How the Powerful HP Omen Shows There’s Still a Place for Desktop PCs

With an attractive design and price, as well as easily upgradeable parts, HP’s Omen is an appealing desktop PC for sophisticated business users and gamers.

Desktops might be big and bulky, but the Omen Desktop is surprisingly attractive. The device comes with a brushed-metal chassis and has customizable LED lights that allow users to change the color of the computer whenever they see fit. It’s also relatively small and thin for a desktop, allowing it to be placed in most locations without detracting from an office’s design. The Omen’s design stands in contrast to the typical staid designs users are accustomed to.

HP is offering only Windows 10 in the Omen, meaning customers won’t be able to downgrade to an earlier version of the operating system. Since the Omen is a gaming desktop first, users should be happy it comes with Windows 10: The operating system allows them to connect to the Xbox One and play console games directly from the computer.

Like many other high-end desktops, the Omen comes with the sixth-generation Intel Core i7 processor. However, it’s important to note that HP has unlocked the chips, meaning users will be able to over-clock them for faster speed and performance. For those who are gaming or using resource-intensive apps, that’s a huge advantage.

Storage shouldn’t be an issue at all with the Omen. Depending on the customization customers choose, they can get up to 3TB of hard drive storage. However, HP is also offering a solid-state drive (SSD) for those who want faster performance. The company’s SSDs top out at 512GB of storage. One other note about performance: The Omen can be configured with up to 32GB of memory.

HP is giving customers the option of Nvidia or AMD graphics processors in the Omen. Those who prefer Nvidia can choose the Nvidia GTX 1080 Founder Edition, an extremely high-end card that delivers smooth frame rates. On the AMD side, customers will be able to get their hands on the AMD Radeon R9 390X, a similarly powerful option.

Cooling is an important feature for high-end desktops, especially among serious gamers and even for processor-intensive business or academic applications. HP will launch the Omen Desktop with optional liquid cooling to help the processors run at peak performance. HP says that the computer was specifically designed with an “advanced thermal system” that ensures it’ll run quietly and cool even without the add-on liquid system.

One of the nice things about desktops is that they’re upgradeable. But HP has taken that a step further. The company announced that Omen will require no tools to access internal components and swap them out for something better. So, in a few years when improved CPUs or GPUs are available, owners will be able to upgrade the Omen with new components to extend the usable life of the machine. That factor alone might make the device an attractive investment.

HP has developed several accessories to enhance the desktop user’s experience. They include a 32-inch Omen display that features a quad-HD resolution. Up to four of those displays can be used simultaneously with Omen Desktop. HP also designed a gamer-friendly mouse especially for Omen.

HP bundled support for virtual reality technology with its Omen Desktop on the assumption it’s the next killer app for PCs and mobile devices. Regardless of the Omen model that buyers choose, the desktop will be able to support virtual reality devices, including the HTC Vive, among others, that rely on PCs to deliver content. As Oculus VR’s Website shows, there are few desktops that can actually accommodate resource-heavy virtual reality games. But the Omen is one of them.

All these features would suggest that Omen Desktop is an expensive computer with an entry-level price of about $2,000. While the highest-end model could reach that price, the desktop starts at the surprisingly affordable price of $1,000. Add-ons, like more storage and more memory, will quickly boost the cost. But given the features, HP’s Omen Desktop promises to deliver strong value for the price.