Review: HP OMEN Transcend 14 fb0014

The HP Omen Transcend 14 is not just any gaming laptop. With this machine, engineers have created a laptop that is powerful, lightweight and highly portable. The fact that it also comes with a price tag that doesn’t seem totally daunting is quite appealing and the reason why this new 14-inch has earned a trip to our test bench.

The machine is available in two configurations, where we have taken a closer look at the smaller model. Our test sample is therefore equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card, 16 gigabytes of RAM and a 1 terabyte solid state drive. Being a laptop GPU, the graphicps card does not have the power of the full-scale desktop version of the RTX 4060 and it will draw a maximum of 65 watts.

In other words, this is a compromise that will probably put some people off, while others will be attracted by the sleek exterior. For another €300 you get a more powerful processor, Intel Core Ultra 9 185H, a Geforce RTX 4070 graphics card, 32GB RAM and double the storage space.

Stylish exterior

On the surface, the HP Omen Transcend 14 looks like a regular ultra-portable laptop, and nowhere does it reveal that this is a machine built specifically for gamers. I kind of like that, as I don’t like big bright logos or other flashy things that usually adorn these types of machines. Here you get a discreet, slim, light and compact machine wrapped in metal. It’s a nice touch.

It’s only when you lift the lid to reveal the machine’s beautiful OLED screen that you realise what you’re getting. The built-in keyboard lights up in all colours of the rainbow, revealing the machine’s primary target audience – gamers! The keyboard is full-sized and the soft keys are comfortable to press, even if they are a little cramped. There’s no space between them, so the layout takes some getting used to.

However, your eyes immediately move from the glowing keys to the inviting 14-inch OLED display, which is also perfect for gaming. It has a high resolution of 2,880 x 1,800 pixels and a variable refresh rate of 48 to 120 Hz. This ensures a smooth gaming experience, even when the action is fast and the frame rate goes up and down. Because it’s an OLED display, you’re guaranteed deep blacks and vibrant colours.

HDR material in particular looks fantastic, but be aware that you’ll need to use the included power adapter to utilise this functionality. The built-in speakers are decent but can’t quite manage to drown out the built-in fan when the guts get overloaded. Fortunately, there is a normal headphone output that most gamers will probably use to avoid listening to the fan noise.

As for ports, here’s what’s necessary. A USB-C port for power and an HDMI 2.1 port sit between the ventilation openings on the back. If you have the machine standing on a table connected to an external monitor, this location may be preferable to the usual one on the side. However, we also get a USB-C port on the left side next to the mini-jack port and two old-fashioned USB-A ports on the right side for older equipment, dongles and the like.

Benchmarks

As mentioned, the machine is equipped with the modern Intel Core Ultra 7-155H, which we have also seen in the recently tested HP Spectre 14 x360. The two machines also have the same amount of RAM and the same amount of storage space. Like its ‘colleague’, this machine is therefore also well suited for office work and general everyday use – email, music, web browsing and the like. But this is where the similarities end. Due to the built-in Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics card, the Omen Transcend 14 outperforms the Spectre 14, and all test results are almost double the results of the HP Spectre 14 x360.

But test results can never stand alone, so of course we also tried our hand at more recent games, including Cyberpunk 2077 and Star Wars Jedi Survivor. The results were fairly consistent across the board. An RTX 4060 graphics card is not the fastest ride available and you won’t be able to utilise the full resolution of the monitor if you want a smooth and stutter-free gaming experience. We therefore recommend sticking to full HD resolution and medium settings for most games. Depending on the game, you can expect 30-60 fps or more if the game is well optimised. However, we must always remember that this is a compact 14-inch laptop and in that light, the results are still quite impressive.

The same cannot be said for the battery, which lasted 2 hours and 50 minutes in our battery test, while under more realistic pressures and gaming the battery didn’t last much over an hour. So always take the charger with you when you head out the door!

Conclusion

The HP Omen Transcend 14 isn’t the best gaming laptop on the market, and with its mid-range RTX 4060 graphics card it will probably scare away the most serious gamers. But what it lacks in performance, it makes up for in style and lightweight packaging. This is a lightweight and discreet laptop that can be taken anywhere and is also a decent gaming laptop if you can get by with full HD resolution and medium settings in most games. In addition to the comfortable exterior, the good keyboard and especially the beautiful OLED screen are worth mentioning.

Once you’ve tried gaming on a portable OLED display with HDR, it’s hard to go back to TN, VA or IPS panels. Only the battery really drags down the rating. A measly three hours in regular use and what looks like a third for intense gaming is not good enough. Despite this, we can recommend the HP Omen Transcend 14 for people who want to game a little between excel sheets and emails. Just remember to always keep the charger in your bag.