HP OMEN Gaming Subscription: monthly gaming laptop rental with early cancellation fees
Linus Tech Tips recently highlighted a new laptop rental program from HP. The company’s “OMEN Gaming Subscription” is a monthly plan that lets you use a gaming laptop and optional accessories, but unlike business lease plans it does not include a buyout path. The whole idea isn’t bad, but it is not a deal for every user.
On HP’s product page, the subscription auto-renews monthly unless cancelled. HP says you can cancel within the first 30 days and get a full refund if you return the devices within 10 days of receiving the prepaid return label. After the first 30 days, early cancellation fees apply during the first 12-month term, and HP also warns about non-return fees if hardware is not sent back. In addition , HP has an option to turn the laptop off remotely.
Source: HP
The economics depend on how long you keep the same tier. PC Gamer compared the monthly pricing to HP’s then-current sale pricing and found that the $49.99 tier could match a $950 purchase price in about 19 months, and the $129.99 tier could match a $2,110 purchase price in about 16 months. The key difference is that HP’s program still requires the laptop to be returned, even if payments exceed the laptop’s purchase price over time. You can’t buy the laptop after the agreement ends.
Source: HP
HP says the OMEN Gaming Subscription uses a soft credit check, and it lists requirements like being 18+, living in the US, and having a minimum 650 TransUnion score. The catch is the exit cost and the fact you never own the hardware. PC Gamer’s examples show a $550 fee if you cancel the Victus plan in month two, and around $1,430 for the top tier in month two, with cancellation becoming free during or after month 13.
These days, subscriptions are normal now, and office hardware leases are common because upgrades and replacements are much easier, but gaming laptops are not sold this way, and after a year you still have to send it back. A buyout option at a lower price would change the math for anyone who wants to keep the machine.
