HP HyperX Omen Max 16 Review: 175 W RTX 5090 Power at a Loud, Heavy Cost

Notebookcheck has published its HP HyperX Omen Max 16 review, and reviewer Allen Ngo’s verdict is unambiguous: this is a 16-inch gaming laptop built to chase frame rates, not to slip into a backpack beside a thin-and-light. The test unit pairs an Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU rated at 175 W, backed by 32 GB of DDR5-6400 memory. It scored 88 percent, a very good result, with reservations attached.

Configuration and price

The reviewed model is the 16-ah1932nr. HP supplied the loan unit, and Notebookcheck states its editorial independence from manufacturers; there was no pre-publication review by HP. At $4,800 list, the machine sits at the top of the range, though Amazon shipping was listed at $4,400. Lesser SKUs may substitute an RTX 5080. The Omen Max 16 slots above the HyperX Omen 16 and follows the 2025 Omen Max 16 with the Core Ultra 9 275HX, arriving after HP announced at CES 2026 that the Omen line would move under the HyperX name.

Size, weight and the power brick

Performance-first design has a measurable cost. The laptop weighs 2.927 kg and measures 28.7 x 356.5 x 269 mm, slightly thicker and heavier than its predecessor. The 460 W external adapter adds another 1.344 kg and reaches 53 °C under gaming load. That is a substantial brick to carry, and it is the price of feeding a GPU that can draw near its full 175 W target.

Display: bright OLED, fast panel, PWM present

The 16-inch 2560×1600 OLED runs at 240 Hz and is glossy with HDR support. Measured peak HDR brightness hit 1138 cd/m², while SDR averaged 486.9 cd/m² with 98 percent distribution. Color coverage is broad: 100 percent sRGB, 99.9 percent P3 and 93.5 percent AdobeRGB. Response times came in at 0.39 ms black-to-white and 0.28 ms grey-to-grey. PWM was detected at 1439.8 Hz with 29 percent amplitude. G-Sync works only in discrete graphics mode, and switching modes requires a reboot. The specs list Advanced Optimus, but the review notes it is not present.

CPU, GPU and gaming results

The Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus is configured at 171 W PL2 and 131 W PL1. Cinebench R23 returned 38,242 points multi-core and 2,231 single-core. Graphics performance depends heavily on the chosen mode. In Unleashed, the RTX 5090 reaches near its full 175 W target and scores 25,953 in 3DMark Time Spy graphics. Performance mode averages 142 W, and Balanced averages 89 W. Cyberpunk 2077 averaged 166.3 fps at 1080p Ultra and 53.9 fps at 4K Ultra. On battery, the 3DMark graphics score drops by about 70 percent.

Noise, heat and power draw

Fan noise is the clearest trade-off. Balanced measured 39.1 dB(A), Performance 54.4 dB(A) and Unleashed 61.8 dB(A). Under combined stress, peak system consumption reached 420.9 W, with Cyberpunk 2077 averaging 343 W; idle draw was 7.5 / 21 / 44.4 W. The top surface peaked at 43.8 °C, while the palm rest and touchpad stayed at 33.6 °C. The 83 Wh battery lasted 7 h 16 min in Wi-Fi browsing — decent for the class.

Input, ports, audio and upgrades

The keyboard offers per-key RGB, beveled keys and an integrated numpad, though no mechanical option is available; keycaps use post-consumer recycled plastics, and some plastic wraps the adapter in the box. The clickpad measures roughly 12.5 x 8 cm. Ports include two USB-A 10 Gbps, two Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, 2.5 GbE and a 3.5 mm jack, plus Wi-Fi 7 BE200 and Bluetooth 5.4. The 1080p30 webcam has IR and a privacy shutter. Speakers are described as relatively weak for the chassis, with average loudness of 77.8 dB and reduced bass versus the median. Two SODIMM and two M.2 2280 slots are user-accessible; sequential SSD reads reached 12,314 MB/s, and Wi-Fi throughput measured 3,607 Mbit/s transmit and 2,989 Mbit/s receive. LatencyMon showed minor DPC issues and two dropped frames.

The competitive

Most rival gaming laptops draw around 140 W or less for graphics, which puts the Omen Max 16 in a narrow group alongside machines like the MSI Titan, MSI Raider, Alienware 16 and Asus ROG Scar. Buyers who want a thinner chassis have the Razer Blade or MSI Stealth 16 as alternatives, at the cost of that wattage headroom. The HyperX Omen Max 16 earns its score by delivering desktop-class graphics power — provided owners accept the bulk, the adapter and the fan noise that come with it.