HP arrived at CES armed to the teeth with new gaming monitors for eager enthusiasts. The company is offering up three all-new products to expand its Omen family of gaming displays, and they look impressive, at least on at first glance. The new models include the Omen 27qs G2, the Omen 32x, and the Omen 34C G2.
We kick things off with the Omen 27qs G2, a follow-up to the Omen 27qs we reviewed last year. We praised the Omen 27qs for its bright images, video processing, and impressive built-in speakers. The Omen 27qs G2 builds upon that foundation by adding IPS Black technology to the mix, boosting the static contrast ratio of the monitor from 1,000:1 to 2,000:1.
At an event before CES, the company had the previous screen and the new G2 model side-by-side for comparison. And while the vertical orientation of the older display didn’t likely do it any favors on the viewing angle front, the difference between the two was immediately noticeable.
HP Omen 27qs G2
Other enhancements include a 33 percent increase in the contrast ratio to 4,000:1 (up from 3,000:1). You still get two HDMI 2.0 ports, one DisplayPort 1.4 port, a three-sided borderless design for the display, and built-in speakers.
Finally, we come to the Omen 32x, HP's first Google TV-based smart gaming monitor. Thanks to the Google TV integration, you can enjoy all the fruits of Google’s popular Smart TV platform, including streaming apps (like Netflix and Hulu) and games.
HP Omen 32x
Specifications
| Header Cell - Column 0 | HP Omen 27qs G2 | HP Omen 32c G2 | HP Omen 32x |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panel Type | IPS Black | VA | IPS |
| Screen Size / Aspect Ratio | 27 inches / 16:9 | 34 inches / 16:9 | 31.5 inches / 16:9 |
| Max Resolution and Refresh Rate | 2560 x 1440 @ 280 Hz AMD FreeSync/Nvidia G-Sync Compatible | 3440 x 1440 @ 180 Hz AMD FreeSync/Nvidia G-Sync Compatible | 3840 x 2160 @ 144 Hz AMD FreeSync/Nvidia G-Sync Compatible |
| Response Time (GTG) | 1 ms | 1 ms | 1 ms |
| Brightness (mfr) | Unspecified | Unspecified | 400 nits |
| Contrast (mfr) | 2,000:1 | 4,000:1 | 1,000:1 |
| Speakers | 2 x 3W | 2 x 3W | 4 x 3W |
| Video Inputs | 1x DisplayPort 1.4 2x HDMI 2.0 | 1x DisplayPort 1.4 2x HDMI 2.0 | 1x DisplayPort 1.4 2x HDMI 2.1 1x USB-C (DisplayPort Alt-Mode) |
HP Omen 34c G2
Moving on, we have the Omen 34c G2, a successor to the Omen 34c. We reviewed the original Omen 34c in November 2023, giving it four out of five stars. At the time, the Omen 34c was spec’d with a 34-inch curved VA panel with a 3440 x 1440 resolution and a 165 Hz maximum refresh rate. The Omen 34C G2 keeps those same fundamentals (including the 1500R curve) but boosts the refresh rate to 180 Hz.
Other enhancements include a 33 percent increase in the contrast ratio to 4,000:1 (up from 3,000:1). You still get two HDMI 2.0 ports, one DisplayPort 1.4 port, a three-sided borderless design for the display, and built-in speakers.
HP Omen 32x
Finally, we come to the Omen 32x, HP's first Google TV-based smart gaming monitor. Thanks to the Google TV integration, you can enjoy all the fruits of Google’s popular Smart TV platform, including streaming apps (like Netflix and Hulu) and games.
However, the Omen 32x is still a gaming monitor at heart, and it features a 31.5-inch IPS display with a 4K resolution, 144 Hz refresh rate, and 1 ms response time (with overdrive) with support for FreeSync Premium and G-Sync. The contrast ratio is listed at 1,000:1, and it’s rated for 400 nits brightness (typical).
You could, of course, use a smart TV as a monitor and get some of the same features. But most 4K TVs don’t support 144 Hz refresh, and HP has incorporated some great picture-in-picture or picture-by-picture features that let you do things like, say, stream a YouTube tutorial from your phone on the screen while playing a game, or just catch up on your favorite show while you work or grind away in your MMORPG of choice. We got a brief tutorial of this at a preview event before CES, and it’s clear that the Omen 32x is much more versatile and capable as a gaming monitor than a modern smart TV. I hope HP offers up an OLED version at some point.
The Omen 32x supports video via two HDMI 2.1 ports, a DisplayPort 1.4 port, or USB-C (DisplayPort Alt-Mode supported along with 65-watt Power Delivery). Also onboard are two USB 2.0 (Type-A) ports, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a 100 Mbps Ethernet jack to provide internet connectivity for Google TV (there’s no mention of Wi-Fi).
HP has not yet announced pricing or availability for its latest Omen gaming monitors.
