HP OMEN Max 16: Gaming Laptop Built for Sustained Performance

HP came to CES to with the HyperX OMEN Max 16, claiming it is the world’s most powerful 16-inch gaming laptop with a fully internal cooling system. According to HP, the system is engineered to deliver up to 300W of sustained total platform power in Intel-based configurations, enabled by a 460W gallium nitride power adapter. The emphasis during the briefing was clear: this is not a thin-and-light performance spike machine, but a mobile system designed to maintain high performance under continuous load

Thermal design is the foundation of that claim. HP highlighted a large vapor chamber covering roughly 60 percent of the motherboard, paired with liquid-metal “OMEN Cryo” thermal compound applied to both the CPU and GPU. The specification sheet expands on this by detailing a redesigned OMEN Tempest Cooling Pro system that introduces a third fan alongside Fan Cleaner technology, which automatically helps preserve airflow efficiency over time. Together, these elements aim to keep performance stable during long gaming sessions rather than relying on short-duration boost behavior

On the compute side, the OMEN Max 16 is offered with either next-generation Intel processors or next-generation AMD Ryzen AI CPUs, depending on configuration. Graphics options scale up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU on Intel SKUs, while RTX 5080 and RTX 5070 Ti configurations broaden the lineup. Memory support reaches up to 64GB of DDR5, with Intel models pushing speeds to 6400 MT/s, reinforcing the system’s positioning as a desktop replacement rather than a portability-first notebook.

The datasheet confirms a 16-inch 2.5K OLED display running at up to 240Hz, with a 0.2ms response time, 500 nits SDR brightness, and 1100 nits peak HDR, along with 100 percent DCI-P3 coverage and variable refresh rate support. Additional OLED and IPS configurations are also available, including a 3.2K IPS 240Hz panel on select Intel models, giving buyers flexibility between absolute contrast and ultra-high resolution

Input and usability details reinforce HP’s performance-first approach. The OMEN Max 16 features HP’s first high-polling-rate laptop keyboard, operating at 1000Hz, with full per-key RGB lighting, NKRO anti-ghosting, and a built-in numeric keypad. Audio is handled through HyperX Audio Control with DTS:X Ultra support, while a 1080p IR webcam supports Windows Hello and streaming-friendly video quality.

Connectivity reflects the machine’s desktop ambitions. Intel configurations include dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, while AMD variants offer dual USB-C 40Gbps ports, both paired with HDMI 2.1, 2.5Gb Ethernet, and Wi-Fi 7 support. Power comes from an 83Wh battery, with HP quoting a rapid charge capability of approximately 50 percent in 30 minutes when powered off, though sustained gaming performance is clearly intended to be delivered while plugged in.

Taken together, the OMEN Max 16 is less about redefining portability and more about pushing how much sustained performance can be delivered in a 16-inch form factor without external cooling. HP’s “world’s most powerful” claim rests on a measurable combination of power delivery, thermal capacity, and component headroom rather than a single headline specification.

All these qualities have earned this laptop an “Ubergizmo Best of CES” award.

Filed in Gaming. Read more about Best of CES, CES, CES 2026 and Gaming Laptops.