresh rates. So there shouldn’t be many questions about this thing delivering a ton of speed. Connectivity also looks solid with two Thunderbolt 4 ports (with support for USB power delivery), two USB-A jacks, Ethernet, 3.5mm audio and HDMI 2.1.
But the features I like the most are some of the smaller touches HP added, like a new vapor chamber — the first ever on any Omen gaming laptop. Thanks to a new liquid Cryo compound, the Max 16 should have much improved thermal management, while the addition of reversible fans are designed to keep the inside of the laptop clean. HP’s thought process is that by occasionally spinning its fans backwards, the machine can blow out any dust stuck inside. This might not sound like a big deal, but let me ask, when was the last time you opened up your laptop and gave it a good cleaning? If you’re like most people, probably never.
Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget
Meanwhile, in case the Max 16’s RGB-lit keyboard doesn’t draw enough attention, there’s a new lightbar on the front of the system that pumps a ton of color. Alternatively, in a bit of company synergy, the laptop also has a built-in wireless receiver that allows it to connect to up to three different HyperX peripherals without the need for extra dongles or adapters. It’s not a game changer, but definitely nice if you already own a pair of late-model Cloud headphones.
Finally, in an attempt to get the most out of the Max 16’s beefy hardware, HP is adding Omen AI to its Gaming Hub app. Admittedly, shoehorning AI into everything is a bit of an overdone trend, but the idea seems solid as the company says it will use machine-learning to adjust settings in order to deliver optimal performance with the touch of a single toggle.
Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget
Unfortunately, due to embargo restrictions from one of HP’s hardware partners, I wasn’t allowed to game on the Omen Max 16 myself. However, the company is claiming increased framerates by 25 percent or more depending on the title. Sadly, this means I’ll have to reserve judgement on the system until I can get one in for more in-depth testing. But, at least on paper and from some of its clever new features, it feels like HP has an intriguing new flagship for anyone looking for big performance from a relatively portable gaming notebook.
HP has yet to announce official pricing for the Omen Max 16, though it is slated to go on sale sometime later this spring.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/the-hp-omen-max-16-is-its-most-powerful-gaming-laptop-yet-040025199.html?src=rss