Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

I ’ve been on the Holman Hunt for agaming laptopthat does n’t feel like one . Something tenuous , extremely portable , but still plenty powerful . HP say it has the laptop I ’ve been depend for : the Omen Transcend 14 , which it say is the “ public ’s lightest 14 - inch gambling laptop computer . ” And yes , that ’s a quote .

It is , indeed , first-rate thin and luminosity , which was like a shot detectable when I had a chance to try out the laptop ahead ofCES 2024 . HP has a lot of competition to get through , but the Omen top 14 looks like it ’s up for the conflict .

We ca n’t commence anywhere else but the weight . HP take the Omen Transcend 14 is 3.61 pounds , which , at this moment , shit it the world ’s sluttish 14 - column inch gaming laptop . TheRazer Blade 14is 3.92 pounds , and the 2023 Zephyrus G14 is 3.64 pounds . I strongly suspect HP wo n’t hold the title of having the lightest 14 - inch play laptop for long ( observe out for other CES announcements from Digital Trends ) .

disregarding , this is still a very light laptop , and it ’s thin at only 0.7 inches dense . It may not claim the title of thinnest and lightest 14 - in play laptop computer for recollective , but it does n’t need to . This is still an highly portable gaming laptop and a step in the right focussing for HP ’s Omen trade name after the disappointingOmen 16I review last year .

In gain to the lightest claim , HP also says the Omen Transcend 14 is the cool . I could see someCyberpunk 2077gameplay on the laptop computer , and I could n’t hear the devotee — though , my demo was in a rather turgid demo room with about 30 people . It was strong , but not hot . It ’s hard to say with any certainty if this is indeed the coolheaded 14 - inch gaming laptop computer , but it definitely is n’t a gaudy , hot demon .

HP says the laptop is constructed from an aluminum body , but it does n’t experience that fashion . There ’s a flabby charge plate smell on the outside . That ’s not a bad thing . It ’s similar to the feeling of theLenovo Legion Pro 5 , just much thin .

However , HP loses me at the keyboard . It ’s a routine mushy , and there are semitransparent edge around each key as if HP assay to put a pudding keycap on a laptop keyboard . It cheapens the feeling of what is otherwise a premium play laptop computer . You have per - key RGB lighting , and the keyboard see easily with everything lit up . I still much prefer a traditional keycap on such an expensive laptop computer .

gratefully , HP makes up for it with a arresting display . OLED is here for gaming laptops , and HP is hold advantage with a 120Hz jury that holds a 2.8 cat valium resolution ( 2880 x 1800 ) . In addition to DisplayHDR unfeigned Black 400 authentication , the display is capable of up to 500 nit of crest brightness and varying refresh rate from 48Hz up to 120Hz .

It expect incredible . The brightness is searing for organic light-emitting diode , and the colors explode off the projection screen . It ’s a huge ascent for Omen , as last year ’s Omen 16 boast a dissatisfactory IPS panel with middling color and short brightness . This finally find like a laptop worth its price .

HP is n’t trifle coy with the terms , thankfully . The laptop starts at $ 1,600 and is useable for preorder now .

For that , you get the stem contour , which number with 512 GB of store , an RTX 4050 , and an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H. This is one of the few gaming laptop computer we ’ve seen sportingIntel ’s new Meteor Lake CPUs , which is interesting compared to other laptop computer we look to see at CES this year .

you may scale much higher — HP offers up to an RTX 4070 and a Core Ultra 9 185H , with 2 TB of storage and 32 GB of LPDDR5x-7467 retention . We have no word on pricing for a tricked - out configuration yet , but hopefully , it wo n’t be too far off consider the Omen Transcend 14 ’s already gamy base cost .

There are a few smashing feature that stretch out across the configurations . You get Thunderbolt 4 , which supports up to 140W of tycoon delivery over USB - C , and the laptop digest both Wi - Fi 6E and Wi - Fi 7 . I ’m not certain how manyWi - Fi 7routers are drift around , but it ’s skillful that the laptop is equip with the latest wireless tech .

From former stamp , HP has a very compelling laptop computer from what has traditionally been a mediocre brand . A slender form and organic light-emitting diode elevate the Omen Transcend 14 and make it feel like a laptop computer worthy of that Transcend badge . The price is n’t bad , either , though I do go for it does n’t get too much more expensive with more powerful GPUs .

The feature and Mary Leontyne Price are right , meaning the Omen Transcend 14 will live and die based on its cool down solution and battery life-time . For now , all we can do is wait until we ’ve had a opportunity to pass judgment the political machine fully .