I know virtually nothing about boxing. But I do know about gaming laptops, which currently come in three main weight classes: nimble 14-inch flyweights, 16-inch all-round middleweights, and knockout 18-inch heavyweights (with the odd 17-inch machine thrown in).
The HP Omen Transcend 14 on review here belongs to the first category. In fact it's one of the most compact gaming laptops on the market right now. But does it strike like a heavyweight as one of the best gaming laptops you can buy? That's what we're here to explore.
The lightweight gaming rig is a category that looks set to dominate 2024 as the progression of hardware allows for sleek designs without sacrificing power. The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is another 14-inch machine that is also exceptionally stylish, so can the HP do enough to be champion come the final bell?
HP Omen Transcend 14: Price & availability
The HP Omen Transcend (cidename 14-fb0011na if you're searching for specifics) that I was loaned for review is a middle-of-the-range model - both as far as gaming laptops are concerned and as far as the Omen Transcend 14 range goes.
This model will set you back £1799/$1659 for an Intel Core Ultra 7 Processor and an RTX 4060 GPU. However, the top-spec (14-fb0009na) variant features an Ultra 9 processor and RTX 4070 GPU, which will cost you get more (around £/$2K).
HP Omen Transcend 14 review: Design
I'm used to reviewing gaming laptops with more shall we say... ostentatious designs than the Transcend 14. That's great fun, but when you want something to use on the train or in the office without turning heads, you'll be better off reaching for the HP than something like the ROG Zephyrus G14 (which has a giant illuminated slash on its lid).
I'm not saying that the Transcend 14 is an ugly machine though. In fact, in its black finish and all-metal case, it's an elegant sight - reminiscent perhaps of a stealth bomber. It's payload? An RGB-packed keyboard (that you can turn off or customise, but of course).
The defining feature of the Transcend 14's design is something you can't really see: its weight. At just 1.75cm thick and weighing just 1.63kg it's no trouble at all in a backpack and is, in fact, HP's lightest gaming PC ever. When it comes to mixing work and play, the design of the Transcend 14 is the best of both worlds.
HP Omen Transcend 14 review: Display
It may only be a 14-inch screen, but good things come in small packages - and the Transcend 14's display is definitely a good thing.
The 2880 x 1800 OLED panel is a blessing for the eyes and comes with an 120Hz refresh rate with 0.2ms response time. That's identical to the ROG Zephyrus G14, so again that's no bad thing.
We have seen laptops with higher refresh rates, but you will be able to get a 120fps frame rate with this 120Hz display, if you play your cards right, which is more than enough.
HP Omen Transcend 14 review: Performance
The proof with all gaming laptops is in the playing. It's all well and good having an attractive machine, but if it can't even play Pac-Man then you've wasted your money.
That's not the case here, as an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU is part of this solid setup. You won't make the absolute most of the latest AAA titles, but you'll definitely be able to play them comfortably with 16GB of RAM to asssit.
On 2023's Forza Motorsport, I found myself racing around Laguna Seca at a smooth 60fps on Medium settings. Even while cranking things up to Ultra settings I still managed a playable 45fps.
One area in which gaming laptops often falter is in performance when plugged in versus performance when running on battery power. I actually was impressed that it wasn't such an obvious issue here. With Doom: Eternal running on its highest 'Ultra Nightmare' settings I managed a constant 60fps+ when connected to the power and a fluctuation from 55-60fps when freewheeling it.
What I would say is that although it wasn't particularly loud, the Transcend 14 does sometimes get pretty hot underneath when gaming, so much so that a couple of times it had to suddenly 'hibernate' to cool off.
If your are a benchmark enthusiast then you'll like to know that the Transcend 14 registered a 1674 single-core score on the Geekbench CPU test, a 6240 multi-core score, while the GPU clocked in at 22,260.
HP Omen Transcend 14 review: Features
Ports might not be a particularly exciting part of a laptop, but they are essential to how you use it every day. Given the Transcend 14's slim profile, it doesn't offer a massive amount of ports, but it's not terrible.
You'll find a headphone jack, an HDMI port, two USB-A ports, and two USB-C ports on this machine. However, that's more like one USB-C slot as one is used for charging (this is meant to be the rear port but you can use the side one - but it will charge much slower).
Having USB-C charging is handy, and while it won't work on just any old charger, it does mean the power brick is almost the same size as a regular laptop's equivalent. Not a giant brick, as is so common among gaming laptops.
There's no touchscreen here, but the keyboard is an impressively easy-to-use one and it's an enjoyable experience. If you're a gamer/novelist there's no problem here.
HP Omen Transcend 14 review: Battery Life
Now we come to the Achille's heel of pretty much every gaming laptop: battery life. In regular use, they are normally fairly capable if underwhelming, and that's the case here too.
Using the Transcend like a normal laptop I managed to get about five to six hours - which is a little disappointing, but not uncommon at all.
You'll do well to hit two hours of demanding play with any gaming laptop and that's something the Transcend falls short of. In use, I was getting between an hour and 90 minutes when stressing that GPU.
HP Omen Transcend 14: Verdict
If you're after a speedy laptop that can also play AAA games, then the HP Omen Transcend 14 makes a very compelling case. Superlight and portable, it's great whether playing on its OLED display or using one of the best gaming monitors.
What it doesn't offer is a great battery life or a wealth of ports, but it is a competitively priced and smart-looking laptop well worth your time.
As for the rivalry between it and the Zephyrus G14? There's very little in it. If you're after something more showy go for the G14, but the HP is the more grown-up choice.
Also consider
As touched upon above, the elephant in the room is the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14. It's a similarly slim and light laptop, it also boasts comparative performance, but if you want something with a bit more of an outlandish 'gamer' design then it could be worth your while.
If you don't mind going bigger and more expensive, we love the MSI Raider GE78HX, which looks like something from classic Star Trek and has a £3000+ price tag - but it runs everything like a dream.
