HP Omen Transcend 14 Laptop: it is a good travel companion for gamers | Review

I must admit that I have always had mixed ideas with the so-called ‘gaming laptops‘. Although I consider the convenience of a device that allows me to play very high video games wherever and whenever you want, in my experience the concessions you have to grant for this are usually also high, whether in terms of the power of the equipment or a large cost. That’s why when El Comercio was offered the opportunity to review the Omen Transcend 14, HP’s new offering in the ‘gamer’ market, I jumped at the opportunity with the intention of learning if my prejudices were correct or if time had make them disappear. Here my impressions.

But first of all, here are the specifications of the equipment they provided.

It is worth mentioning that the Omen Transcend 14 also comes in different configurations, such as with an Intel Core Ultra 9 185 H processor (instead of the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H) that they loaned us. Another modifiable element is the video cards, which can be the less powerful GeForce RTX 4050 and the more powerful 4070, as well as extending the RAM memory from 16 to 32 GB or the SSD storage from 512 GB to 1 or 2 terabytes.

Design

The first impression of the laptop is that it is a compact and solid device, an effect that is increased by its metal frame. In total, The computer measures 31.3 x 23.35 x 1.79 cm and weighs 1.63 kg, making it easy to transport in a suitcase or backpack. Unlike other computers, the exterior of the Omen Transcend 14 lacks shine and decorations, remaining an elegant black where the only decoration that stands out is the brand name in relief.

This impression of sobriety lasts only until you lift the lid of the device, where the first thing that stands out is its keyboard illuminated by multicolored LED lights, a spectacle that gradually changes tone over time and announces that, according to custom After the last few years of making all the components of a PC bright, we find ourselves in front of a ‘gamer’ computer.

Keyboard and touchpad

And speaking of the keyboard, it is presented as comfortable and with keys that are pleasant to the touch. Of particular note is that HP has brought the computer with the Latin American Spanish keyboard configuration, an advantage that overcomes its only defect of having the directional keys (in the lower right corner) compacted into the space of three buttons, a sadly increasingly common sin. on laptops.

As for the touchpad, it is spacious and comfortable to use, although there are no other issues to highlight. It certainly works efficiently for everyday tasks, but it is insufficient – by its very nature – for the supposed final purpose of this machine of playing video games, outside perhaps of adventure titles in the style of “Monkey Island” or visual novels. For almost everything else, you will need to get a mouse or controller.

Ports

HP has been generous with the number of ports on the Omen Transcend 14, giving it a Thunderbolt 4 port with USB Type C that serves as a power supply. Additionally, the laptop has three additional USB ports (one Type C and two Type A), a number that will comfortably allow you to connect the peripherals necessary to play such as the aforementioned mouse and controller.

Additionally, the computer also has a headphone and microphone jack, particularly necessary for team gaming, as well as an HDMI 2.1 input, in case you want to connect the laptop to a television or monitor.

Finally, it is relevant to mention that This laptop supports Wi-Fi 7the latest protocol for wireless connections, enabling wireless speeds of up to 46 GB per second, important with the growing popularity of cloud gaming. I must point out that although we do not know when this technology will be widespread in our country, Wi-Fi 7 is backward compatible with its previous versions and whether it is prepared for future technologies is never always something to weigh when purchasing an electronic device. .

Webcam and microphone

The Omen Transcend 14 features a 1080p camera that works, but is unimpressive, with the image somewhat fuzzy even in optimal lighting situations. The microphone doesn’t have much to highlight either, although it allows clear communication and manages to filter out some annoying sounds. What I mean by that is that while what’s available on the machine is more than enough for Zoom meetings, don’t expect it to be an ideal setup if what you’re focused on is activities like streaming.

If it is worth mentioning something about the webcam, it is that it has an infrared camera that facilitates the operation of facial recognition security measures such as Hello Windows even in dark rooms.

Screen and sound

You could have the most powerful laptop in the world, but your enjoyment will be limited by what it can show you, which is why the monitor becomes one of the most important components of any gaming machine. Fortunately, in this regard, Omen Transcend 14 does not disappoint with a beautiful 2.8K HDR OLED displaya technology that we already know presents colors in a more vivid and realistic way. Added to this is its 120Hz refresh rate, which will allow video games to be viewed fluidly, as long as your machine can run the title.

One complaint about the screen is its apparent lack of anti-glare technologies, at least one that worked. And even with the most optimal brightness settings and lack of external light, I had a hard time finding an angle where I wouldn’t see myself partially reflected on the screen, a property that would only delight Narciso.

The monitor is accompanied by a perfectly adequate sound system, which suffers mostly with the highest and lowest sounds.

Battery

The Omen Transcend 14 has a 71 Wh battery that In our tests using the device to play games or watch movies it provided between 5 and 6 hours of autonomya, an average figure for laptops but somewhat disappointing taking into account that one of the main attractions of the device is its portability.

Although in defense of the laptop, this life time can be extended by using the Energy Saving mode preventively and it has a quick recharge functionality that completes 50% of its capacity in approximately 30 minutes.

Performance

Here we get into the ‘meat’ of the matter, the performance of the Omen Transcend 14. First of all, I must emphasize again that the machine we had access to was the one that had an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor and a video card GeForce RTX 4060 for 8 GB laptop, so what you experience may vary according to the models.

With this PSA behind us, I can say that the Omen Transcend 14 runs like a dream on games from three years ago or more like “The Witcher 3,” “The Elder Scrolls Skyrim,” and “Rise of the Tomb Raider,” while that more modern titles are starting to give you problems.

Interestingly, of the three modern games I tested, “Helldivers 2” (2023) and “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6” (2024) had the best results, managing to oscillate between 30 FPS (Helldivers 2) and 40-35 FPS (CoD) in its “Balanced/Medium” graphic settingswith some drops to 15 fps in high action scenes, something that is certainly far from ideal.

Meanwhile, in basic configurations they increased the generation of frames per second somewhat, rising to 35 FPS (Helldivers 2) and up to 54 with “Black Ops 6”, although again lowering in more visually loaded situations.

Strangely, the game that gave me the most problems was “Diablo IV” (2023), since despite promising metrics such as 80 FPS on High graphics settings, its performance plummeted a figure in circumstances where you face hordes of enemieswhich those who are familiar with the franchise will know is 90% of the experience.

In the end it was a problem that I couldn’t solve by lowering the graphics and using the Omen Gaming Hub – a game optimization program – so I gave up and considered the title unplayable for the moment. “Diablo IV” also revealed another problem, and that is that during its operation I noticed that the CPU temperature rose to 70ºC, levels that, although not catastrophic, made the lower central part of the laptop feel uncomfortably hot.

It is worth noting that the Omen Transcend 14 not only serves for entertainment and the same attributes that make it notable for video games They also allow you to perform tasks that require processing such as video editing, animation and programming.

Conclusion

The Omen Transcend 14 left me with mixed feelings. While I greatly enjoyed my time with it, its price of S/.8,499 is still considerable for many people. But, for those who can afford it, they will find a device that looks like an ideal travel companion, not only as an entertainment center, but as a competent and versatile tool for working.