Late last year HP introduced the Omen, a super-thin gaming laptop similar to the Razer Blade. Now the company is putting that same laptop to work with its new Omen Pro mobile workstation.
Aesthetically, the system is essentially the same as the Omen. It has a dark, metallic chassis that’s only 19 millimeters (about three-quarters of an inch) thick. Weight is a bit under five pounds, which isn’t bad for a 15-inch system. The Pro model even carries over the extra-wide touchpad found in the gaming system. There is just notable change, and that’s the switch from red LED keyboard backlighting to a more subdued white.
The Omen Pro’s specifications are impressive despite the system’s thin profile. We’re talking a 4th-generation Core i7 quad, Nvidia Quadro K1100M graphics, and a 1080p touchscreen. The system also equips an HP Z Turbo Drive, which the company claims can double the performance of SATA solid state drives. Storage capacity is available only in 256GB and 512GB options.
Connectivity is provided by four USB 3.0 ports, an unusually high number for a thin 15-inch laptop. Video output includes mini-DisplayPort and HDMI. There’s also a combo headphone/microphone jack, of course.
And last, but not least, the Omen Pro has HP’s 3-year “3/3/3” warranty. That’s worth several hundred dollars alone, as most systems come with only one year of coverage.
But you’re not getting it, or the laptop’s other features, for free. HP has marked the Omen Pro up to $2,200, which is $700 more than the base Omen. That might be hard for some buyers to swallow considering the Pro model’s Quadro K1100M is much slower than the base Omen’s GTX 860M.
It’s also odd to see HP decide against an optional 4K panel. We recently tested a Dell Precision M3800 with 4K for $2,250, which is right in the Omen Pro’s price range. HP may believe most buyers don’t need such an extreme resolution, and it’d be right, but 1080p resolution is a bit boring in any laptop that sells above two grand.
If you’re convinced by HP’s pitch, though, you don’t need to wait. The Omen Pro is available for order immediately.
