HP may be a household name when it comes to laptops, but it is the OMEN and Victus sub-brand that is popular among the gaming community. Gaming is the perfect culmination of art and technology and it is no wonder that gaming prowess is used to show the performance might of a newly launched machine. Speaking of newly launched machines, HP recently launched refreshes’ in its OMEN and Victus lineup and with the addition of some secret HP sauce, these laptops are here to make a mark. I had a chance to chat with Vickram Bedi, Senior Director (Personal Systems), HP India about the newly launched gaming laptops.
Vickram starts by highlighting the needs of gamers today. The machines of the hour need to strike the perfect balance between “being thin, lightweight, powerful, and portable”. Needless to say, these machines need to be able to play the most demanding AAA games without breaking a sweat as well as run performance-intensive programs and render accelerated 3D models “or when using powerful creative tools”.
New OMEN on the block
Vickram says, “Our newly launched Omen Transcend 16 and Omen 16 are built to address the evolving needs of consumers. Omen Transcend 16 is HP’s thinnest and lightest gaming PC at under 2.1kg and 19.9 mm, with strong performance capabilities with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 series graphics and a 13th Gen Intel Core i9-13900HX processor. It is built for gaming and creation with a cutting-edge screen, premium slim chassis, and high-end internal components.
Additionally, the advanced Omen 16 laptop is the most powerful version of the device yet, with upgrades across the board in CPU, GPU, and display speeds. It comes with a 13th Gen Intel Core i7 mobile processor and up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 GPUs for an elevated gaming experience. With up to 32 GB DDR5-5600 MHz RAM, users will experience insanely quick load times for seamless gaming. The OMEN Transcend 16 Laptop is available at a starting price of INR 1,59,999/- and the OMEN 16 is available at starting price of INR 1,04,999/-“.
But what about the thermal performance?
While you think that the Omen Transcend 16 is premium priced, it also offers premium features. Being 19.9mm thin and weighing under 2.1kg means the laptop falls under the realm of being portable and a beast. This also means that HP needs to ensure optimal thermal management for sustained performance. For this HP has implemented OMEN Tempest Cooling. I’ll let Vickram do the explaining of this one.
“The OMEN Tempest Cooling is a feature implemented in our new lineup of Omen laptops and desktops to enhance their thermal performance. It is designed to effectively dissipate heat generated by high-performance components, such as powerful CPUs and GPUs, during intense gaming sessions or resource-intensive tasks.
The OMEN Tempest Cooling system incorporates a thoughtful design that optimizes airflow within the device. It utilizes strategically placed vents, air intakes, and exhausts to facilitate the intake of cool air and the expulsion of hot air, thus improving overall thermal management. Moreover, the cooling system integrates multiple heat pipes, which are responsible for transferring heat away from the critical components. Heat pipes efficiently conduct heat from the heat sources to the heat sinks, where it can be dissipated more effectively”, he says
Having the right cooling hardware is just half the story. You need great software to ensure optimal thermal performance as well. And that’s where the OMEN Gaming Hub comes into the picture.
Vickram says, “Our newly launched gaming portfolio is enhanced with the powerful new OMEN Gaming Hub. This software is specifically designed to optimize your gaming performance and ensure you get the most out of your PC and games. It offers a range of tools for performance optimization, personalized controls to customize your setup according to your preferences, and the flexibility to play all your favourite games effortlessly. The Processor Core Affinity Optimization within OMEN Optimizer helps in up to a 10 percent improvement in FPS. ECO Mode yields up to 20 percent longer battery life and up to a 7 dB reduction in fan noise in OMEN and Victus Laptops for quieter gaming sessions. Combined with other features such as Performance Mode, Network Booster, System Vitals, OMEN Gaming Hub enables gaming devices to work better together for a more enjoyable experience. We are proud to share that we currently have 2 million monthly active users with 40 million games boosted on Omen Gaming Hub.”
HP Victus gets an upgrade too
Ok. so maybe you are new to the world of laptop gaming and are a little intimidated by the prowess of the OMEN. Worry not. HP has you covered there as well.HP says that gaming is for everyone, even if the level of involvement may vary. “Our aim is to make gaming mainstream and create a gaming ecosystem that appeals to all types of audiences. That’s why we have expanded our gaming portfolio with a range of Victus laptops as an affordable gaming device that allows gamers to fully immerse themselves, get more involved, and enhance their gameplay”. But don’t be fooled. The Victus refresh also packs a punch when it comes to specs.
“The new Victus 16 Laptop delivers high performance in a mainstream device. It comes with 13th Gen Intel Core i7 mobile processor and up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPUs for strong performance. Elevated through OMEN Dynamic Power, users can start their gaming journeys with the flexibility for schoolwork, entertainment, and content creation. The Victus 16 Laptop is available at a starting price of INR 59,999/”, says Vickram.
But don’t think the Victus is treated as a smaller sibling of the OMEN. Some of the best features of the OMEN family are available to Victus gamers including the flagship Omen Tempest Cooling which enables the device to “maintain optimal temperatures for the CPU and GPU, allowing them to operate at their maximum potential for extended periods. With the OMEN Tempest Cooling system, the Victus gaming laptops can effectively manage heat dissipation and keep the components cool. This helps sustain higher boost clocks for longer durations, resulting in improved overall performance and responsiveness during gaming”.
Vickram adds, “The OMEN Tempest Cooling feature also reduces the risk of heat instability by efficiently regulating the internal temperatures. This ensures a more stable gaming experience, allowing gamers to focus on their gameplay without worrying about system crashes or interruptions. The integration of HP’s OMEN Tempest Cooling solution into the Victus gaming lineup ensures improved thermal management, sustained performance, stability, longevity, and a quieter gaming experience”.
In a country like India, where ambient temperatures affect every aspect of a PC’s performance, proper thermal management can’t be ignored. And one can say that India’s rigorous weather is an important factor for the development of optimal cooling solutions.
Vickram says, “According to user inputs, gamers wanted devices that support a strong cooling system while playing AAA games. Cooling technology, storage, RAM, and battery life are unique and crucial features for gaming devices, and a whopping 89% of consumers are willing to pay extra for these features.
Our market research has shown us that customers often underestimate the importance of thermal management when purchasing a gaming machine. That’s why we have focused on improving the thermal with Omen Tempest Cooling to our entire new gaming portfolio with Omen Transcend and Omen 16 being 34% and 29% better respectively, on thermals than their predecessors. We achieved this by redesigning our devices with a new airflow system and thinner blades. We also incorporated a square venting design to allow more air to flow in and out, and we made sure that the top hinge trunk doesn’t block the rear venting.
In addition to this, we have introduced the ECO Mode in the Omen Gaming Hub. This feature can reduce fan noise by up to 7 dB in OMEN and Victus Laptops, providing a more peaceful environment for intense gaming sessions. We have also learnt from our insights that gamers are looking for an elevated gaming experience. We integrated our gaming ecosystem with HyperX peripherals”.
While laptops play a key part in gamers’ lives, helping them take their games wherever they go, there is a new beast on the horizon – powerful portable handheld gaming consoles that are basically a PC in the form factor of a Nintendo Switch. I asked Vickram if a hand-held OMEN is on the horizon. He tells me, “We are constantly exploring and evaluating new form factors for gaming devices, including the possibility of a gaming handheld. We are assessing how well games perform on such a device and its long-term sustainability. Our focus is on understanding the trajectory of the handheld form factor and determining the long-term vision for it. We want to bring innovation to the table and enhance the handheld experience, potentially by improving cooling capabilities, which is an area where HP is known for expertise”.
If you are interested in experiencing HP’s portfolio of gaming devices, then there are dedicated OMEN experience zones pan India for you to check out and you can learn more about them here.
