HP OMEN MAX , Core Ultra 7 255HX, 16GB, 1TB SSD, RTX 5070, Shadow black

The HP OMEN MAX 16 packs a 93rd percentile CPU and an RTX 5070 into a $1,600 package, which is a great deal for 1440p gaming. It's heavy, reliability is below average, and 16GB of RAM feels stingy. But if you want desktop-class power you can occasionally move, this is a strong buy.

The Core Ultra 7 255HX sits in the 93rd percentile for CPUs in our database, which means it's one of the best laptop processors you can buy right now. Paired with an RTX 5070 in the 86th percentile, this machine will chew through modern games at 1440p without breaking a sweat. The 165Hz display with a 3ms response time keeps things smooth, and the 400-nit brightness means you can actually see what you're doing in a lit room. The weak spot is RAM. 16GB of DDR5-5600 is fine for gaming today, but it's only in the 62nd percentile, and for a creator or developer pushing heavy workloads, that's going to feel tight sooner than later. The 83Wh battery is decent on paper, but don't expect all-day unplugged use with this kind of hardware.

Against the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14, the OMEN MAX 16 wins on raw CPU and GPU muscle but loses badly on portability. The Zephyrus is a 14-inch machine that's far easier to carry, while the OMEN is a 16-inch desktop replacement. The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 10 is a closer match in size and power, but typically costs more for similar specs. The Apple MacBook Pro M4 Max is in a different league for creators and battery life, but it's also dramatically more expensive and not a gaming-first machine. The Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro and MSI Prestige are thin-and-light productivity laptops, not direct competitors. If you want maximum frames per dollar in a big chassis, the OMEN is compelling. If you want something you can actually carry around, look elsewhere.

At $1,600, the OMEN MAX 16 is priced aggressively for what you get. A 20-core CPU and RTX 5070 in this price range is a strong deal, especially with a 1TB Gen4 SSD and that 165Hz QHD panel. You're getting roughly 90th percentile performance in the areas that matter most for gaming without paying a flagship tax. The trade-off is build quality and reliability, which sit well below average. If you're okay with a laptop that prioritizes raw power over polish, this is a lot of machine for the money.

The HP OMEN MAX 16 is a big, beefy gaming laptop that puts most of its budget into the parts that matter for frame rates. You get a 20-core Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX and an RTX 5070 with 8GB of GDDR7, which is a serious combo for 1440p gaming. The 16-inch 165Hz IPS panel is bright and color-accurate, and the 1TB Gen4 SSD gives you room to breathe.

But this thing is not subtle. At 2.5kg it's a desktop replacement, not a couch companion. And 16GB of RAM in a machine this powerful feels like HP left money on the table. Still, for $1,600, the core specs are hard to argue with.

Skip this if you need something portable. At 2.5kg and with a 16-inch footprint, this is not a laptop you'll want to haul to class or on flights. Also skip it if reliability is a top concern, since HP's scores here are below average. And if you're a creator or developer who needs 32GB of RAM out of the box, look for a config with more memory or a different machine entirely.

Buy this if you want a powerful 1440p gaming laptop and don't plan on moving it much. The CPU and GPU combo is excellent for the price, and the display is genuinely good. It's best for gamers who treat their laptop like a portable desktop, plugging in at a desk most of the time. Creators will appreciate the color-accurate screen and fast CPU, but may want more RAM. Developers should probably look for 32GB configurations.