I love a good portable gaming laptop, and HP's new Omen 16 Slim hits that thin and light sweet spot

The HP Omen 16 Slim on a small white table, showing the difference between out of the box and Omen AI settings while gaming.

We got a chance to see the Omen 16 Slim for ourselves, and it checks all the boxes. (Image credit: Future | Madeline Ricchiuto)

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Omen 16 Slim
HyperX Cloud III
Omen refresh laptops

When I was reviewing games and traveling to events, tradeshows, and living out of a suitcase, my primary gaming rig was a thin gaming laptop.

It may not have been the most powerful machine of its time, but my MSI Stealth 15 lasted for quite a few years with its Intel Core i7 and Nvidia RTX 1060 combo.

While I’ve since upgraded to a gaming desktop and iGPU gaming has now hit the minimum threshold for gaming with most titles, I’m still fond of a good ultraportable gaming laptop and HP hit the sweet spot with its new Omen 16 Slim.

HP Omen 16 Slim

On tuesday, the company announced multiple refreshes to its gaming laptop lineup, alongside the new HP Omen 16 Slim and the HyperX Cloud III S wireless gaming headset.

While the laptop refreshes are compelling, the new Omen 16 Slim caught our attention. Not only is it a shiny new addition to the Omen family that’s easy to carry, it’s also got powerful specs, a slick display, and can easily fit into a school or professional environment with its minimalist aesthetic.

The Omen 16 Slim can be configured with a powerful second-generation Intel Core Ultra processor up to the Core Ultra 9 285H, and an Nvidia GPU up to the RTX 5070.

The Omen 16 Slim can be configured with up to 32GB of DDR5 RAM, up to 1TB of SSD storage, and has display options ranging from a 144Hz, 1920x1200 up to a 240Hz, 2560x1600 display with a 3ms response time.

So you’re getting a pretty powerful PC despite its slimmer size.

The Omen 16 Slim certainly lives up to its name, as its 16% thinner than the Omen 16, measuring 14.07 x 10.59 x 0.78 ~ 0.89 inches and weighing just 5.4 pounds.

HP has also included Omen Unleashed Mode performance on the Slim, allowing the laptop to get up to 105 watts of power, while the robust cooling system keeps fan noise below 46 decibels.

There is currently no pricing information for the Omen 16 Slim available, but the laptop is expected to ship in June.

HyperX Cloud III S Wireless Headset

HP and HyperX are bringing HP Instant Pair, low latency 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connection to the Cloud III headset so you can connect it to any device, however you like.

However, the Instant Pair functionality will only work with select HP Omen devices like the Omen 16 Max.

The Cloud III S also offers up to 120 hours of battery life when on 2.4GHz mode for optimal gaming, and up to 200 hours when using the Bluetooth connection.

You also get two microphone options, with a 10mm boom mic for enhanced clarity or two integrated mics in the boom port allowing you to use the headset while traveling or on the go.

But the coolest feature of the Cloud III S headsets are the customization options.

With removable magnetic earcup plates, you can personalize the earcups and head strap with 3D-printed accessories from HyperX. The selection is currently limited, but a rep from HP tells Laptop Mag that more options will become available in the future.

HP Omen 17 and Transcend 14 get new hardware

HP Omen Transcend 14 review — (Image credit: Momo Tabari / Laptop Mag)

In addition to the new Omen 16 Slim, HP is refreshing the existing Omen 17 and Omen Transcend 14 laptops with updated processors and graphics cards.

The Omen 17 features a powerful AMD Ryzen AI and Nvidia RTX 50-series combo, with processors up to the Ryzen AI 9 365, and Nvidia GPUs up to the RTX 5070.

The Omen 17's memory can be upgraded to 32GB, storage can be configured up to a 1TB Performance M.2 SSD, and panel options range from a 17-inch 144Hz, 1920x1080 display with a 7ms response time to a 240Hz 2560x1440 display with a 3ms response time.

The Omen Transcend 14 is keeping its ultra-thin, ultra-light chassis from the 2024 model, with processor configurations up to the Intel Core Ultra 9 285H, and an Nvidia GPU up to the RTX 5070. Memory can be configured up to 64GB, while storage can be configured up to 2TB.

There is only one display option for the Omen Transcend 14, a 14-inch, 120Hz, 2880 x 1800 OLED with a 0.2ms response time.

HP has not indicated prices or availability for these two gaming laptops, though we'd expect to see them this summer alongside the Omen 16 Slim.

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A former lab gremlin for Tom's Guide, Laptop Mag, Tom's Hardware, and TechRadar; Madeline has escaped the labs to join Laptop Mag as a Staff Writer. With over a decade of experience writing about tech and gaming, she may actually know a thing or two. Sometimes. When she isn't writing about the latest laptops and AI software, Madeline likes to throw herself into the ocean as a PADI scuba diving instructor and underwater photography enthusiast.