Exclusive: This is HP Omen Transcend 14, world's lightest 14-inch gaming laptop

HP’s Omen family is a real treat for all gamers who appreciate incredible performance packed in a sleek design that’s not always screaming “gaming”. The Transcend series perfectly embodies that, bringing RTX graphics and the latest CPUs from Intel in a portable, 16-inch gaming laptop.

The HP Omen Transcend 16 was an absolute banger, and based on its success, the company is preparing to launch the newest family member, the Transcend 14. The smaller format promises the same performance as the 16 in a much smaller footprint of 14 inches; frankly, it looks even better than its big brother. We’ve got our hands on some exclusive images with the Omen Transcend 14 and also some specs. Spoiler: it doesn’t disappoint in the performance department!

HP Omen Transcend 14 design and portability

The new Transcend 14 follows the same design language as the Transcend 16, with some slight adjustments. And that’s not a bad thing at all, as the Omen design was appreciated and characterized as stealthy by most gamers, making it perfect for those who also want to do some light work on the side.

Obviously, the Transcend 14 is much smaller than the 16, following the current industry trend, but it doesn’t compromise essential things such as the airflow grills or I/O (while the side grills are gone, the back grill is very similar to the Transcend 16).

The left side now houses only one USB-C (Thunderbolt) and a headphone jack (the 16 has two USB-C ports), while the right side has two USB-A ports, one more than the Transcend 16. Speaker grills remain on each side in the exact location, only smaller.

Another USB-C and an HDMI port on the middle backside complete the I/O, making it more versatile than many other competitors in this space.

Opening the Omen Transcend 14, you’ll see only two significant changes from the 16: the trackpad is now centered, and the Up/Down arrow keys are now half-keys. The keyboard is full RGB and can be controlled through the Omen software, and the webcam is in the same position as the Transcend 16.

HP Omen Transcend 14 specifications

Maybe the most crucial thing about HP’s latest gaming flagship is that the Omen Transcend 14 is marketed as the world’s lightest 14-inch gaming laptop. Judging by the slickness of the design, this may very well be true!

Another significant advantage that the 14-inch slim profile offers is portability. Pair that with the laptop’s Intel Core Ultra CPU, the Nvidia RTX graphics, and the clever airflow design, and you get an incredible powerhouse to use on the go.

As expected, you can always keep things under control with the Omen Gaming Hub, ensuring that your set temperatures and the fans’ speed remain stable. You can also customize your Omen Transcend 14 keyboard RGB directly from the hub or add accessories like the HyperX Cloud II Core Wireless Headset (which we suspect will come pre-bundled at some point).

As the name implies, the HP Omen Transcend 14 has a 14-inch screen. But considering it’s a gaming powerhouse, HP couldn’t equip it with anything other than an incredibly beautiful OLED panel with inky blacks and an excellent contrast ratio.

But that’s not the only excellent thing about it. Check the table below for full specs:

HP’s gaming laptop will come in two colors: Shadow Black and Ceramic White. While there isn’t an official launch date or price yet, we suspect the HP Omen Transcend 14 will be officially unveiled at CES 2024.

We think the Transcend 14 has a real chance to be one of the best portable gaming laptops on the market, but what’s your take on it? The specs are enough for on-the-go gaming, so let us know in the comments section below if HP has done enough to convince you of that.