Ctrl+Alt+Delete: HP’s Omen Transcend 16 is a smart MacBook Pro rival

OPINION: From Lenovo’s new Yoga Pro range to the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra, Windows laptop manufacturers are coming for the MacBook Pro in 2023. But, they look doomed to fail, so HP is trying something different.

Before I get to the intriguing HP Omen Transcend 16 laptop, let’s dive into the problem I think it might solve. If you’re any manufacturer other than Apple, why wouldn’t you want a slice of the MacBook Pro pie? Especially, brands like Samsung, Asus, Lenovo, Acer and others all make a ton of laptops already and it appears to be now skin off their back to expand the line even further.

But, from my experience, with a couple of these devices and the components they wield, they’re shooting for an unattainable goal. They’re being marketed as high-end creative machines with plenty of portability, just like the MacBook Pro. But, one of Windows biggest benefits, that being broad access to gaming, is taking a back seat.

Yes, these devices tout gaming as a capability but it’s been drowned out in the design and build. Making the keyboard a strong gaming-friendly proposition doesn’t seem to be a huge priority, nor does the need for enhanced battery life if you’re going to do any gaming (or demanding creative work on the go). A little bit of extra thickness doesn’t hurt portability that much. The Omen Transcend 16 with its approach, clearly with gaming right at the core, gets that.

There appears to be a fear that catering to the requirements of those who want power on the move will lead to a device that grabs gamers and few others. An inability to detract from trying to come up with something that tops the MacBook Pro on the design front – a tough feat – while also catering to portability, power, and battery life needs. The equation just doesn’t work with the components that Windows machines currently have available to them.

What makes the HP Omen Transcend 16 one of the biggest hopes Windows has for a true MacBook Pro rival is that it is trying the least hard to be a reflection of Apple’s powerhouse laptop. Gaming is at its core, but with a stylish yet understated chassis, new Mini LED display and large battery, it’ll bring mobile creators along with it too.

The HP Omen Transcend 16 sets its stall out immediately by positioning this as an enhanced gaming laptop. It ungracefully says the quiet part out aloud by making clear this device transcends its current gaming range – it gets the message across though. It’s set to be kitted out with up to an Intel Core i9-13900HX, up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 and a QHD+ 16:10 240Hz Mini LED panel. There’s also a 97Whr battery, up to 32GB RAM and 2TB SSD storage.

The HP Omen Transcend 16 doesn’t have a completely straightforward route to the top of high-performance, high-end Windows laptop supremacy though – and I don’t want to discount a device that’s been ahead of the game in this area already. The Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 has been on the market for a few years now, entering storefronts well before this 2023 trend of MacBook Pro-alikes. It nails many of these areas that the Omen Transcend 16 looks to tackle and received a 4-star review from us. But, the burgeoning promise of this brand-spanking new laptop from HP has caught my attention.

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Ctrl+Alt+Delete is our weekly computing-focussed opinion column where we delve deeper into the world of computers, laptops, components, peripherals and more. Find it on Trusted Reviews every Saturday afternoon.