HP launches a rental subscription for its gaming laptops in the US
As gaming hardware prices continue to rise, driven by the RAM shortage and price hikes, gaming laptops are becoming harder to obtain for many. HP appears to want to capitalize on that by renting its high-end gaming laptops rather than selling them.
Reports from the US indicate that the PC maker has begun offering its “Omen Gaming Subscription” in the American market, allowing gamers to upgrade to a new laptop every year and access the latest hardware without committing to a permanent, expensive purchase.
The entry-level plan is priced at $49.99 per month and includes a 15-inch Victus laptop. That configuration includes an AMD Ryzen 7 processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 graphics card, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage.
For gamers seeking higher performance, the company offers subscriptions at $69.99 and $79.99. The higher-end subscription, though, costs $129.99 per month and provides an Omen Max 16 laptop with an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 GPU, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage.
The rental program appears to be US-only, with no announced plans to expand to other markets, such as the Middle East. The service was reportedly softly launched last September with limited marketing and has only recently gained attention.
HP offers a 30-day trial, allowing customers to test the system before committing to a longer term. Accessories can also be bundled into the subscription. For example, the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Pro mouse, typically priced at $119.99, is available for $4.99 per month. Other add-ons include gaming headsets, monitors, adapters, and microphones.
It’s unclear if this program will see mass adoption, as subscription costs could quickly add up. Yet, renting could be a great option to try new hardware without a long-term commitment and may help students who only need the devices for summer break.
