Highlights

• Lightweight and portable design, ideal for work and gaming
• Vivid 1800p OLED display with sharp contrasts
• Decent 5.5-hour battery life for a gaming laptop
• Strong 1080p gaming performance with RTX 4060 GPU

I think that the HP Omen Transcend 14 is something of a gaming laptop that could pass for an ultraportable for business.

Even with the RGB keyboard lighting, it’s so slick it can work for the office as much as it can at home.

HP markets it as “the world’s lightest 14-inch gaming laptop.”

It’s got the look down, at least.

Long story short, I booted up a game and was blown away by how well it could handle modern titles for its light, small, and relatively cheap profile.

No laptop is perfect, and this one has its downsides.

It’s not for everyone, but it still makes for an excellent choice.

Other RTX 4060 gaming laptops are usually a lot cheaper, although it is hard to find another one that would fit the size, handsome looks, and beautiful high-resolution OLED screen.

Here’s our full review.

HP Omen Transcend 14: Unboxing Video

Pros

• Portable and sleek design
• Vibrant OLED display
• Decent battery life

Cons

• No VRR support
• Mushy keyboard feel
• Highly reflective screen

Key Specs

• Display: 14-inch OLED, 1800p resolution
• Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, 90W
• RAM: 16GB
• Storage: 1TB SSD
• Keyboard: RGB lighting, four zones
• Battery Life: 5.5 hours (web browsing)
• Ports: 2x USB-C (power delivery)

HP Omen Transcend 14: Design

The HP Omen Transcend 14 is one of the most subtle gaming laptops I’ve ever come across.

It boasts a thin, sturdy machined aluminium chassis without flashing RGB lighting or bold logos plastered all over.

At first glance, it might not even look like a gaming laptop.

However, things start looking different once the LED keyboard lights are turned on. Our review model had a four-zone lighting keyboard that gave it a show of really being a gaming laptop.

I personally think its colourful, yet distinctive look, sets it apart from most other gaming laptops.

The lid has a simple ‘Omen’ logo in light silver, with some small text along the slightly protruding back, giving it a clean, uniform, and crisp look.

It even has a little Chromebook vibe going on, and I mean that as a compliment.

Despite its slim profile, I had no concerns about its long-term durability during testing.

Plus, it saves you some money and 200 grams in weight.

HP Omen Transcend 14: Display

The glossy OLED panel is hands-down the best feature of the HP Omen Transcend 14.

Its shiny surface might cause reflections in bright environments, but the screen really comes into its own in darker settings, where it produces very nice, smooth visuals with deep colours.

It’s got a vivid colour profile and striking contrast just like the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14, but at a sharp 1800p resolution.

The bright OLED panel does its best to highlight both dark and light elements well.

Watching the final trailer for “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” was a treat, because the 120Hz refresh rate made the fast action scenes smooth and fluid.

There are some downsides, though.

The HP Omen Transcend 14 doesn’t support VRR (variable refresh rates) in games, so you won’t get NVIDIA G-Sync or AMD FreeSync here.

No single display technology fits all when buying a gaming laptop. Personally, I love gaming on a beautiful OLED display immensely but to each their own I guess.

HP Omen Transcend 14: Keyboard and Trackpad

The HP Omen Transcend 14 sports a standard key set without the extra number pad or extra navigation keys that you usually don’t find on a gaming laptop of its size.

However, the lattice-free design manages to squeeze in full-sized keycaps, making it easy to type on.

An added advantage with this laptop is for everyday work on a smaller build.

Thick keycaps and good travel distance aided me in maintaining my usual typing speed.

I liked the bouncy feel of the keys and the satisfying clicks that they produced.

And, of course, the soft glow of the RGB under the keys was icing on the cake for this as a gaming laptop to type on.

These keys feel more than adequate to type on but don’t feel quite as snappy when pressed down to the bottom.

I wouldn’t say this is a bad keyboard, but I’ve used better.

The mushy feel of the keys is not surprising, given the laptop’s thin design, which doesn’t allow as much space for key travel as bulkier gaming laptops.

The trackpad is spacious and works well enough, though it’s fairly standard for a Windows laptop in this price range.

It’s not a glass trackpad, so it’s not as satisfying to slide your finger over as the trackpad on a high-end business laptop, but there were no issues with its performance.

HP Omen Transcend 14: Performance and Gaming

The Intel Core processor inside the HP Omen Transcend 14 is largely identical in performance to last year’s 13th gen.

This trend extends to pretty much 2024’s gaming laptops, so those of you looking for a big bump in performance will have to wait until next year.

These new chips are more about power efficiency, so there are no major performance bumps to speak of.

I have attached some benchmark scores for your perusal.

Long story short, nothing out of the ordinary.

Is this the best laptop for sustained CPU performance?

No, but that’s expected given its compact size.

hp review

For sustained performance, a bigger, heavier laptop would be more suitable.

However, the performance numbers are still impressive and your regular day-to-day tasks will pass by in a breeze.

The Omen Transcend 14 isn’t designed for peak performance, and that’s fine.

The GPU runs at 90W, likely to accommodate the USB-C charger and slim body, leading to some mismatch between specs and performance.

But the laptop does have NVIDIA’s DLSS, courtesy of the RTX 4060. Most games are above 60 frames per second with the use of the Balanced mode of DLSS.

You will be able to get playable performance on the Omen Transcend 14, but barely at actual, true native resolution.

Most games would require either using DLSS, turning down the graphics settings, or running at a lower resolution.

The HP Omen Transcend 14 I tested had an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, an Intel Core Ultra 7 CPU, and 16GB of RAM.

These are not specs best for 4K at 60 frames per second with max graphical settings, but they’re enough for medium settings 1080p gaming.

HP Omen Transcend 14: Battery Life

The battery life of the Omen Transcend 14 was the greatest surprise, however.

In our web-browsing test, it managed to last about five and a half hours, outperforming the similarly-spec’d Zephyrus G14.

According to HP, that’s because they axed the MUX switch, which was just a big power drain.

That might be the reason this is performing better than other laptops with this hardware.

The thing is, though, it’s a gaming laptop, so battery life isn’t exactly stellar.

On the bright side, that 140W USB-C charger is quite portable, and both USB-Cs support power delivery.

Final Verdict

The HP Omen Transcend 14 is an appealing choice for any gamer who values portability and aesthetics.

This laptop mixes the looks of being sleek and business-like with powerful gaming capabilities for Rs 1,75,000, thus making it versatile for use in both the workplace and home.

Some of its key features are a vibrant OLED display, decent battery life for its class, and a comfortable typing experience.

It might not offer top performance because of its compact size, but it runs amok when it comes to smooth gameplay, thanks to NVIDIA’s DLSS technology.

Variable refresh rate support is very noticeably missing here, and the keys feel somewhat mushy.

Overall, the Omen Transcend 14 is a great buy for anyone looking for a stylish yet capable gaming laptop.

5 Reasons to Buy

• Lightweight and portable design: At just 14 inches, this laptop is incredibly easy to carry around, making it perfect for both gaming and work on the go.
• Stunning high-resolution OLED display: The 1800p OLED screen offers vibrant colours and sharp contrasts, enhancing your gaming and viewing experience.
• Good battery life for a gaming laptop: With around 5.5 hours of web browsing, it outperforms many other gaming laptops in terms of battery longevity.
• Comfortable keyboard with RGB lighting: The keyboard is pleasant to type on, with full-sized keycaps and customizable RGB lighting to enhance your gaming setup.
• Strong 1080p gaming performance: Equipped with an RTX 4060 GPU, it handles modern games smoothly at medium settings, ensuring a satisfying gaming experience.

3 Reasons Not to Buy

• No variable refresh rate support: The absence of NVIDIA G-Sync or AMD FreeSync means you might experience screen tearing during fast-paced games.
• Keys feel slightly mushy: While the keyboard is comfortable, the keys lack the snappy feedback found in higher-end gaming laptops.
• Reflections on glossy screen in bright environments: The glossy OLED screen can be quite reflective, making it difficult to see in well-lit conditions.

FAQs

What is the battery life of the HP Omen Transcend 14?

The HP Omen Transcend 14 offers about 5.5 hours of battery life during web browsing, which is impressive for a gaming laptop.

Does the HP Omen Transcend 14 support variable refresh rates?

No, the HP Omen Transcend 14 does not support variable refresh rates like NVIDIA G-Sync or AMD FreeSync.

How does the keyboard feel on the HP Omen Transcend 14?

The keyboard is comfortable with full-sized keycaps and RGB lighting, but the keys may feel slightly mushy compared to higher-end gaming laptops.

What are the key specifications of the HP Omen Transcend 14?

The key specs include a 14-inch OLED display, Intel Core Ultra 7 CPU, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, 16GB RAM, and a 1TB SSD.

Is the HP Omen Transcend 14 good for 4K gaming?

While it can handle 1080p gaming well, the HP Omen Transcend 14 may struggle with 4K gaming at 60 frames per second on max settings.

Also Read: HP unveils Omen 16 gaming notebooks in India

Also Read: HP Omen 16 Gaming Laptop Review: Performance Meets Dynamic Design

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