HP goes All in Wireless Gaming Accessories

HP goes All in Wireless Gaming Accessories

HP has announced a new lineup of gaming gear for late 2020. For example, the popular HP Omen 30L desktop will be available with Nvidia's three new GPUs, GeForce RTX 3090, 3080, and 3070. Two new gaming monitors will also be offered. [HP has produced a number of gaming peripherals in the past, but the HP Omen Frequency Wireless Headset, the HP Omen Vector Wireless Mouse, and the HP Omen Space Wireless TLKL Keyboard are just a few, Wireless technology is a relatively new frontier for the venerable HP.

Since its official announcement a few weeks ago, gamers have been expecting great things from Nvidia's new GPUs, which HP plans to integrate into its Omen desktop product line in the coming months: the HP Omen 30L, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090, GeForce RTX 3080, GeForce RTX 3070 models starting in "Holiday 2020"; the GPUs themselves will be available later this month, so it's definitely a somewhat long wait, but it may be worth the wait if you don't want to build or upgrade your own gaming PC.

HP has not provided pricing details for the upgraded Omen 30L, but a back of the napkin calculation can give a rough estimate. Currently, the HP Omen 30L with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super is available for $2,000. For a high-end Omen 30L, $2,100 to $2,500 would be reasonable.

HP is also launching two new gaming monitors, the HPX24i and HPX24ih, which you may not want to use with the high-end Omen 30L. The only difference between the two monitors is that the X24ih has a height-adjustable stand. Otherwise, both are 1080p models with 144 Hz refresh rates and AMD FreeSync technology; the X24i costs $230 and the X24ih $250. Neither offers Quad HD or UHD options, and neither appears to be suitable for the 30L with the new Nvidia cards.

HP's new lineup certainly includes desktops and monitors, but the major focus this time seems to be on wireless accessories: the HP Omen Frequency Wireless Headset, HP Omen Vector Wireless mouse, HP Omen Spacer Wireless TKL keyboard.

The HP Omen Frequency Wireless Headset will be available in December and retails for $170; the 30-hour battery life seems to be a major selling point, but otherwise it is nearly identical to competing wireless gaming headsets: 7.1 surround sound, variable equalizer levels, customizable lighting, USB-C charging, etc.

The HP Omen Vector Wireless Mouse is available now on HP's website for $100. Unlike most wireless gaming mice, the HP Omen Vector is charged via USB-C, and HP claims that it can provide 10 hours of play time on just a five-minute charge. Otherwise, the mouse, like many other high-end gaming mice, features mechanical switches and a 16,000 DPI Pixart sensor.

Finally, there is the HP Omen Spacer Wireless TKL Keyboard, which is available for pre-order on HP's website for $160. (HP has not revealed a release date for this keyboard.) The major appeal of this keyboard is that it is much less expensive than competing mechanical wireless keyboards, and the Omen Spacer Wireless TKL uses real Cherry MX Brown switches It seems that the Omen Spacer Wireless TKL is a great keyboard. For those who don't mind not having a number pad, this may be an attractive package.

In any case, HP's plan for the rest of the year is to make a splash with powerful desktops and wireless gaming accessories. But if you want a UHD monitor to complete your setup, you'll need to look to HP's existing lineup.

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