HP has quietly launched a new business model called OMEN Gaming Subscription, which allows users to rent gaming laptops with a monthly subscription. The model attracted attention after it was analyzed by authors from the famous YT channel, because in practice it is significantly different from classic leasing or installment purchase.
The offer includes four subscription models, from entry-level to premium configurations, but with one key difference: regardless of how long the user pays the rent, the device never becomes his property. Upon termination of the contract, the laptop must be returned to HP.
How HP OMEN Gaming rental works
According to data reported by PC Gamer, the entry-level package includes the Victus 15 with a Ryzen 7 8845HS processor, RTX 4050 graphics, 16 GB of memory and 1 TB of storage, priced at $49.99 per month. Given that the same model retails for about $950, the sum of the subscription in less than two years reaches the full price of the device, without the right to retain the device.
The most expensive package includes the Omen Max 16 with a Core Ultra 9 processor and RTX 5080 graphics, with a monthly price of $129.99. Here too, the sum of the subscription for about 16 months exceeds the retail price of the laptop computer.
HP offers a 30-day refundable trial period, but terminating the contract within the first 12 months carries heavy penalties. After the 13th month, termination is free, but the device must still be returned, even if the total amount paid is significantly higher than its market value.
HP also reserves the right to remotely lock the device. In return, the company lists the possibility of annual replacement for newer hardware and improved support, but the model clearly shows a shift towards subscription hardware in which the user never owns the device he uses.