There isn’t much about the new HP Omen 27i that I haven’t seen before in a gaming monitor, but it’s packed full of specs that HP hasn’t offered until now. The 27-inch QHD (2560 x 1440) nano IPS display offers far better color accuracy and contrast than the TN panels used in many of HP’s previous gaming monitors.
HP sourced this 16:9 aspect ratio display from LG (it’s likely very similar to this LG model). It features 98 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut, a 165Hz refresh rate, and 1ms response time. It also has Nvidia G-Sync compatibility, so you’ll be able to get smoother visual fidelity if you use it with a PC that has an Nvidia GTX 10-series card or greater.
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That’s all great. However, my favorite addition to the Omen 27i isn’t the screen itself, but the lighting on the back of the monitor. Near where the monitor meets the articulating stand (it’s VESA-compatible, if you want to mount it instead), HP built a section that houses a light which illuminates the ports. The lineup of ports (which includes DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 2.0, two USB 3.0 ports for connecting accessories, and another USB 3.0 port for routing data and power back to your PC) is mounted diagonally, making them easy to reach and see. Adding a light to that makes plugging cables in even easier. Granted, you’ll rarely need to mess with the ports once you’ve gotten the display set up, but with most monitors, you usually rue the day you need to switch something out.
A USB-C port for video (or, at the very least, charging devices) would have been welcome, but otherwise this seems to be a well-rounded upgrade, especially if you’ve only had a 1080p TN panel before.
The Omen 27i is available starting today at HP.com and Best Buy for $499.99.
