HP neglected to set the XMP profile or provide instructions to make the memory run at the rated speed. Fortunately I found out how to get into the bios and pick a XMP profile via a Google search that found a forum with this topic. I also feel that the system should have come with 32GB of memory (not 16) based on the price and the need for more memory when using Windows 11. The system itself runs great and is very fast and appears to be well built. USB disk transfer are still very slow (sometimes under 20 M/Sec) which I believe is the fault of Microsoft rather than HP but you never know. The drivers just may not be that great at this point. I also wish that the USB ports were better labeled to understand best use case for each port. I found that using all of the rear ports resulted in my USB drives disappearing so I moved two of the 5 to the ports on the top and that behavior stopped. Also, at this point not 100% sure how to get the system overclocked to the point of hitting the advertised throughput but I did kick it up a couple of points and it appeared to help.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Value
4
Quality
4
Written by a customer while visiting hp.com
Customer Rating
5
A Great Machine With A Few Minor Quirks
on October 31, 2025
Posted by: Zserver
This PC is a well constructed device, but there are a couple of minor design quirks. First, the Nvidia graphics card does block some items on the mobo, such as the battery and the second m.2 drive, however, due to the thoughtful case design, accessing the insides of the PC was very easy. I also am not impressed with the cable management -- for this price point I would expect a clean and precise design. It wasn't terrible, but I have seen better. Still, regardless of what some infuencers on social media may say, the components (case, memory, gpu, and mobo) are top notch. The glass that is used in the case is thick and luxurious. Removing it as well as the opposite side where the majority of the cabling is kept is easy with a one button release. I did find that I had to add a smidge of silicon grease at the locations where the pins for each panel secure the panel one. After doing so, the panels are installed and remove smooth as silk.. One other beef I have is with the documentation -- I think HP could have provided a bit more information. Despite what a popular social media influencer says, the cryo chamber design works really well -- CPU and GPU temps are excellent. I also had no beef with the bios options -- it is not the most comprehensive, but it does provide more than the basics. Performace of the system is what you would expect with an Ultra 9 Intel processor -- not the best, but certainly meets my needs. I haven't used the AI tools extensively, but it is nice that they are available for this model PC. Finally, regarding aesthetics, this PC as a whole is a beauty -- I love the form factor and the lighting is nicely done -- I like the Omen symbol at the top, so I leave that on all the time even when the PC is shut down.
While I'm rating 5 stars, most of what I say will be the negatives (because everything else is that good). The DRAM is very under-clocked and even if you get the exact same brand and model, HP won't support it in their managing software. You can use non-HP-sourced memory, but they treat you different. The sound, while generally low, is noticeable when the machine is placed right next to you (at the same level). Some is fan sound and some is water pumps. Not really bad, and it runs cool enough that this is not a true complaint. The graphics card is so huge that finding a 10G network card that fit in the one remaining slot was difficult. This card fit: Marvell AQtion AQC113C Controller, NICGIGA 10Gb Ethernet Adapter. This card did not fit: TRENDnet 10 Gigabit PCIe Network Adapter (chip on back stuck out 2 mm) I just used the other card in my old machine so now they all cruise at 10Gbit.