The HP 17" Laptop, being less expensive, is suitable for general use with decent performance due to its AMD Ryzen 7 processor and integrated graphics. Its larger 17.3-inch screen offers comfortable viewing but makes it less portable, and its average battery life is satisfactory for routine tasks. The HP Omen 16, on the other hand, is tailored for gaming and demanding applications, featuring a high-performance Intel i7 processor and Nvidia RTX graphics, providing substantial graphical power and faster screen refresh rates for smooth visuals. It is more costly, slightly heavier, comes with customizable RGB lighting, and has an above-average battery life to support intensive use. If budget constraints are critical and your work doesn't include gaming or resource-heavy software, the HP 17" is a solid choice, while if you require peak performance for gaming, 3D rendering, or engineering software, the Omen 16 is a better but pricier option. 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 17" Laptop
Good portability
Advantages of the HP Omen 16
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Good battery life
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
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
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The HP Omen 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the HP 17" Laptop is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
6.8/10
8.4/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The HP Omen 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the HP 17" Laptop is only fair.
The HP Omen 16 is particularly well-suited for engineering and design due to its high-performance Intel i7 processor, dedicated Nvidia RTX graphics, and a screen that has higher brightness and color space coverage than the HP 17" Laptop. While both laptops have the same amount of RAM, the superior CPU and GPU in the HP Omen 16, coupled with a better display for color accuracy, make it stand out for more demanding engineering tasks, despite it being less portable and likely louder due to more powerful components that generate more heat.
Content Creation
7.2/10
7.8/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The HP Omen 16 and HP 17" Laptop are both good for content creation, though the HP Omen 16 is somewhat better.
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
7.1/10
7.6/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
16.0 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 and HP 17" Laptop are both good for software development, though the HP Omen 16 is somewhat better.
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
6.6/10
7.6/10
17.3in
SIZE
16.1in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
287.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
338.0 nits
The HP Omen 16 has a better screen than the HP 17" Laptop for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The HP 17" laptop's screen may lack the sharpness and vibrancy desired by professionals and gamers due to moderate resolution and standard brightness, but it suffices for everyday activities like browsing and document editing. While the HP Omen 16 provides a visually richer experience with better color accuracy and contrasts, making it suitable for tasks that involve precision like engineering and design, it falls short for gaming and 3D applications because it doesn't have the high refresh rates needed for smooth motion rendering. Despite having improved color gamut coverage essential for engineering and design work, both laptops do not fully cater to the gaming and 3D community who prioritize fluid visuals that come with higher refresh rates.
Build Quality
6.0/10
7.4/10
The HP Omen 16 has good build quality, while the HP 17" Laptop has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$850
$1,100
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The HP 17" Laptop has a price of $850 and the HP Omen 16 costs $1,100.
The HP Omen 16 and HP 17" Laptop are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Battery
5.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The HP 17" Laptop has 5.5 hours of battery life. The HP Omen 16 has 6 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Good
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
16.1in
4.5 lbs
WEIGHT
5.4 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.9in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP 17" Laptop to have good portability, while the HP Omen 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the HP 17" Laptop and the HP Omen 16 compare to other laptops
"As far as starter laptops go, the HP Laptop 17 is a sound investment. Sure, it might not be the lightest of options, but what you get for the price is a well-rounded machine that fits multiple niches. Whether it be office duties that require you to multi-task between multiple programs, or study tasks in which you’ll spend hours browsing online, this laptop does it all. Plus, when it's time to unwind, you can watch your favorite shows or movies on a super-wide display. What's best of all is that you can do all this for about half a day on a single charge."
"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 17" 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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