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I'd be very proud to show off this sleek RTX 5080 gaming laptop, especially if I'd saved $1,300 in the Cyber Monday sales

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"You won't believe what I paid for this," I'd say, as everyone else in the room silently judged me.

HP laptop on a blue Cyber Monday background.
(Image credit: HP)
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HP Omen Max 16 gaming laptop
(Image credit: Future)

The real issue it's got, however, is the MSI Vector 16 HX AI. I've been able to find the 16 GB RTX 5080 model for $1,900 with much the same hardware—including the 24-core Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU—and that presents quite the conundrum.

The Vector is the cheapest RTX 5080 gaming laptop around by far right now, and edges out the Omen Max 16 in our gaming benchmarks overall. However, it's got some drawbacks of its own.

It's a hot and noisy beast, too (although you can reign that in with some power profile adjustments), and it's also got rubbish battery life. It's also got a worse chassis and keyboard than the Omen Max 16, so you can think of that as where some of the savings have been made. Plus, the Vector above only has 16 GB of RAM, whereas the HP has 32 GB. That stuff's expensive right now, haven't you heard?

HP Omen Max 16 gaming laptop

(Image credit: Future)

Then again, faster is faster, even if it's usually not by very much, and the MSI is cheaper. Eesh, it's difficult.

I've got a tendency to lean towards the HP machine, just, as it's a much sleeker device, and one I think you'll be proud to show off to all and sundry. It's got the sort of chassis that'll look just as good in a meeting as it will on your desk at home, and that's worth quite a lot to me. Plus, 32 GB of RAM as standard is much more like it in 2025, even if it's an easy (not cheap) upgrade in the Vector.

Still, a $100 saving is very tempting. Ah, whatever. Whichever of these RTX 5080-touting machines you pick, you'll be getting a very good deal on the sort of hardware that's otherwise hitting $3,000+ prices in most laptops right now, and that should make you feel darn good about yourself. Decisions, decisions.

👉Shop all the HP gaming laptop deals right here👈

Razer Blade 16 gaming laptop
Best gaming laptop 2025

1. Best overall:
Razer Blade 16 (2025)

2. Best budget:
Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 10

3. Best 14-inch:
Razer Blade 14 (2025)

4. Best mid-range:
MSI Vector 16 HX AI

5. Best high-performance:
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 10

6. Best 18-inch:
Alienware 18 Area-51


👉Check out our full gaming laptop guide👈

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