HP Omen Max 16: A Fast Laptop with Dynamic Performance for Gamers

When I recently tested the ultra-fast gaming laptop Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 with Intel’s performance processor Core Ultra 9 275HX and the latest GeForce 5090 graphics card, records were broken left and right. HP didn’t want to be outdone and presented an almost equally powerful Omen computer, the Omen Max 16. It features the same processor, 32 GB instead of 64 GB of RAM, a slightly smaller but still very fast PCIe 5.0 SSD, and a GeForce 5080 graphics card.

The performance is within the margin of error just as high as in the Asus laptop, despite having half as much RAM. It seems that 32 GB is sufficient to give the processor enough space to stretch its legs and show what it can do. The only area it falls behind is in graphics performance.

This is a typical gaming laptop of a more powerful type, with a thick chassis, cooling holes on the sides and back, and plenty of ventilation even on the bottom. It has a solid weight of over 5.5 lbs and a very sturdy chassis. Unlike many other large-format gaming laptops, it features solid metal throughout the chassis, resulting in a very stable build.

Can Be Charged Quickly

External connections are located on both the sides and the back of the computer. Connected there is also a thin yet heavy and powerful 330-watt power adapter on its own port. With that, you can achieve unusually fast charging, reaching 50 percent battery in half an hour. After that, it slows down, and the final stretch to 100 percent takes another hour. You also get two Thunderbolt 4 ports on one side where you can connect a charger if you’re not in a hurry.

To be honest, this is not a computer to run wirelessly. It has no chance of reaching peak performance in battery operation mode, and it records one of the worst battery life figures I have seen in a long time. Just over an hour under high CPU load, and around three hours when I dim everything and minimize work. The computer cannot avoid doing a lot of background tasks, and the screen brightness cannot be reduced beyond a certain limit.

One question I always ask myself when testing gaming computers is, how good are they for other tasks? It feels a bit silly to invest in an expensive computer and only use it for your hobby. In this computer’s case, I would say it’s adequate for browsing and office work, with a large workspace on a sharp screen, and a comfortable keyboard with a high keystroke.

Smart Features Thanks to RGB Keys

You get full RGB backlighting, which can certainly provide a fun light show but also makes the keyboard clear and tailored to your taste. You can quickly and easily design your own keyboard and assign different colors to individual keys.

A smart feature is that keys with alternative functions light up when you hold down the fn key. More manufacturers should adopt this. Thanks to it, I discovered that there was quick switching between the computer’s four fan modes, something I would have otherwise missed.

So for office productivity, it is really good—as long as you can tolerate fan noise in the background. The fans can spin down but choose not to. It’s still not directly disturbing. However, it becomes so when the processor and graphics are stressed—then it can sound like a jet engine from the cooling fans.

A 1080p webcam with lag-free and relatively noise-free image, and above all very good color handling means you can look good on video calls or when streaming yourself online. However, it’s not super sharp, but good enough as long as you don’t demand studio quality. The same goes for the built-in microphone. Good enough for everyday use, but if you want to vlog like a pro, get a proper mic.

Fast Screen

Omen Max 16 has a 16-inch IPS screen with color that matches the sRGB standard to 100 percent with high color accuracy, seemingly both at high and low brightness. It’s a shame the panel doesn’t support colors closer to the DCI-P3 standard. This is common in screens built with gaming in focus. 8-bit color depth per pixel with more focus on fast refresh rates. But it is limiting, as many premium laptops today come with better screens.

You get a 3-millisecond response time and can choose between 60 and 240 Hz in refresh rate. With support for Nvidia G-Sync, you can avoid screen tearing. The question is whether the screen resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels allows enough games to run at the full 240 Hz with an RTX 5080 card. It handles a lot, but there is a limit. You may need to scale down some games to 1080p resolution or settle for steady 60 fps, which isn’t too bad either.

Here the contrast becomes more normal for a good IPS. The blacks in dark areas aren’t as deep, especially if you turn the brightness up to the maximum, which you rarely need to do. With 500 cd/m², it’s mostly best if it’s dimmed a bit, but it’s good to have power there—it prevents you from worrying too much about daylight. Unless you’re sitting directly in it. The viewing angles on the screen are excellent, but at narrow angles, the matte finish doesn’t diffuse enough light to avoid affecting contrast.

Could Have Been Brilliant

However, it undeniably feels like a good OLED would have been worth the investment in this computer. We’ve seen this in much cheaper laptops, and with that, you get more color vibrancy, higher dynamic range, still fast refresh rates in several options, and even shorter response times. Not to mention that it would have made the laptop more versatile for playing movies, editing photos, videos, and much more.

It’s not as exorbitantly priced as the Asus computer, 4,200 USD against 6,500 USD, but it still belongs to the same class of expensive, massive, and heavy performance laptops that are definitely not for everyone. It’s aimed at those who absolutely need high CPU and graphics performance but also require mobility and are willing to lug around a hefty laptop for it.

Most of us shouldn’t be running around with the computer and can instead benefit from buying a desktop PC and a large monitor instead, saving a lot while getting better ergonomics and work peace.

Specifications

Product Name: HP Omen Max 16-ah0806no
Tested: April 2025
Manufacturer: HP
Processor: Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, 8 P-cores up to 5.4 GHz, 16 E-cores up to 4.6 GHz
NPU: Intel AI Boost, 13 TOPS
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, 16 GB
Memory: 32 GB DDR5
Storage: 1 TB SSD, SD card slot
Displays: 16 inches matt IPS, 2560 x 1600 pixels, 240 Hz, 500 cd/m²
Webcam: 1080p with IR
Connections: 2 Thunderbolt 4, 2 USB-A 3 Gen 2, HDMI, LAN, Headset
Wireless: WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Operating System: Windows 11 Home
Other: RGB Keyboard, RGB in chassis, Numeric keypad, Face recognition, 1 year security package
Noise Level: 34–50 dBa
Battery: 83 Wh, 1 hour 10 min (high load, full brightness, 240 Hz) to 3 hours 10 min (low load, low brightness, 60 Hz)
Size: 35.65 x 26.9 x 2.78 cm
Weight: 5.9 lbs