We’re scraping the bottom of the barrel for innovations in gaming laptop design. Every big black rectangle can start to look the same, where shopping online for your next mobile gaming rig is like trying to meander through a hall of mirrors. The HP Omen Max 16 would be like every other laptop—even miss out on a few marks for overall feel compared to the competition—if it weren’t for the simple addition of a 2.4GHz receiver built into the shell. It’s an Apple-like feature that offers seamless connectivity with HP’s HyperX peripherals, and I didn’t know how much I needed it until I used it. HP still has kinks to work out, but it’s such an obvious addition to today’s ecosystem I wish every other PC maker would follow suit.
The $3,300 variant of the Omen Max 16 that HP sent me for review came with 32GB of RAM, an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 laptop GPU. All solid, but few elements of the laptop scream “max.” As far as mobile gaming goes, the latest Omen is not exactly a desktop replacement, even if performance is on the level of what I expect from devices of its size. It’s hindered by finicky software issues and a so-so keyboard that detracts from its solid specs and colorful display. In a practical sense, what you end up with in the end is a mid-size laptop that feels a generation away from being something truly special.
See HP OMEN MAX 16 at Best Buy
HP Omen Max 16 There are numerous software issues that hamper its best features, but performance and unique connectivity options offer a unique laptop. Pros Bright, colorful display
Bright, colorful display Tight performance, especially with easy overclocking
Tight performance, especially with easy overclocking Unique pairing options means leaving dongles behind Cons Multitude of software issues with Instant Pair
Multitude of software issues with Instant Pair Squishy and unsatisfying keyboard
Squishy and unsatisfying keyboard Big and hefty size
Players who want low latency for their wireless gear either opt for wired connections or 2.4GHz dongles. Most Bluetooth connections are simply too slow for most hardcore gaming needs. That’s because a Bluetooth connection won’t let you maximize the polling rate on your mice. That polling rate is how fast data from the mouse sensor gets sent to the PC, which is more important for games that require precise clicks, like first-person shooters or real-time strategy titles. A 2.4GHz connection will also help ensure audio isn’t compressed or garbled when it’s sent from a PC to a headset. So when HP, which makes HyperX gaming products, told me they stuck their 2.4GHz receiver inside the laptop itself, I felt like I was hit upside the head. It’s akin to how Apple automatically pairs its own Magic devices with its Mac products, but we haven’t seen a similar service specifically tailored to gamers.
Gamers are all too used to plugging in dongles, whether they’re Razer “Hyperspeed” connections to its various peripherals. Cutting out the number of dongles will only benefit gamers. The big problem with this setup is, for the time being, only the HP Omen Max 16 has this “Instant Pair” feature embedded. The only two peripherals it works with are the HyperX Pulsefire Saga Pro mouse and the HyperX Cloud III S headset. The Pulsefire has a 4,000Hz polling rate only accessible over 2.4GHz, while the HyperX Cloud III comes with both a plug-in boom mic as well as a built-in mic for when you don’t want a stick hovering near your lips, and either way you’ll want higher connection speeds for your friends to hear you.
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