HP HyperX OMEN 15 Review: RTX 5070 OLED Gaming, 8GB VRAM and Build Quality Trade-Offs

What XDA tested​

The review unit was the expensive configuration: an Intel Core Ultra 9 386H, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop GPU and the 3K 120 Hz OLED panel. XDA put that version's MSRP at $2,800 and said it was on sale for $700 off when the review went up, which works out to about $2,100. That was a price at publication time. HP changes its deals and configurations often, so check the current listing before buying. XDA also says the OMEN 15 is meant to be a budget gaming laptop starting at $1,100, with cheaper models using RTX 5050 graphics. XDA notes that HP supplied the laptop but had no input into the review. The final score was 7.5 out of 10.

The branding is new but the owner isn't. OMEN now sits under HyperX, and HyperX is still part of HP. Tom's Hardware adds that the OMEN 15 replaces the Victus 15 in HP's mainstream gaming range, with the OMEN Max at the top.

Key specs, as reported:

• CPU: Up to Intel Core Ultra 9 386H (Panther Lake)
• GPU: Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop GPU (8 GB)
• Display options: 2.5K IPS up to 180 Hz, or 3K OLED up to 120 Hz with an 1,100-nit HDR peak rating
• Memory/storage: Up to 32 GB RAM, up to 1 TB SSD, two M.2 slots
• Battery: 70 Wh, with HP claiming about 50% charge in 30 minutes
• Ports: Two USB-A, one USB-C, HDMI 2.1, gigabit Ethernet, audio jack
• Size/weight: 13.5 x 9.96 x 0.93 inches, starting at 4.89 lb

One correction: XDA's spec table lists the OLED as 15.2 inches at 2880x1880. HP and other reviewers describe a 15.3-inch panel at 2880x1800, so XDA's figures look like typos.

Section summary: This is a high-end build of a laptop line meant to be mainstream. Judge it at the price you'll actually pay, not the MSRP.

The display is the main attraction​

XDA measured the 3K OLED at 536 nits in SDR, slightly above HP's 500-nit rating. It also found 100% sRGB and P3 coverage, accurate gamma tracking, good uniformity and a white point close to 6500K. The reviewer argues 120 Hz at 3K makes sense on a mobile GPU, because 4K would push frame rates too low.

Other outlets agree. 9to5Windows said the GPU and CPU are "solid but unremarkable for the price point. Instead, it's the 15.3-inch OLED display that genuinely impresses." Tom's Hardware also praised the OLED but listed the 120 Hz cap as a downside. Players of fast shooters who want very high refresh rates would get more from the 180 Hz IPS option.

Gaming performance​

XDA says gaming is the reason to buy this laptop. Forza Horizon 6 at native resolution with no DLSS at high settings gave a smooth 74 FPS, while Cyberpunk 2077 managed 51.2 at ultra settings, or 54.4 at ray tracing low. Those figures come from one RTX 5070 unit. A laptop with an RTX 5050 will score well below them.

Tom's Hardware tested the same chip pairing and confirmed the RTX 5070 in its unit ran at 85W TGP. That's a modest power limit for this GPU, and it helps explain the numbers. Tom's reviewer ran Battlefield 6 at High settings instead of Overkill to accommodate just 8GB of memory on the RTX 5070. Even so, he was able to average between 70 and 85 frames per second with DLSS Quality and frame generation turned on. 9to5Windows raised the same concern: the 8GB VRAM limitation becomes apparent in texture-heavy games at high settings, though DLSS helps mitigate resolution-related performance issues.

The practical takeaway: expect to use DLSS and lower texture settings in newer games at native 3K. The panel's native resolution asks a lot of 8 GB of VRAM.

Why the CPU benchmarks look low​

In XDA's comparison table the OMEN 15 finishes near the bottom on synthetic tests. It scored 8,477 in PCMark 10, 2,734/15,353 in Geekbench 6 (single/multi) and 6,122 in 3DMark Time Spy Extreme. That's no surprise, because every other laptop in the table has an RTX 5080 or RTX 5090. It isn't a like-for-like comparison.

XDA blames the CPU scores on the 386H's small number of performance cores. VideoCardz's breakdown of the chip supports that: it has 4 Performance cores, 8 Efficient cores and 4 Low Power Efficient cores. Tom's Hardware got 2,857 in the single-core benchmark of Geekbench 6 and 15,916 in multi-core, close to XDA's results. Against similar RTX 5070 laptops, the chip holds up. Windows Central found it performing close to what we saw in the new ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo with the same chip.

For Windows users there's a small extra. Windows Central notes that because the chip includes an NPU rated up to 50 TOPS, the OMEN 15 is technically classified as a Copilot+ PC — though I doubt many PC gamers care.

Section summary: Compared with other RTX 5070 laptops, the CPU is fine. Next to RTX 5090 flagships, the synthetic scores look weak, which is expected.

Thermals, noise and battery​

XDA saw a maximum CPU temperature of 91°C while gaming and no thermal throttling. The keyboard stayed comfortable to touch. The fans are loud at full speed, and XDA simply tells buyers to wear headphones. The review gives no decibel reading, so how much the noise matters is up to you.

Battery life was better than expected. It reached just over five hours on a looped video test, though it won't last that long if you're utilizing the GPU fully. This is probably the real basis for the handheld comparison. The laptop runs full Windows, has a far bigger screen and can handle a day of light work. Nobody will game unplugged on it for five hours, though, and at almost 4.9 lb it's no handheld.

The trade-offs​

XDA's complaints are mostly about build quality:

• Keyboard flex: The middle of the keyboard tray bends under typing. The reviewer puts some of the blame on the cramped layout with a numpad.
• Touchpad: It's a noisy mechanical touchpad, not a haptic one. XDA calls it cost-cutting that makes the hardware feel cheaper than it is.
• Power connector: A barrel jack sits on the side. XDA would prefer USB-C power or a rear port.
• Software: XDA lists "lots of HP bloatware" as a con.
• No SD card reader.

Tom's Hardware found the same cheapness in more places. On its unit only the lid is aluminum, and the rest of the chassis is plastic. The reviewer reported that the laptop "flexes with minimal effort, twisting it from corner to corner", and he noted there's no Thunderbolt. The outlets also disagree slightly on the USB-C port. XDA calls it 10 Gbps, while Tom's Hardware lists USB-C 3.2 Gen 1. If you plan to use USB-C docks or displays, check HP's spec sheet for the exact model number before you buy.

Laptop or handheld?​

XDA isn't alone in comparing this laptop to other ways of gaming. Tom's Guide's reviewer played Forza Horizon 6 on it and said it became hard to go back to my PS5 and Forza Horizon 5.

The laptop's advantages over a handheld are clear: a dedicated RTX GPU, a large OLED, Ethernet and HDMI, a real keyboard, and a full Windows desktop for work. A handheld still wins on portability, quiet operation and gaming on a couch or a plane. XDA's verdict fits one kind of player, someone who wants a single machine for playing at a desk, in a hotel room or on a dorm bed, with no need for a second device.

Should you buy it?​

Consider the OMEN 15 if you:

1. Want a very good OLED gaming display in a 15-inch laptop
2. Game with headphones on
3. Care more about gaming performance than build quality

Look elsewhere if you:

1. Are bothered by fan noise
2. Type a lot and want a solid, roomy keyboard
3. Need Thunderbolt or a sturdier chassis
4. Want very high refresh rates on the OLED (the 180 Hz option is IPS)

Before ordering:

1. Check the exact configuration. GPU (RTX 5050 or 5070), display and CPU vary by model.
2. Check the current price, since the $2,100 XDA saw was a sale price.
3. Once it arrives, remove any preinstalled HP apps you don't need.
4. Update the GPU drivers, and use DLSS in demanding games at 3K.

Rice-Jones sums it up by saying the laptop's problems are ones most gaming laptops share. Loud cooling comes with more power, and a basic touchpad matters little if you use a mouse anyway. The OMEN 15 isn't premium hardware, but in the configuration XDA reviewed, its display and GPU cover the things that matter most for gaming.