Windows Central Verdict
The brand-new HP OMEN MAX 16 breaks into a new category for HP, and it truly is the most ridiculously powerful laptop we've seen from the OMEN brand. With a good-looking and high-quality aluminum design and some enticing add-ons like the overclockable "Unleashed" performance profile and unique auto fan cleaning, this laptop really can keep up with the best. It's not the best, though, especially when it comes to off-charger performance and noise.
Pros
- +
Sleek, premium design with a visually striking keyboard
- +
Excellent performance across the board
- +
Unique "Fan Cleaner" mode that aims to increase lifespan
- +
Powerful software with in-depth overclocking options
Cons
- -
Major performance throttling off the charger (especially the GPU)
- -
Loud and pretty obnoxious fans
- -
Mushy keyboard
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We've seen some great gaming laptops come out of the HP OMEN brand, but most are either budget/mid-range machines or focus on portability instead of power.
This year, HP is coming out swinging with the new OMEN MAX 16, the company's new flagship beast packed with the most powerful and capable mobile gaming hardware on the market.
The result is one of the best premium 16-inch gaming laptops you can buy, able to go toe-to-toe with Lenovo Legion, Alienware, and other trusted brands. It's powerful and feature-filled, but still boasts a sleek and premium design.
The HP OMEN MAX 16 (2025) can even lay claim to some unique features, like automatic fan cleaning and surprisingly flexible software (including overclocking support).
Any potential purchaser needs to be aware that this laptop takes a bigger-than-average hit to performance when disconnected from the charger, though, and those fans are among the more obnoxious I've heard in a high-end gaming laptop.
I almost always have a gaming laptop on my desk, and I can combine my years spent gaming on PC with my hundreds of hours of experience reviewing laptops to test every part of those mobile gaming machines.
This review was made possible thanks to a review sample provided by HP. HP had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.
OMEN MAX 16 review: Cheat sheet
- What is it? A high-end 16-inch gaming laptop powered by the latest Intel and NVIDIA hardware.
- Who is it for? Those who want a premium, feature-packed gaming laptop with excellent performance.
- How much does it cost? The HP OMEN MAX 16 (2025) starts from $2,499.99 at HP, but our recommended configuration is $3,339.99 at Best Buy.
- What did I like? The premium all-metal design, great performance and thermal management, and useful extra features.
- What did I not like? The performance throttling off the charger, the loud fans, and the average keyboard.
OMEN MAX 16 review: Pricing and specifications
Being the new king of the HP OMEN laptop lineup, this isn't a cheap device.
The HP OMEN MAX 16 (2025) starts from $2,499.99 at HP, and that's with an Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, 16GB of RAM, 512GB of SSD storage, and a 1200p IPS LCD display.
You have plenty of display, CPU, GPU, memory, and storage configuration options from HP, and you can even choose between black and white.
My review configuration upgrades to a Core Ultra 9 275HX, RTX 5090, 32GB of RAM, 2TB of SSD storage, a 1600p OLED display, and a few other changes for around $1,900.
I personally don't recommend upgrading all the way to the RTX 5090, though, as it's a $540 up charge over the RTX 5080 and does not provide meaningful performance gains when gaming.
Spec | HP OMEN MAX 16 (2025) |
|---|---|
Display | Up to 16-inch OLED, 16:10 aspect ratio, QHD+ (2,560 x 1,600) resolution, 240Hz refresh rate, 0.2ms response time, 400 nits max brightness, 500 nits HDR brightness |
CPU | Up to Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX (Arrow Lake architecture, 24 cores, 24 threads, up to 5.4GHz boost) |
GPU | Up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 (Blackwell architecture, 24GB GDDR7) |
NPU | Intel AI Boost (Up to 13 TOPS) |
Memory | Up to 64GB @ 5,600MHz (2x SODIMM slots) |
Storage | Up to 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen 5x4 SSD or up to 2TB M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen 4x4 SSD |
Ports | 2x Thunderbolt 4 (40GBps, DisplayPort 2.1, 140W Power Delivery 3.0, HP Sleep and Charge), 1x USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 2 (10GBps, HP Sleep and Charge), 1x USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 2 (10GBps), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x Ethernet RJ45, 1x 3.5mm audio jack |
Connectivity | Up to Wi-Fi 7 2x2, up to Bluetooth 5.4 |
Battery | 83Whr, up to 330W AC charger |
Dimensions | 356.5 x 269 x 22.9-24.8mm (14.04 x 10.59 x 0.9-0.98in) |
Weight | ~2.75kg (~6.06lbs) |
Warranty | 1-year limited |
In the box, you'll find the HP OMEN MAX 16 (2025) gaming laptop and an AC charger between 280-330W, depending on your configuration.
OMEN MAX 16 review: Design and build quality
The HP OMEN MAX 16 embraces the "MAX" portion of its name, an imposing hunk of aluminum and glass that you'll definitely notice on your desk or in your bag. That being said, this laptop is also noticeably more premium than your average plastic-clad machine.
At 23-25mm thick and just over 6lbs, the OMEN MAX is a fair bit chunkier than the svelte Razer Blade 16 (2025) I reviewed, but it's around the same size (just a bit sleeker) as the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i (Gen 10) I also reviewed.
Build quality is immaculate, though. This laptop is constructed entirely of matte black (or silver) aluminum and feels incredibly solid, with minimal flexing anywhere. The 16-inch display is covered by glass and surrounded by slim and seamless bezels, giving the OMEN MAX a modern look.
You can't have a high-end gaming laptop without RGB lighting, though, and HP delivered with an RGB light bar on the front edge of the laptop and the unique (and divisive) lattice-less keyboard.
The HP OMEN MAX 16 has a protruding rear shelf that houses ventilation and a handful of rear-facing ports, and HP chose those ports well. You'll find the charging port, HDMI 2.1 display output port, Ethernet port, and a single USB Type-A port tucked out of sight for a cleaner setup.
Around one side, you'll find a 3.5mm audio jack and dual Thunderbolt 4 ports with the full range of Thunderbolt features, including Power Delivery for when you need to charge in a pinch. I do wish one of these Thunderbolt ports was on the other side, though.
On the other side, all you'll find is a second USB Type-A port. It's not the greatest number of ports on a gaming laptop and a third Type-A port would be useful to have, but two Thunderbolt 4 ports gives you a lot of flexibility.
The OMEN MAX has a secret weapon, too — built-in wireless connectivity for up to three supported HyperX accessories, which should reduce the strain on your valuable USB ports.
OMEN MAX 16 review: Display quality
No gaming laptop is complete without a smooth and responsive display, and the OMEN MAX 16 (2025) employs one of the smoothest and most responsive panels you'll find on any machine.
At the high-end, you'll find a 16-inch OLED display with a crispy 1600p resolution, 240Hz refresh rate, and class-leading 0.2ms response time. Of course, that OLED tech also means punchy colors, perfect blacks, and fantastic color accuracy.
Visually, the OMEN MAX 16's large and striking screen is a treat to use, and it excels at content creation, web browsing and productivity, media consumption, and gaming in equal measure.
Yes, performance is excellent, with NVIDIA G-SYNC and NVIDIA Advanced Optimus support to keep your display, your laptop, and your games in perfect harmony.
Setting | Brightness (nits) | Black | Contrast | White point |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% | 18.8 | 0 | Infinite | 6,400K (0.314, 0.332) |
25% | 59 | 0 | Infinite | 6,400K (0.314, 0.332) |
50% | 143.1 | 0 | Infinite | 6,500K (0.313, 0.331) |
75% | 235.7 | 0 | Infinite | 6,500K (0.313, 0.330) |
100% | 395.7 | 0 | Infinite | 6,500K (0.312, 0.329) |
If you really dive into this display's capabilities, though, you'll see it doesn't quite reach the same heights as my current personal favorite screen on a gaming laptop, which belongs to the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i (Gen 10).
Don't get me wrong — this is a top-notch panel, but it doesn't get quite as dim or as bright, its white balance isn't quite as consistent across brightness levels, and HP provides even fewer display customization options through its software than Lenovo does.
High Dynamic Range (HDR) performance isn't as impressive, either, with a peak brightness of 500 nits and no Dolby Vision certification. The Legion Pro 7i is a more expensive laptop, but it's not without reason.
One shared weakness? The use of Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) for dimming. This display does seem to flicker at a high rate, so only those with extreme sensitivities should be affected, but it's always worth mentioning (especially with the lack of software customization).
Fortunately, HP does offer IPS LCD display options for the OMEN MAX 16 (2025), which is absolutely not a given for modern premium laptops.
OMEN MAX 16 review: Performance and thermals
To lay claim to the title as HP's most powerful gaming laptop, the OMEN MAX 16 needs the most impressive hardware money can buy. That's where Intel and NVIDIA step in with the latest Core Ultra (Series 2) chipsets and GeForce RTX 50-series GPUs.
My review configuration twists the dial beyond its limit with a 24-core Core Ultra 9 275HX and 24GB RTX 5090. As you'd expect, the OMEN MAX blitzes any task or game, breezing through the toughest workloads without breaking a sweat.
You can go even further with a PCIe Gen5 SSD and up to 64GB of RAM, but this laptop doesn't really need it.
The HP OMEN MAX 16 (2025) impresses when it comes to thermal performance, too, thanks to HP's redesigned vapor chamber cooling solution and new "Cryo Compound" thermal paste.
I ran this laptop through 3DMark's Time Spy benchmark 25 times, and this laptop maintained a 99.4% framerate stability — one of the best performances I've ever seen. The trade-off is that these fans are loud, and tend to break through the noise with a wider, higher-pitched frequency.
If you pore over the HP OMEN MAX's benchmark results, you can observe three things: this laptop is a proper powerhouse, it's still not quite as performant as the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i, and the GeForce RTX 5090 GPU still isn't worth paying for.
On the first two, the OMEN MAX really is an incredibly capable laptop, but it can't claim to be the most powerful laptop you can buy. It's also thinner and costs less than the Legion Pro 7i, so the minor power differential is easily forgiven.
On the third point, don't bother paying extra for the RTX 5090, unless you absolutely need the most VRAM possible. The RTX 5080 will save you hundreds and offer nearly identical gaming performance.
Speaking of gaming performance...
- Forza Horizon 5 — 168 FPS (Extreme preset, 1600p resolution, 240Hz refresh rate, v-sync enabled, NVIDIA DLSS Super Resolution/Frame Generation/Reflex Low Latency disabled) | 239 FPS (Max settings, v-sync disabled, NVIDIA DLSS Super Resolution set to Auto, NVIDIA DLSS Frame Generation/Reflex Low Latency enabled)
- Gears 5 — 156 FPS (Ultra preset, 1600p resolution, uncapped framerate, v-sync enabled)
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 — 146 FPS (Extreme preset, 1600p resolution, 240Hz refresh rate, v-sync enabled, NVIDIA DLSS Super Resolution set to Performance, NVIDIA DLSS Frame Generation disabled, NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency enabled)
- Cyberpunk 2077 — 86 FPS (Ray Tracing: Ultra preset, 1600p resolution, 240Hz refresh rate, v-sync enabled, NVIDIA DLSS Super Resolution Transformer Model set to Auto, NVIDIA DLSS Frame Generation/Ray Reconstruction disabled, NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency enabled) | 177 FPS (Ray Tracing: Overdrive preset, v-sync disabled, NVIDIA DLSS Multi-Frame Generation set to 4x, NVIDIA DLSS Ray Reconstruction enabled)
One of the main selling points of NVIDIA's latest generation of graphics cards is DLSS 4, and most notably Multi-Frame Generation (which uses AI to create up to three imaginary frames for each frame that's actually rendered in-game), but I didn't need to rely on those features to enjoy fantastic and stable framerates.
Just make sure you have a headset handy, those fans are more than capable of drowning out game audio.
OMEN MAX 16 review: Software and AI experience
The HP OMEN MAX runs Windows 11, of course, and it runs it very well. I was unsurprised (if continually disappointed) to find HP still loads its consumer devices with a ton of preloaded bloatware and ads, though, including embedded links you have to hunt down in your files to remove.
HP's own apps are still fragmented across seven different apps, too, and when you add the OMEN Gaming Hub, HyperX's app, and Intel and NVIDIA's programs you get quite the list of preinstalled software.
The OMEN MAX 16 technically is an AI PC, but it is not a Copilot+ PC and is therefore missing a ton of Windows AI features. That's on Intel choosing to bake a less powerful, 13 TOPS Neural Processing Unit (NPU) in its highest-end chipsets, far below the 45 TOPS the best AI laptops need.
That NPU can still be used, though, and you can also rely on the absurdly capable NVIDIA GPUs for all your AI needs.
HP takes advantage in some ways, too, most notably with its unique OMEN AI feature, which aims to automatically and dynamically tune not just your laptop's hardware and Windows, but even your games themselves to obtain the best visuals and performance.
That feature is built into the OMEN Gaming Hub, and it's good to have (and easy to ignore if you don't want it). The OMEN Gaming Hub is the control center for the OMEN MAX 16, and is a rather messy all-in-one app that combines a launcher, a game store, performance overlays, hardware settings, lighting customization, and media management in one.
It works well, though, and you get a fair number of options for managing your laptop, including in-depth performance metrics, key remapping, RGB customization, and more.
The best part, though, is the "Unleashed" performance profile, which provides granular controls for overclocking, CPU calibration and power limits, fan speeds, and much more. It's seriously impressive how much control HP gives you out of the box, and will be a big boon for power users and hardcore nerds.
The OMEN Gaming Hub is also where you access the fan cleaner, another feature unique to the OMEN MAX 16. Basically, this laptop's cooling system is designed to allow the fans to spin in reverse, ejecting any dust or debris buildup. The goal is to improve the long-term health of your laptop and prevent thermal degradation over time.
I obviously can't test for years of use, but if this feature makes a difference, I hope we see it in many more laptops moving forward.
OMEN MAX 16 review: Battery experience
HP stashed an 83Whr battery inside this 16-inch laptop, which is actually on the small size for a full-sized gaming laptop. These machines rarely achieve great battery life as it is, so the OMEN MAX 16 is a little worse than its competitors.
Looping an HD video for an hour at 200 nits display brightness and 50% volume resulted in a 38% battery drain, where the Legion Pro 7i (Gen 10) drained 35% under the same criteria.
Running a Windows Battery Report returned around 3 hours of real-world usage. You can add to that runtime by nuking every setting and feature, but the OMEN MAX 16 will never be a reliable all-day machine.
Considering how much it throttles itself off the charger, that's a shame. The OMEN MAX 16 saw a 32% reduction in CPU performance, but a whopping 80% drop in GPU performance. That's one of the most aggressive cuts I've ever seen, and makes this laptop no better at gaming on battery power than the latest Intel and AMD integrated graphics.
There's no real workaround, either, as HP forces the OMEN MAX 16 into a battery-specific performance profile and ignores all your performance settings until you plug it in. Even if you'd only get an hour or two of battery life, some people highly value being able to flex that GPU anywhere, and the OMEN MAX 16 doesn't really let you.
OMEN MAX 16 review: Keyboard and touchpad
HP has carried its distinct and divisive keyboard design to the OMEN MAX 16 (2025). You'll be able to spot this keyboard from a distance, thanks to the translucent edges of each key, giving the RGB backlighting far more space to breathe.
Some will love the vibrant colors and others will prefer the precise lighting of other laptops, but either way, the OMEN MAX 16's keyboard is... Decent. This is a lattice-less design, which makes the keyboard feels more cramped than I'd like, and the typing action is softer and less responsive than the best.
The layout is solid, as long as you're okay with a down-sized tenkey number pad off to one side and half-sized up and down arrow keys, but HP at least illuminates secondary functions for keys, and holding down the FN key will highlight shortcuts.
The touchpad is equally decent. It's smooth, with precise inputs and gestures thanks to Microsoft Precision drivers, but it's also a little on the small side and didn't feel quite as accurate as the best laptop touchpads.
OMEN MAX 16 review: Other hardware
As a high-end laptop, the OMEN MAX 16 is expected to tick a lot of boxes for a lot of people. The FHD front-facing camera is solid, and it even boasts Windows Hello facial recognition (something the more expensive Legion Pro 7i sadly misses), and there's a physical privacy shutter.
Audio is handled by a dual-speaker system and dual-array microphones, are both are equally good. The speakers aren't the loudest and sound flat and narrow in general, but the audio quality is at least clean and detailed.
The OMEN MAX 16 can be equipped with up to Wi-Fi 7 2x2 and Bluetooth 5.4 for wireless connectivity, and I never encountered any issues with either.
One of this laptop's unique features, though, is the ability to connect to up to three wireless HyperX accessories without a USB dongle, which is awesome — and I wish Razer would do the same.
OMEN MAX 16 review: Also consider
OMEN MAX 16 review: Score card
Attribute | Rating & notes |
|---|---|
Value | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — The OMEN MAX 16 is a premium laptop, but actually undercuts its biggest competitors and offers a comparable experience. |
Design | ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ — This is an attractive, undeniably premium gaming laptop with excellent build quality and a good selection of ports. |
Display | ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ — This gorgeous OLED display does have the same weaknesses as HP's other laptops, but you also get great IPS LCD display options. |
Performance | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — The OMEN MAX 16 is a very strong performer and does an excellent job keeping itself cool, but loud fans and off-charger performance bring it down. |
Software | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — HP still preloads too much bloatware on its consumer laptops, but OMEN Gaming Hub gives you a ton of control over your performance. |
Battery | ⭐⭐⭐½ — You won't want to take this laptop away from the charger for long, especially with how much of a hit its performance takes when you unplug. |
Keyboard | ⭐⭐⭐½ — This is a solid, comfortable keyboard, but its visual design will be divisive and its simply not as good as the competition. |
Other hardware | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — The OMEN MAX 16 is premium across the board and adds some unique features, but also falls short in the same ways many gaming laptops do. |
Overall | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — HP has done an excellent job closing the gap with its most powerful laptop yet, but it's not quite ready to take the crown. |
OMEN MAX 16 review: My final thoughts
✅You should buy this if ...
- You want a premium, powerful 16-inch gaming laptop.
- You appreciate having a choice between OLED and IPS LCD displays.
- You use wireless HyperX gaming accessories.
❌You should not buy this if ...
- You still need great performance when off the charger.
- You want a quieter laptop, even when gaming or working.
Competition is fierce in the high-end gaming laptop segment, and HP is joining the fray with the OMEN MAX 16. HP's first crack at a properly premium and potently powerful 16-inch machine is far more good than it is bad.
This laptop is attractive and well-built, with a good selection of configuration options (including multiple displays), and top-notch performance that — while not surpassing — does at least keep up with the very best in the category, with above average thermal management to boot.
The OMEN MAX 16 even boasts some unique features of its own, like a way to keep the fans clear of debris over time, a built-in receiver for connecting to HyperX accessories, and a ton of performance tuning settings straight out of the box.
The keyboard and other extraneous hardware features are on the average side, performance takes a massive hit off the charger, and those fans are loud, but this is still a great gaming laptop for those with the cash to splash for it.
You can configure your own HP OMEN MAX 16 (2025) from $2,499.99 at HP, but my top recommendation will run you $3,339.99 at Best Buy if you want a more capable machine.
I'd still choose the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i, but that doesn't mean the OMEN MAX 16 hasn't thoroughly earned my recommendation. This is a quality laptop with plenty of power under the hood, and HP's configuration options and unique features give it a leg up over the competition.
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