I test the best gaming laptops for a living, but even I have a hard time deciding which one I would buy for myself.
It’s true that I can be demanding. I need a machine with enough power to play the best PC games, but I also want something that’s slim and portable. Besides that, I would prefer a gaming laptop that doesn’t look like it.
Those are very specific requirements but they are not unrealistic. In fact, I’m currently testing a gaming laptop that ticks all of those boxes… and more. Enter the HP Omen Transcend 14.
My full review will be up soon, but I wanted to post my initial thoughts on the Omen Transcend 14 as it’s currently my favorite gaming laptop of the year. It’s not perfect, but for what it offers, I think it’s a great product that achieves its main goals: that is, a solid gaming experience on a slim machine. Even if the initial cost of $1,499 isn’t cheap, it’s worth the investment. This is why.
Killer design
I know that when it comes to electronics it’s what’s on the inside that counts, but why shouldn’t a device also look good? After all, Apple has built its career on that foundation. Although the HP Omen Transcend 14 isn’t as stylish as some of the best MacBooks, it certainly gives those laptops a run for their money in the aesthetic department.
You could easily mistake the Omen Transcend 14 for a non-gaming laptop thanks to its understated design. There’s no RGB lighting or flashy logos on the outside of the slim machined aluminum chassis. Instead of sharp angles or seams, it’s all smooth, rounded curves. If you’re out in public, it will be difficult to identify this machine as a gaming laptop at a glance.
Visually, the only thing that characterizes the Omen Transcend 14 as a gaming laptop is the RGB keyboard. Since most of the light shines around the keys rather than under them, colors spill onto the keyboard deck. This is one of the more elegant uses of RGB lighting, and I say this as someone who usually doesn’t care about all those extra colors.
Measuring 12.3 x 9.1 x 0.7 inches and weighing 3.6 pounds, the Omen Transcend 14 is ideal for travel, which is a big plus if you already carry a bag full of other electronics . There are lighter, thinner laptops, like the 13-inch MacBook Air M3 (11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches / 2.7 pounds), but for a gaming laptop, the Omen Transcend 14 is practically light.
Impressive gaming performance
I like 4K gaming at 60+ frames per second as much as the next guy. But in the case of gaming laptops, I’m willing to compromise… to a point. For example, in my opinion, 1080p is perfectly fine on a 14-inch screen. Performance-wise, if I can get a game to run at around 60fps, I’m a happy camper.
The Omen Transcend 14 I tested featured an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, an Intel Core Ultra 7 CPU, and 16GB of RAM. Those aren’t mind-blowing specs, but for 1,080p/60fps gaming at medium settings, they’re more than enough. For example, Doom Eternal ran between 120 and 140 fps, which is amazing.
Cyberpunk 2077 managed to run between 30 and 40 fps on those same settings. It’s not the best, but it’s good enough for a mid-range gaming laptop. I should note that I enabled XeSS (Intel’s answer to Nvidia’s DLSS) to get Cyberpunk 2077 running at those frame rates.
Our laboratory tests also showed commendable results. Assassin’s Creed: Mirage, Borderlands 3, and Far Cry 6 all ran at just over 60 frames per second at 1080p. In short, you can have a good time playing with the Omen Transcend 14.
Bright and colorful screen
Games look as good as they run thanks to the 14-inch, 2.8K, 120Hz OLED display. The bright, colorful graphics of the titles mentioned above looked incredible on this screen. The neon-drenched dystopian streets of Cyberpunk 2077 were shown in vivid detail, as were the infernal domains of Doom Eternal.
As you can see from the table, the Omen Transcend 14’s tones are quite oversaturated (100% for sRGB and DCI-P3 tends to look more natural). However, I’ve always liked oversaturated tones in video games. So, for me, this is a plus. Give me all the bright colors! The screen is also quite bright at almost 400 nits, but not as aggressive.
A fun writing experience
Although I review laptops, I usually don’t like their membrane keyboards. However, even a fan of the best mechanical keyboards like me had fun using the Omen Transcend 14’s keyboard.
The thick keys are the main reason I enjoyed the keyboard so much. Not only are they big, but they are also bouncy and have a good travel distance. They also make a satisfying click when pressed. The fact that there is a soft RGB glow under the keys only served to enhance the typing experience.
An amazing gaming laptop
The HP Omen Transcend 14 already impressed me when I first tested it at an HP event last year, so I had high hopes for the system. As you can see above (and based on the title of this article), it’s one of the best laptops of any type I’ve tested in 2024. I have a few issues with it, namely port selection and battery life, but I will go deeper into those aspects. and more in my next review. Stay tuned!
- This changed my opinion on budget gaming laptops
- You will be able to try Cyberpunk 2077 for free on PS5 and Xbox Series X soon
- The first details of the Apple M4 chip are leaked
