HP reveals 9 budget-friendly Omen gaming monitors

HP is all-in on its Omen gaming brand, at least if you’re looking for a new display. The company announced no fewer than nine new models, from a meager 24-inch 1080p display all the way up to a feature-packed 34-inch ultrawide. Prices range from just $200 up to a surprisingly reasonable $580, and all are planned to release sometime this spring.

Let’s take it from the bottom. The Omen 24 and 27 are the entry-level gaming displays, packing the standard 1080p resolution, flat panels, 165Hz refresh rates, and 1ms response times. Color accuracy isn’t the greatest, but they use a speedy IPS panel, so that’s more than you’d get from the cheaper VA designs. Double HDMI 2.0 and HisplayPort 1.41 cover the inputs—no USB extras. The 24-inch version will go for $200 while the 27-inch version is $250.

HP

The Omen 27q keeps the lower 165Hz refresh rate but brings the resolution up to 2560×1440, really taking advantage of the extra screen real estate. The Omen 27s has the same 1080p resolution as the cheaper displays, but bumps the speed up a notch and adds RGB rear lighting. It’s using a 240Hz panel that’s hard to find in an IPS-based display, especially one that preserves the usual 400 nits of brightness. You also get a couple of USB-A ports for accessories. And if you want the best of both worlds, The Omen 27qs has the full 1440p resolution, 240Hz refresh rate, RGB lighting, and USB extras. The Omen 27q, 27s, and 27qs will be $300, $350, and $429, respectively.

HP

Now we’re stepping into the big leagues, in terms of specs if not the screens themselves. The Omen 27k is a full 4K display (3840×2160) with a still-respectable 144Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time on its IPS panel. It also gets a lot of extra bells and whistles, including HDMI 2.1 support, a USB-C port, two USB-A ports, and an integrated KBM switch. The screen is rated for 120fps support for the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles, and the cherry on top is rear-facing RGB lighting. If you want all these goodies, you’ll need to pay up: The Omen 27k will cost $580 upon release.

HP

If you’re looking for big screen real-estate on a budget, the Omen 32c might fit the bill. Its 1500R curved panel is a step down in quality to VA, but it has a 165Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, and 1440p resolution, making it a formidable and plus-sized gaming display for only $380. The Omen 32q drops the curve, but upgrades the monitor to a more color-accurate IPS panel. It’ll cost an even $400 at retail.

HP

Finally, the Daddy Bear of the bunch is the Omen 34c, a 21:9 ultrawide with the semi-standard 3440×1440 resolution. It’s packing a curved VA panel with the familiar 165Hz/1ms specs, and to be honest, very little else. But if you want an ultrawide at full resolution on the cheap, it’s hard to find one from a major brand that can undercut the $480 price tag.