The HP Omen 27u could be a great PC and console gaming monitor

(Image credit: HP)

CES 2022 has truly been a show for screens of all shapes, sizes, and use cases. We’ve seen the world’s first 4k 240Hz gaming monitor as well as some crazy tricks with curved screens from Samsung. LG brought both the biggest and smallest OLED gaming TVs to the market. Now HP is here with its new Omen gaming monitor, and it seems 4k is finally on the menu.

The new HP Omen 27u is the latest in the company’s range of 27” gaming monitors. The previous 27i model managed a QHD resolution at 165 Hz, a bit like the HP Omen 25i gaming monitor we reviewed. The new model supports 4k UHD (3840 x 2160) but with a 144 Hz refresh rate at a 1ms response time. The brightness gets a slight step up to 450 nits which should look rich with the HDR capabilities. There’s two USB A ports and even a USB C built in which is a very welcome sign of the times.

Screen queens

Best gaming monitor: pixel-perfect panels for your PC
Best high refresh rate monitor: screaming quick screens
Best 4K monitor for gaming: when only high-res will do
Best 4K TV for gaming: big-screen 4K PC gaming

For connectivity the monitor comes packing a typical DisplayPort which should keep most PC enthusiasts happy, especially with the AMD FreeSync Premium Pro adaptive sync support. There’s also two HDMI ports which in the specs are listed as one being HDMI 2.1 and the other only HDMI 2.0. Given that HDMI 2.1 technically covers HDMI 2.0 nowadays it’s nice to still have the distinction. HP says the HDMI 2.1 port will support up to 120 Hz refresh rate, which makes it a great monitor to plug into current gen consoles as well as PCs. It even has built-in speakers, making it an easy choice for a quick game session.

And of course there’s a bunch of other fun features for gamers. It wouldn’t be an Omen monitor if it didn't pack in a bunch of RGB, and so it does and it’s all customisable to boot. There’s also the Omen gaming hub which comes with extra collaboration options designed with gamers in mind, like being able to brighten dark areas without overexposing the screen. There’s even Game Remaster mode which lets you essentially downscale older games so they look more how you might remember

The borderless IPS HP Omen 27u is looking like it could be a really attractive and versatile gaming monitor for PCs and consoles alike. It’s due out this spring, and has an MSRP of $699.99. Hopefully we’ll get our hands on one to be able to tell you more.

Hope’s been writing about games for about a decade, starting out way back when on the Australian Nintendo fan site Vooks.net. Since then, she’s talked far too much about games and tech for publications such as Techlife, Byteside, IGN, and GameSpot. Of course there’s also here at PC Gamer, where she gets to indulge her inner hardware nerd with news and reviews. You can usually find Hope fawning over some art, tech, or likely a wonderful combination of them both and where relevant she’ll share them with you here. When she’s not writing about the amazing creations of others, she’s working on what she hopes will one day be her own. You can find her fictional chill out ambient far future sci-fi radio show/album/listening experience podcast right here. No, she’s not kidding.