Who says Alienware and other custom-spec builders are the only games in town when it comes to high-end mobile gaming rigs? HP has just introduced the OMEN, which is about as radical as the name implies. It's a gaming laptop that skews to the skinny side, but maintains plenty of raw horsepower underneath. NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 860M and Intel's Core i7 Quad Core processor runs the show, alongside a 15.6-inch 1080p display that's touch-enabled. HP also states that the display is "optimized for smooth frame rates" and offers a 72-percent color gamut.


The baseline rig is equipped with a 128GB SSD, while those who need more space can opt for a 256GB or 512GB PCIe SSD. You'll also get 8GB or 16GB of RAM, and 2GB or 4GB of GDDR5 graphics memory. On the subject of heat, HP claims that it was "engineered from the ground up to manage thermals," with dual fans pulling cool air through on the bottom.

The unit measures 19.9mm thick and weighs just under 5 pounds, and the solid aluminum chassis isn't one you'll soon forget about.  Ports include power, HDMI, mini DisplayPort, and 4 USB 3.0 jacks, and an Ethernet dongle is also included. The backlit keyboard also includes six programmable function keys, not to mention a specially designed "feel" for those who are sensitive to things like spacing and travel.


The starting price of $1,499.99 includes the NVIDIA GTX860M with 2GB GDDR5, Intel Core i7 Quad Core Processor, 8GB DDR3 system memory, and a 128GB SSD, while an extra $100 grabs a 256GB PCIe SSD. For an additional $200, customers can upgrade to the 256GB PCIe SSD, and further upgrade to 4GB GDDR5 graphics memory.