This summary of the video was created by an AI. It might contain some inaccuracies.
00:00:00 – 00:07:32
The video provides a comprehensive guide on upgrading various components of the HP Omen 15 gaming laptop, focusing on enhancing battery life, RAM, storage, and WiFi capabilities. The speaker explains how to open the laptop using tools, identifies upgradeable parts, and details each upgrade process. Upgrading the storage to a new SSD and initializing it in Windows, replacing the battery with a higher capacity version, and expanding the RAM from 16GB to 64GB for improved performance are covered thoroughly. However, the WiFi 6e card upgrade proved problematic, likely due to a possible BIOS whitelist issue, leading the speaker to conclude that WiFi 6e upgrades are not feasible for this laptop at present. The video concludes with the speaker encouraging viewers to look forward to future content and reviews related to laptop upgrades and performance testing.
00:00:00
In this part of the video, the speaker demonstrates how to upgrade the HP Omen 15 gaming laptop’s battery, RAM, storage, and WiFi. They emphasize that while the processor and graphics cannot be upgraded due to being soldered to the motherboard, most other components can be enhanced. The process begins by removing eight Phillips head screws from the laptop’s underside, noting that the front screws are shorter. Pry tools are recommended for opening the case, although a credit card could suffice in an emergency.
Once inside, the locations of the battery, storage slots, WiFi card, and memory slots are identified. The upgrade process starts with the storage, involving the removal of a single screw and heat spreader, and installing a new SSD. The video also covers necessary steps to initialize the new SSD in Windows.
Next, the battery upgrade is shown, detailing the removal of five screws and the old battery, and the installation of a higher capacity one. The steps include reconnecting the battery cable and reinstalling the M.2 drive. Finally, the speaker notes that upon powering on the laptop, users may need to clear CMOS settings for the new battery and potentially calibrate it by fully charging and then unplugging the system.
00:03:00
In this part of the video, the presenter discusses allowing the battery on the Omen 15 to drain completely to zero to improve battery life estimation. They compare the performance of two different batteries, noting that the larger battery lasts about 35% longer, correlating with its size. The smaller battery can last almost 7 hours during YouTube playback, while the larger one lasts over 9 hours.
Next, they upgrade the RAM from 16GB to 64GB using two 32GB sticks, emphasizing that dual-channel configuration is important for performance. Testing revealed a significant 22.5% performance boost in Adobe Photoshop and a minor 3% boost in Adobe Premiere, though this varies based on the workload.
The presenter then attempts to upgrade the WiFi card to WiFi 6e. This process is challenging due to a heat pipe covering the WiFi card in the AMD model. They managed to swap the card without removing the cooler but did not recommend this method due to potential risks. Despite replacing the card, WiFi functionality was not achieved.
00:06:00
In this segment of the video, the speaker discusses their experience attempting to upgrade the HP Omen 15 with a WiFi 6e card, which was unsuccessful despite trying multiple troubleshooting steps and installing the latest drivers from Intel. The speaker mentions that while the Bluetooth functioned properly, WiFi 6e did not work, unlike in the Lenovo Legion 5. They suspect the issue might be related to a possible BIOS whitelist from HP that allows only specific WiFi cards, although this practice is considered outdated. Consequently, the speaker reverted to the original WiFi 6 card and concluded that upgrading to WiFi 6e in the HP Omen 15 is not recommended until proper support is available. They also mention not altering the thermal paste to maintain fairness in future comparisons with other laptops. The upgrades completed include the battery, storage, and memory. The speaker encourages viewers to check out more detailed reviews and gaming tests in other videos and to subscribe for future laptop upgrade content.