Unboxing the limited-edition HP OMEN 35L VALORANT desktop: A gamer's dream

Image of the HP OMEN 35L VALORANT Limited Edition pre-built desktop gaming PC.

I've been a little busy working through the gaming backlog and, well, working, to spin it up in a while, but one of my favorite competitive multiplayer shooters is VALORANT. So, when I learned that HP was making a limited-edition VALORANT PC, I leapt at the chance to be among the first to get their hands on it.

This is the HP OMEN 35L VALORANT Limited Edition, a pre-built tower based off the HP OMEN 35L (2024) I reviewed and praised. It's the introductory fanfare for the OMEN 35L Stealth Edition coming later this year as the official PC for Riot Games' VALORANT and League of Legends esports tournaments.

Yes, I have the OMEN 35L VALORANT Edition on my desk, and I'm honestly impressed by all the detail in this design throughout the case and internal components. This isn't some unobtainable showpiece, either — the HP OMEN 35L VALORANT Limited Edition is now available for preorder for $1,829.99 at BestBuy.com, and you can even configure your own from $1,672 at HP.com.

A capable pre-built tower with an even sleeker design

HP nailed the VALORANT aesthetic without going over the top. (Image credit: Windows Central | Zachary Boddy)

It's still an OMEN 35L at heart, but with a little extra mass at the front. (Image credit: Windows Central | Zachary Boddy)

You get the same port selection, too. (Image credit: Windows Central | Zachary Boddy)

Yes, there's a Gun Buddy accessory box in the box. (Image credit: Windows Central | Zachary Boddy)

And inside that box, you'll even find a Gun Buddy accessory! (Image credit: Windows Central | Zachary Boddy)

It magnetically attaches anywhere you want (that's metal, obviously). (Image credit: Windows Central | Zachary Boddy)

It's a nice touch and looks quite nice. (Image credit: Windows Central | Zachary Boddy)

There's plenty of RGB lighting, of course, and it's all customizable through OMEN Gaming Hub. (Image credit: Windows Central | Zachary Boddy)

Open it up, and you'll get all the same upgrade opportunities as the standard OMEN 35L. (Image credit: Windows Central | Zachary Boddy)

There's also plenty of VALORANT details on the inside, too. (Image credit: Windows Central | Zachary Boddy)

HP did a great job with this collaboration, and it's actually widely available. (Image credit: Windows Central | Zachary Boddy)

It's obviously meant for VALORANT fans, but I think even non-players could get behind this design. (Image credit: Windows Central | Zachary Boddy)

To the surprise of absolutely no one, this desktop is based off the standard HP OMEN 35L, and that's a good thing. It's one of the better pre-built towers for gamers and creators, with a beautiful design, excellent performance, and a wide range of available configurations.

Being a limited-edition variant, though, this OMEN 35L makes some notable changes to the design. I'm honestly surprised by how in-depth this collaboration is, because few elements seem to remain untouched.

The matte black case is marked by various red accents and details, and the glass side panel is adorned with various etched symbols. There's also a new glass front panel, with a tasteful gap behind it to allow for airflow. Even the internal components enjoyed the VALORANT treatment, with color-matched elements and subtle details throughout.

There's a surprising amount of detail that proves HP didn't phone this in — it's a great limited edition design.

HP and Riot Games also include a magnetic VALORANT Gun Buddy accessory in the box, which can attach to any of the metal panels of the OMEN 35L... or anywhere else you want, honestly. No one is going to buy this PC just for this little accessory, but it's still a fun addition.

A lot of licensed limited editions would only ever appeal to hardcore fans of that franchise, but this PC looks great even if you're not a VALORANT fan. It also helps that there's a really capable desktop at the center of it all, although this OMEN 35L is far from the most powerful you can actually buy.

It's powered by an Intel Core i7-14700F, up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 (16GB), up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM, and up to 4TB of PCIe Gen4 SSD storage. It may not be the cutting edge on every front, but that's more than enough power to compete with the best in VALORANT.

The configuration that I think will appeal to most people is the one offered for $1,829.99 at BestBuy.com, with an RTX 5060 Ti (16GB), 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of SSD storage under the hood.

HP and VALORANT are going hand-in-hand from now on

HP's professional studio photos definitely put this PC in a new light. (Image credit: HP)

I already loved the OMEN 35L's design, and this is a great evolution. (Image credit: HP)

The internals may not be the absolute best HP can offer, but few should have any issue with that. (Image credit: HP)

Performance will still be excellent, and I don't foresee thermals taking a hit. (Image credit: HP)

Of course the Gun Buddy made an appearance during HP's photoshoot. (Image credit: HP)

VALORANT has a great, easily identifiable art style that lends itself well to limited editions like this. (Image credit: HP)

Even the CPU liquid cooler display is in on the fun. (Image credit: HP)

My favorite Agent, Clove, sadly isn't featured here. I'd pay for limited edition Clove gear. (Image credit: HP)

The VALORANT Edition is obviously the news of the day, but HP previously announced an OMEN 35L Stealth Edition that's coming in the near future. Riot Games chose HP as its partner for its esports tournaments, and it's the sleek, matte black Stealth Edition that professional VALORANT players will be using to compete with each other.

I'm planning to review that Stealth Edition, and I'm probably more excited than I should be for it, but I also didn't expect HP to release a separate VALORANT Edition targeting hardcore fans outside of esports tournaments. The former is meant to blend into the background, so everyone focuses on the match, but the latter is perfectly over-the-top and just as capable.

HP isn't gatekeeping either version, though. You can actually preorder the HP OMEN 35L Stealth Edition for $2,589.99 at HP.com right now, and the fact the VALORANT Limited Edition is available at HP and Best Buy in multiple configurations reassures me stock isn't too limited (but you probably shouldn't wait too long, regardless).

It's tiring to see one-of-one special edition PCs that no normal person will ever be able to have, so it's refreshing to see HP put in the work to make a proper limited-edition design and offer it to the masses. The HP OMEN 35L VALORANT Limited Edition honestly does look awesome, too; it's a little on the pricey side, but it is a custom licensed design, so I expected as much.