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Updated January 10, 2024·
Choosing between the HP Omen 17 and the MSI GF65 Thin depends on what you value most. The HP Omen 17 has a larger screen, more storage, and a more powerful processor and graphics card, making it better suited for intensive gaming, 3D modeling, and engineering work. However, it's also heavier and bulkier, which means it's less portable. The MSI GF65 Thin is lighter and easier to carry around, offers a decent performance that can handle general use and some gaming but has less storage and a less robust processor and GPU. If you prioritize performance and can handle a heavier machine, the HP Omen 17 is a solid choice. If you value portability and are looking at a slightly lower price point, the MSI GF65 Thin could be the way to go, as long as you're okay with some compromises in computing power. 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 Omen 17
- Good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI GF65 Thin
- Good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.8
6.5
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
350.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
3.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The HP Omen 17 is good for general use, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The HP Omen 17 is better for general use due to its superior CPU and GPU, higher-quality screen, and more RAM, which contribute to better performance and visuals, but it's less portable and has a shorter battery life compared to the MSI GF65 Thin. Meanwhile, the MSI GF65 Thin offers decent general use capability with a solid CPU and GPU for its class, better portability with a lighter weight and longer battery life, but it falls short in screen resolution and color coverage, which affects display quality.
Gaming and AI
9.0
6.8
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The HP Omen 17 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The HP Omen 17 is very good for gaming and 3D due to its high-end Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU and a screen with a high refresh rate, which ensure smoother visual performance and better rendering capabilities for demanding applications. On the other hand, the MSI GF65 Thin, with its Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and lower refresh rate, provides fair performance, which is sufficient for less intensive gaming and 3D tasks, but falls short for cutting-edge gaming experiences.
Engineering and Design
8.8
6.7
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The HP Omen 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The HP Omen 17 stands out in engineering and design use with its more powerful processor, higher capacity RAM and GPU, and better screen quality, all crucial for resource-intensive tasks and visual precision. In contrast, the MSI GF65 Thin is lighter and more portable, but with lower-end CPU and GPU, less RAM, and a screen that doesn't match the quality of the Omen, making it less optimal for demanding engineering and design tasks but still capable for general use.
Content Creation
8.0
6.8
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The HP Omen 17 is very good for content creation, while the MSI GF65 Thin 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
7.7
6.3
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The HP Omen 17 is good for software development, while the MSI GF65 Thin 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
7.9
6.8
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
350.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The HP Omen 17 has a better screen than the MSI GF65 Thin for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The HP Omen 17, with its high resolution and brightness, offers a crisp and vibrant display that is a pleasure for everyday tasks and detailed enough for engineering applications, but its lower refresh rate hinders the smoothness required for high-paced gaming and 3D graphics. The MSI GF65 Thin has a display with adequate brightness and resolution, making it acceptable for day-to-day activities and basic design work, yet both the color range and refresh rate are not ideal for professional color grading or fluid gaming experiences. Consequently, for those prioritizing office and engineering tasks, the HP Omen 17 might be a better fit, while gamers and 3D artists could find both options less than optimal.
Battery
3.5 Hours
4.5 Hours
The HP Omen 17 has 3.5 hours of battery life. The MSI GF65 Thin has 4.5 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
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
6.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The MSI GF65 Thin has good portability, while the HP Omen 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
6.7
The HP Omen 17 has good build quality, while the MSI GF65 Thin has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,700
$1,100
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The HP Omen 17 has a price of $1,700 and the MSI GF65 Thin costs $1,100.
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How the HP Omen 17 and the MSI GF65 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| HP Omen 17 | MSI GF65 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,700 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2023 | January 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.6'' x 10.3'' x 1.06'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.17 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.64" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.32" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700HX | Intel i5-10500H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 3.5 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 83 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1440 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 350 nits | 262 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
HP Omen 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marc Herter | September 2022
"The HP Omen 17 (2022) gaming laptop has a stylish case and hardware with lots of potential. The HP Omen 17 is a fairly unobtrusive gaming laptop. A material combination of plastic and metal gives the case a high stability and a quality surface feel. The unspectacular design is pleasing and is hardly indicative of the laptop's high performance potential. The Intel Core i7-12700H in particular is able to perform well once again. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti is also strong in the gaming notebook. Demanding games run smoothly in Full HD resolution. The HP Omen 17 is a good gaming laptop that delivers partly excellent performance. But even at this performance level, cheaper alternatives are available."
MSI GF65 Thin
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2021
"The MSI GF65 Thin offers a GeForce RTX 3060 on a budget. The MSI GF65 is a relatively inexpensive RTX 3060 laptop and, perhaps not coincidentally, it also comes with a slower-than-average RTX 3060 GPU. Other laptops we've tested thus far with the same GPU are about 10 to 15 percent faster. CPU performance is also slightly slower than average unless if users decide to enable Cooler Boost mode. Colors, black-white response times, Thunderbolt, and DisplayPort are either average or completely omitted. Gamers who want to maximize performance-per-dollar without sacrificing RAM or SSD upgradeability will find the lightweight MSI GF65 attractive."
Get a great deal on the HP Omen 17 or the MSI GF65 Thin
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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