HP's Omen Pro mobile workstation packs a touchscreen and Nvidia Quadro graphics
The Omen Pro mobile workstation takes a few cues from HP's gaming wares.
If you're a Windows user who needs potent hardware you can take on the road, you may want to check out the HP Omen Pro. Available today for a starting price of $2,199 (that converts to about £1,502, or AU$2,869), this PC packs fourth-generation Intel processors and professional-grade GPUs from Nvidia, in a package that weighs a relatively scant 4.7 pounds (2.1 kg).
As the name implies, the HP Omen Pro is a spruced-up version of the HP Omen gaming notebook. In this model, fourth-generation Intel Core i7 processors are paired with up to 16GB of RAM and HP's Z Turbo Drives, speedy PCIe solid-state drives. The Nvidia GeForce GPU found in the Omen has been replaced by the professional-grade 2GB Quadro K1100M discrete GPU.
Curiously, the Omen Pro offers a touchscreen but ships with Windows 7 Professional, skipping most of the finger-friendly improvements built in to Microsoft's Windows 8. It's also an FHD display: 1,920 by 1,080 pixels feels a tad low for a machine that's aimed at mobile professionals. A mini DisplayPort and HDMI port will let you connect to other, larger displays, and you'll also find four USB 3.0 ports for the rest of your devices.
I wouldn't go so far as to call it svelte, but at 0.78 inch thick and under 5 pounds, it's a far cry from the work-centric behemoths of yore. That said, there's no word on battery life, or the sort of performance we can expect from these machines. If your interest is piqued, the HP Omen Pro is available starting today.