ARTICLE – A 290-reply Reddit thread titled “PSA, Don’t Buy HP Omen MAX 16” sits near the top of r/GamingLaptops right now. Directly below it, another post calls the same machine “amazing” with one condition: stick with Intel. Two active threads, same laptop, completely opposite conclusions. That kind of public split doesn’t happen often with gaming hardware.
Price: From $2,099.99
Where to Buy: Amazon, HP
So the real question is: what’s actually driving this divide? HP didn’t ship a quiet update. The Omen Max 16 landed in early 2026 with a specs list that reads like a desktop build compressed into a 16-inch chassis, priced from $2,099 to $3,299 depending on config. HP spread three GPU tiers across one product name: RTX 5090, RTX 5080, and RTX 5070 Ti, each carrying a different thermal ceiling and price tag. What makes it polarizing isn’t one flaw or one standout spec. It’s a configuration story, and the details shift everything.
You won’t find hands-on testing or synthetic benchmarks below, only spec data and user reports from HP product pages and several threads. The goal is to lay out the configuration differences clearly.
What HP packed into this one
The GPU ceiling is an NVIDIA RTX 5090 with 24GB of GDDR7, the same silicon found in desktop cards. The RTX 5080 opens at $2,099 through HP’s direct store, notably lower than comparable machines from ASUS and Razer. An RTX 5070 Ti sits further down. That’s an unusual spread for one laptop model, and it creates real distance between configurations. Whether the thermal system can cleanly manage all three tiers is the central question online, and user data suggests the answer depends on which tier you pick.
Two CPU paths split the lineup: Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX on one side, AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 on the other. This divide carries more weight than usual, and Reddit makes the reason hard to miss.
The display is a 16-inch 2.5K OLED at 240Hz with a 16:10 aspect ratio, rated 400 nits SDR and 500 nits HDR. Colors run warm and saturated, with pixel response tight enough for competitive play. At $2,099, this panel matches or outpaces screens on machines costing several hundred more, a strong position from HP. It’s one of the few specs across the lineup that draws almost zero complaints.
Cooling runs through Tempest Cooling PRO, with Cryo Compound (HP’s branded liquid metal) between die and heatsink. An IR thermopile sensor reads thermal data in real time, paired with a multi-fan layout rated for 300W of total platform power. That’s aggressive for any laptop chassis. It explains why cooling opinions split so sharply: a system pushing this much wattage needs every thermal component working right. If you scan the I/O, nothing is missing: Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, RJ45, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4. At nearly six pounds before the 330W adapter, the Omen Max 16 lives on a desk. That weight is what desktop-adjacent power costs in portable form.
What the internet is saying
Positive feedback circles back to three areas: the OLED panel, cooling on the Intel variant, and the price at $2,099. Multiple users describe the Intel + RTX 5080 as the config that runs clean and quiet under sustained load. When promo pricing has dipped it below $1,500, one frequently cited post called it “one of the best values in high-end gaming laptops.” You’ll notice the praise clusters tightly around one specific configuration, and that concentration tells its own story.
The complaint side spans wider ground: units shutting down mid-session, suspected liquid metal leaks, and HP support timelines stretched by parts shortages. A 290-reply PSA thread catalogs these issues, and the volume across separate posts suggests quality control variance rather than one bad batch. HP’s support process drew its own criticism.
The RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 thermal split
The AMD variant appears more frequently in thermal complaint threads, with users flagging higher surface temperatures and erratic fan behavior. Throttling under load comes up repeatedly. One detailed Reddit comparison describes the AMD config as feeling “cut down” relative to Intel across both hardware and firmware behavior. If you line up the user reports side by side, the thermal gap between platforms stands out fast. Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX builds show up more often in positive threads, with smoother fan ramp and lower surface temperatures under load. HP hasn’t publicly acknowledged the split. That silence, given how many posts flag it, is hard to ignore.
The RTX 5090 pushes cooling harder by a visible margin. At $3,299, thermal headroom tightens: fans run louder, surface temperatures climb. The price jump doesn’t consistently deliver proportional frame rate gains based on posted results. During promotional windows, the Intel + RTX 5080 has dropped below $1,500, and at that price HP undercuts nearly everything at the same GPU level. The value curve flattens fast at the top.
What the data shows is clear: Intel + RTX 5080 at $2,099 draws the fewest complaints, AMD carries more thermal friction, and the RTX 5090 narrows margins without proportional gains. In practice, this isn’t one laptop. It functions as three different machines sharing a name.
Who should skip this
Anyone who needs fast support turnaround should weigh the reports of delayed repairs and parts shortages. If a hardware issue surfaces, the timeline isn’t quick based on user accounts. That risk sits on top of the product, separate from any config decision.
Buyers who want portability should note the 5.92-lb chassis and 330W adapter, because the heft registers immediately. If you’re looking at AMD, current feedback leans toward rougher thermals compared to Intel. The RTX 5090 calls for a closer look at the numbers, especially at $3,299 where diminishing returns get harder to overlook. Configuration choice is the whole story.
Who this is for
The HP Omen Max 16 fits someone who wants desktop-class GPU power in laptop form, puts display quality near the top of the list, and accepts the uncertainty of HP’s first flagship gaming push at this level. The Intel + RTX 5080 at $2,099 carries the strongest user consensus. At promo pricing below $1,500, it becomes one of the most aggressively priced RTX 5080 laptops available. The OLED earns near-universal praise, and cooling paired with Intel handles sustained loads without the thermal issues the AMD variant attracts.
The backlash concentrates around configurations that push past what the chassis cleanly handles. The praise gathers around one setup for consistent reasons. The spec sheet is accurate. The complaints are documented. Where any experience lands depends on which version you’re looking at and whether HP’s quality control cooperates.
Price: From $2,099.99
Where to Buy: Amazon, HP
The gap between best and worst outcomes on the Omen Max 16 is wider than most gaming laptops at this price. Configuration choice closes most of it. The rest depends on what HP does next.
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(as of February 23, 2026 12:51 GMT -06:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
