Comparing NVIDIA graphics cards in OMEN PCs
Table of Contents
If you’ve spent time as a PC gamer, checking the system requirements for a new game is a matter of routine. When your hardware matches a game’s minimum system requirements, you can expect seamless gameplay. Even with a great processor and loads of RAM, the wrong graphics card (GPU) choice can make a substantial difference in your gaming experience.
Featuring a range of powerful NVIDIA® graphics cards, OMEN gaming PCs are an affordable solution for homebuilders and gamers who want a ready-to-use system out of the box. To help make your choice, we’ll compare entry-level, mid-range, and high-end NVIDIA graphics options, then break down common concerns when shopping for a new gaming PC.
Each option represents a different price point, but it’s also important to remember that you can upgrade your gaming desktop well beyond the time of purchase. That’s why we’ll discuss future-proofing your PC so you can maximize performance and put off costly upgrades. Setting a good baseline for performance is important for gamers, especially if you’re operating on a budget.
Entry-Level NVIDIA GPUs
Equipped with an RGB air-cooled AMD Ryzen™ 5 5600G processor, the OMEN 25L Gaming Desktop (GT15-0245m) is a great balance of accessibility and performance for an entry-level gaming PC. The standard configuration offers 8GB of HyperX DDR4-3200 MHz XMP RAM with its built-in heatsink, but it has room for up to 64GB and even optional RGB lighting.
The base configuration sets a high bar with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX™ 3050 featuring 8GB of dedicated GDDR6 memory, exceeding performance potential for last-generation GPUs. Upgrade to the GeForce RTX 4060 for higher performance and more efficient AI-assisted rendering with DLSS 3. Both are versatile starting options, though, with ray tracing technology and enough potential to meet most minimum system requirements.
Key features:
- Up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX™ 4060 with 8GB of dedicated GDDR6X RAM
- Up to AMD Ryzen™ 7 5700G with RGB liquid cooler (3.8 GHz up to 4.6 GHz, 16 MB L3 cache, 8 cores)
- Up to 64GB HyperXDDR4-3200 MHz XMP RAM with RGB heatsink
- Up to 2TB SSD or Hybrid 1TB SSD with 1TB HDD
Mid-Range NVIDIA GPUs
Powered by up to an Intel® Core™ i9-13900 processor, the OMEN 40L Gaming Desktop (GT21-1355st) offers some major graphics upgrades for power users and the benefit of high-performance memory. 16GB of Kingston FURY™ DDR5-5200 MHz XMP RAM is a safe starting point for a well-rounded gaming routine, but you can upgrade to as much as 64GB during checkout - or upgrade gradually as your routine evolves.
This model starts with a GeForce RTX 4060 but features several GPU configurations that can help tweak your price point, expand your display options, and leap to 4K gaming. The top graphics configuration includes a GeForce RTX 4080 with 16GB of dedicated GDDR6X RAM, incorporating new streaming microprocessors that offer improved performance, better energy efficiency, and third-gen RT cores for more efficient ray tracing.
Key features:
- Up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 with 16GB of dedicated GDDR6X RAM
- Up to an Intel Core i9-13900 with RGB heat-pipe cooler (up to 5.6 GHz, 36 MB L3 cache, 24 cores, 24 threads)
- Up to 64GB of Kingston FURY DDR5-5200 MHz XMP RAM with RGB heatsink
- Up to 1TB SSD with optional 1TB or 2TB HDD
High-End NVIDIA GPUs
Moving up the food chain, at the top we have the OMEN 45L Gaming Desktop (GT22-1470se). Priced only incrementally above mid-range alternatives, the OMEN 45L is slightly less customizable but has substantially higher performance out of the box. In this case, though, it has fewer options to tweak because it’s loaded with top-tier components, like an Intel Core i9-13900K processor with the added oomph of Turbo Boost technology.
The OMEN 45L starts with a powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti, beating out more affordable competition, including thousands more CUDA cores than other standard options. Looking for a top-performing configuration? Upgrade to the GeForce RTX™ 4090 to leave everything else in the dust, with 24GB of dedicated GDDR6X and an exponential improvement to local graphics processing power.
Key features:
- Up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 with 24GB of dedicated GDDR6X RAM
- Up Intel Core i9-13900K processor (up to 5.8 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology, 36 MB L3 cache, 24 cores, 32 threads)
- Up to 64GB of Kingston FURY DDR5-5200 MHz XMP RAM with RGB heatsink
- Up to 2TB SSD with optional 1TB or 2TB HDD
Ray tracing and DLSS technology
Originally a technique used to improve visual output for recorded video, new tech for hardware acceleration has made it efficient enough to be viable in other applications. In particular, the last several years have seen ray tracing considerably impact gaming, adding new layers of realism to the latest titles - without expanding your energy footprint or holding your system back.
Ray tracing is especially important for building immersion in 3D environments, so as the technology spreads, gamers enjoy more and more realistic simulated worlds. More accurate visual effects, like refraction and depth of field, are made much simpler with ray tracing. Short for deep learning super sampling, DLSS tech uses AI to prioritize important visuals and improve framerate by optimizing performance across NVIDIA’s GeForce 40 series.
Gaming performance and benchmarking
Not sure how to make sense of a game’s system requirements? Fortunately for gamers, product comparisons and reading reviews aren’t the only way to gauge hardware performance. Since most PC hardware performs differently under different circumstances, especially when used alongside a different suite of components. That’s why experienced gamers and budget shoppers typically use data or software for “benchmarking.”
Though experienced gamers can perform benchmarking tasks without third-party software, we highly recommend downloading a dedicated benchmarking tool like NVIDIA’s FrameView app. Even if you don’t use an NVIDIA graphics card, the FrameView app can help you quantify a huge range of measurements - from frame rate to time to power usage breakdowns based on watt usage. If you’re using an OMEN computer, chances are you’ve already stored at least one benchmark from the OMEN Gaming Hub.
Overclocking capabilities
While overclocking can be a sensitive procedure in some situations, boosting your clock speed does offer clear gaming performance gains. Thanks to improvements in GPU technology and better systems for direct oversight by the user, overclocking is an increasingly popular and safe way to ensure your gaming rig has what it takes to keep up in a pinch.
The process is especially simple on OMEN gaming PCs, with a dedicated Overclocking tab in the OMEN Gaming Hub. Though some older devices may have locked processors that don’t support overclocking, most users can easily click through the process in a minute or two. Not only that, but first-time visitors to the OMEN Gaming Hub, or users with a new device, will also be prompted to benchmark their system.
Cooling solutions
Thermal management is one of the most important peripheral features considerations for gamers, especially if your routine involves gaming for long stretches or maxing out quality settings. Fortunately, dedicated gaming hardware incorporates several features to maximize heat dispersal and mitigate the impact of heavy use.
In addition to built-in heatsinks and heat dispersing pads on sensitive components, OMEN computers typically have their suite of additional built-in solutions. For example, the OMEN 40L has a strategic fan arrangement to guarantee optimum temperatures. The OMEN 45L has a comprehensive solution, with a built-in OMEN Cryo Chamber™ to take advantage of cooler ambient air, room for up to 120 mm RGB or ARGB system fans, and support for up to a 360 mm AIO liquid cooler.
Connectivity and display options
Not every gaming setup is the same. That means connectivity is important, whether you juggle a ton of smaller peripherals or prefer working from multiple monitors. Though most GPUs can support an additional monitor, the exact abilities and requirements vary. Some systems only support a single extra monitor, and most don’t support 4K gaming.
If you want an immersive workstation for gaming and multitasking with quadruple 4K monitors, check your graphics card to make sure it’s compatible. Most of the desktops we covered today are up to the task, though you should focus on the GeForce 40 series from NVIDIA if you want to make sure you won’t have to adjust your settings to avoid hiccups.
Future-proofing for PC gaming
New technology and more demanding games hit the market almost daily, which sometimes makes it difficult to align existing hardware with the latest system requirements. To avoid the need for expensive upgrades and to extend the useful lifespan of pricey gaming components, gamers do their best to “future-proof” their systems.
For most gamers, future-proofing involves weighing your routine against all the different hardware configurations you can afford. Hobby gamers can compromise on pricier RAM and visual components since OMEN gaming PCs are relatively high-performing, even at the entry level. While competitive gamers and those who moonlight with other heavy-duty applications may want to invest in core components, storage is a relatively simple add-on, with tool-less access to OMEN towers for upgrades.
Summary
Sometimes, comparing gaming PCs at different price points can seem like apples and oranges. Each option we discussed is relatively customizable, and each can easily guarantee that you can play your favorite game in comfort. So why all the talk about future-proofing and benchmarking?
Because sometimes tastes change as quickly as system requirements. Less crowded gaming routines will get excellent performance and upgrade potential from the OMEN 25L, with plenty of RAM and storage for high-performance 1080p gaming and even 4K on the right settings. Need a little more power? You can always upgrade the graphics card.
Competitive gamers and heavier routines will want to consider the OMEN 40L and the OMEN 45L. Though top-tier configurations offer similar upgrade potential, the 40L and 45L add premium upgrades like high-efficiency Kingston FURY RAM and premium cooling features - perfect if you want to avoid fidgeting around under the hood for a while.
