By: AlanV
HP OMEN brought a variety of hardware and software announcements to Gamescom 2019, considerably strengthening their lineup. The new options are the Pavilion Gaming Desktop, Pavilion 15 Gaming laptop, OMEN X 27 Gaming Display, Pavilion Gaming Keyboard 800 and OMEN Mindframe Prime Headset. There are also the budget minded HP 22x and HP 24x displays. All of this is tied together by the improved OMEN Command Center.
HP wants to make the OMEN Command Center the go-to piece of software gamers will have on their PCs. In order to accomplish this, HP is making a range of useful improvements. Some of the highlights:
- Coaching arrives for OMEN PCs with initial support for League of Legends and more games on the roadmap. This AI-based tool (powered by Mobalytics) analyzes gameplay and provides key insights into strengths and weaknesses to improve player performance.
- With My Games, gamers can manage their devices and access their game libraries from one central location, providing quick and easy access to their favorite games. Includes real time monitoring of gameplay to keep track of how many hours spent on specific titles along with weekly insights.
- The new Profiles feature allows the creation of mood, activity, or game-based profiles for OMEN PCs and accessories and includes support for the OMEN Sequencer Keyboard and OMEN Photon Mouse.
The Pavilion Gaming Desktop and the Pavilion 15 Gaming laptop are going to be solid options for mid-range gaming. The desktop will be available in both Intel and AMD variants with Nvidia graphics, with prices starting at $699.99. The laptop will be an AMD based build with the latest Ryzen mobile CPUs, along with Nvidia graphics at a starting price of $799.99. These new desktops will be available soon, while the laptops will be ready to roll out to gamers in September.
Gamers looking to get a buttery smooth display will have another option when the OMEN X 27 makes its debut in September. This display looks to tick all of the boxes important to gamers: 1440p (2560×1440), generous 27” size with a blazing fast 240Hz refresh rate. To make it an even stronger contender it will be equipped with AMD FreeSync and be HDR certified. Pricing is $649.99.
More budget-oriented gamers will be able to pick up the HP24x. It’s a 23.8” 1080p (1920×1080) display that also has AMD FreeSync with a 144Hz refresh rate. It will be available soon with a starting price point of $279.99.
Last, but certainly not least, are OMEN peripherals. The OMEN Mindframe Prime Headset is an evolution of the original Mindframe, improved using feedback from customers and the community. It features 7.1 surround sound, noise cancelling microphone and FrostCap Technology to keep gamers comfortable. The headset will be available in January 2020 for $199.99. The OMEN Encoder Keyboard will come with Cherry MX Blue and Brown switches that sport anti-ghosting with n-key rollover, and will be available in October for $99.99.
