Last year, HP jumped back into the gaming space with its new Omen line of computers. It looks like HP is doubling down on the line with some revamps along with a few new additions.
Omen Backpack Desktop
The most unique item shown was the Omen X Compact Desktop. Originally announced last year, the desktop is a slim gaming PC that will normally sit in a dock when operating as a normal computer. What sets this desktop apart is the ability to wear it like a backpack when playing in VR. The PC is removed from the dock, strapped in, and plugged into batteries to provide power, allowing for freedom of movement when using VR instead of being restricted by a fixed PC and cables to operate everything.
However, the barrier of entry will be the price. The desktop is going to cost $2,499, and on its own, it's a decent gaming PC with Kaby Lake i7 processors and a GeForce GTX 1080. But then there's the backpack accessory that costs $599 and a VR headset that usually runs between $700 to $1,000.
Omen Desktop And Laptops
Then there's the Omen Desktop. The desktop is designed to offer a more traditional tower to anyone who wants a beefy PC without an overly complicated design. The other upside to the design is that it allows for ease of upgrading, not requiring tools and bays to easily swap hard drives. It's also a very scalable desktop, starting at $899 on the low end and goes all the way up to $3,000. This sort of ease of upgrading and scalability makes it an appealing gaming rig for anyone not looking to build their own machine from scrap.
Then there are the laptops for anyone looking for a mobile option. Being released later this month, the 15-inch and 17-inch Omen laptops fit along the same lines as the desktop, at least in terms of scalability. Both are built with Kaby Lake processors internally and can run up to 4K displays, while the 15-inch can use either a Radeon RX 550 or a GeForce GTX 1060. The 17-inch uses either the RX 580 or GTX 1070. The prices also offer a nice entry point for a gaming laptop, with the 15-inch starting at $999 and the 17-inch at $1,099 but can scale up from there.
Omen Accessories
Computers weren't just the only focus of HP's announcements, also offering a couple of accessories to provide the best experience possible. There are the usual suspects of gaming keyboards, mice, and screens that are optimized for the machines also announced. The one that stood out, though, was the HP Accelerator, a first-party GPU to help with the graphics.
However, HP was a little coy on the details of the machine, not clarifying how many graphics cards will be supported. But what it will potentially lack in power, it makes up for in price. The Accelerator is at $299, making it cheaper than its chief competition, the Razer's Core. The other catch-22 is that it may not work with anything other than HP machines. This is due to the Thunderbolt 3 connection and the different ways it is used as a means of laptop connection.
The Accelerator will be out in August.
