Australian Review: HP Omen 15 – Voodoo Magic

Final Thoughts
There's a lot to like about the HP Omen 15, but its ultimately a pretty niche product. Sacrificing power for portability means gaming notebooks are a pretty niche category as a whole, especially when you consider the asking price of many.

That being said, there's certainly a market for the Omen. The problem is that its let down by a poor battery life, mitigating part of the freedom the notebook form factor brings. It's portable, but not mobile. 

The Omen is a good machine, but the limited battery means you'll spend most of your time hugging a wall. If you just want a gaming machine you can move from room to room or place to place without lugging around a heavy tower or monitor, the Omen is great, and worth considering. If you’re looking for a powerful laptop that you can game on, but can also double as a mobile workstation, the Omen shouldn't be your first choice.

The 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display is a great alternative to the Omen. The specifications are fairly similar, the price of the high-end model is identical, and the battery life is much better. The gaming performance won't match the Omen, but the MacBook Pro is a much more versatile machine overall. Unless you exclusively play Blizzard games, you will however need to factor in the cost of a Windows license on top of the price of the MacBook Pro. 

Overall, the Omen is a solid, portable gaming machine that escapes the common trappings of many other enthusiast notebooks; namely, a bulky exterior and obnoxious design. If you're willing to compromise on battery life, the Omen's solid performance and slick design gets it across the line. If you're looking for a dedicated gaming laptop, take a serious look at the Omen 15.