Considering the tradeoffs between the HP 15" Laptop and the HP Omen 16, if your primary concern is affordability and basic tasks such as web browsing, word processing, and light multitasking, the HP 15" with its lower price might be suitable for you. It's lighter, making it more portable, but has a weaker processor and graphics which are not ideal for intensive tasks. On the other hand, if you need more power for gaming, 3D rendering, or heavy multitasking, the HP Omen 16, despite being more expensive, offers a much more capable processor, advanced graphics, and a higher refresh rate screen which is beneficial for fast-paced games. However, the Omen is heavier and potentially has shorter battery life given its high-performance components. Choose the HP 15" for everyday use and value, or the HP Omen 16 for high performance and gaming capability. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the HP 15" Laptop
Good portability
Advantages of the HP Omen 16
Good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.7/10
7.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
338.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.7/10
The HP Omen 16 is good for general use, while the HP 15" Laptop is only fair.
The HP 15" Laptop is equipped with a basic Intel i3 processor, less RAM, and a standard screen refresh rate, which are suitable for everyday tasks but may lag in performance intensive scenarios, and it offers a balance between fair screen quality and portability with a good battery life.
Gaming and AI
5.9/10
8.0/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The HP Omen 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the HP 15" Laptop is poor.
The HP Omen 16 is very good for gaming and 3D thanks to its high-performance Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics card and a screen with a high refresh rate of 165Hz, whereas the HP 15" Laptop is considered just fair in this aspect because it has a less capable Intel i3 UHD Graphics and a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
6.2/10
8.4/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The HP Omen 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the HP 15" Laptop is only fair.
The HP Omen 16 outperforms the HP 15" Laptop in engineering and design use due to its superior central processing unit (CPU), double the random-access memory (RAM), and a more advanced graphics processing unit (GPU), all which are considered very important for such tasks; additionally, the Omen 16 features a higher quality screen, which directly impacts the visuals of engineering and design projects. Despite the larger size and weight impacting portability, the Omen 16 also has a better keyboard and operates more quietly than the HP 15", further enhancing the user experience for intensive use, though these aspects are somewhat less critical than the internal components.
Content Creation
6.9/10
7.8/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The HP Omen 16 is good for content creation, while the HP 15" Laptop is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
6.7/10
7.6/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The HP Omen 16 is good for software development, while the HP 15" Laptop is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
6.3/10
7.6/10
15.6in
SIZE
16.1in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
338.0 nits
The HP Omen 16 has a better screen than the HP 15" Laptop for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
When considering general use, the HP 15" laptop's screen may not be as sharp or bright as one might prefer, while the HP Omen 16 offers a better visual experience due to higher resolution and increased brightness, making it easier on the eyes during everyday activities. For engineering and design work, where color precision is key, the HP Omen 16's wider color gamuts ensure more accurate color representation, crucial for those detailed tasks, whereas the HP 15" may fall short in this aspect. The HP Omen 16, while good for general use and engineering, doesn't offer the high refresh rate desired for smooth 3D rendering and fast-paced gaming, which could limit its effectiveness in those areas.
Portability
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
16.1in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The HP 15" Laptop has good portability, while the HP Omen 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.0/10
7.4/10
The HP Omen 16 has good build quality, while the HP 15" Laptop has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$378
$1,100
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The HP 15" Laptop has a price of $378 and the HP Omen 16 costs $1,100.
"Chances are high that the HP 15 is one of the first laptops to pop up when you search for an inexpensive notebook. Indeed, its price tag is very tempting for many, and of course, this is the reason for its popularity. However, the HP 15" suffers from poor performance due to low power consumption. On the bright side, one of the good things about it is the port selection. On the inside, this includes two SODIMM slots for memory, an M.2 PCIe x4 slot for storage, and a SATA drive bay. However, the TN panel, and mediocre input devices are not ideal."
"The Omen 16 has proven to be a fairly good mid-range gaming laptop with all-around improvements compared to the Omen 15. The high overall performance level across all use cases, the long battery life, and the good FHD display constitute the main advantages of this HP laptop. The main drawbacks are the faulty touchpad (one-off?) and the high latencies that can be observed even after just opening the browser. Furthermore, the useless, preinstalled 30-day trial versions of various software also fall under the category "unnecessary"."
Get a great deal on the HP 15" Laptop or the HP Omen 16
About HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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