The HP Omen 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is only fair.
The HP Omen 16 typically offers a more powerful GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, which are crucial for smooth and detailed gaming and 3D performance. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio may present a compromise with a less powerful GPU and lower refresh rate, yet still maintains good screen quality and a capable CPU for moderate gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.4/10
7.3/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The HP Omen 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Screen Quality
7.6/10
8.0/10
16.1in
SIZE
14.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
338.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The HP Omen 16 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio for software development, and content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a better screen for general use, and engineering and design.
The HP Omen 16 has a display that delivers adequate resolution and brightness, making it suitable for everyday tasks, but it lacks the higher refresh rates that gamers crave for smooth visuals in fast-paced games. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio offers a higher resolution and arguably better brightness, providing crisp and vibrant visuals for daily activities and professional tasks like engineering and design, where color accuracy is key; however, like the Omen, it falls short on the high refresh rates, making it less ideal for highly fluid gaming experiences. For both design and general purposes, these laptops perform well because of their display quality, but their standard refresh rates are not tailored for the demands of gaming and 3D applications.
Battery
6.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The HP Omen 16 has 6 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has 8 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
Fair
Good
16.1in
SIZE
14.4in
5.4 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has good portability, while the HP Omen 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
8.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has very good build quality, while the HP Omen 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,100
$1,700
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The HP Omen 16 has a price of $1,100 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio costs $1,700.
The HP Omen 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio are both good for general use.
The HP Omen 16 is suited for general use due to its robust CPU and RAM, high screen refresh rate, and sizable 16.1-inch display, although it is less portable and has a shorter battery life than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, which offers a unique flexible hinge for tablet use, a higher resolution and brighter screen for sharp visuals, but comes with a slightly less powerful CPU and GPU, making it slightly less suited for the most demanding tasks. While both laptops provide ample storage and quality keyboards, the Omen excels in heat management and gaming potential, and the Surface Laptop boasts of a better portability score and longer battery life, making it more convenient for on-the-go use.
Content Creation
7.8/10
7.4/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The HP Omen 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio are both good for content creation.
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
7.6/10
7.3/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The HP Omen 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio are both good for software development.
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.
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How the HP Omen 16 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio compare to other laptops
"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"."
"There’s no doubt that the Surface Laptop Studio is groundbreaking. We’ve come to expect such things from the Surface lineup, so it’s always nice to see a product that exceeds our expectations. The pull-forward laptop-screen concept has been tried before, but never in a device that’s so stylish and packed with innovative features like a haptic touchpad and robust digital stylus support."
Get a great deal on the HP Omen 16 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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.
About Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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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About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.