Razer announced and released the 2026 Blade 18 gaming laptop on May 25 with the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus processor as its centerpiece. [1, 2] The base model starts at $3,999.99, equipped with an Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti GPU, marking a $500 price increase over the 2025 base model which featured the same GPU options. [1]
The 2026 Blade 18 offers the same GPU choices as last year: Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5090. [1, 2] Buyers can also select a top-tier configuration priced up to $7,000. [2] Base RAM starts at 32GB, with upgrades to 64GB costing an additional $600 and 128GB available for $1,000 more than the 64GB tier. [2]
The laptop features a dual-mode 18-inch display capable of 3840 x 2400 resolution at 240Hz or 1920 x 1200 at 440Hz refresh rates. Razer claims this screen is 20% brighter than the previous generation. [1, 2]
Connectivity includes Thunderbolt 5, HDMI 2.1, three USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports, an SD card slot, ethernet, and Thunderbolt 4. [1, 2] The Blade 18 weighs about 7 pounds, roughly the weight of two 14-inch MacBook Pros, which makes it a heavy but portable gaming machine. [2]
Battery capacity remains at 99Wh. Based on last year's benchmarks, battery life is expected to be poor despite no increase in capacity. [2]
The release today caps Razer's update cycle for the Blade 18, with pricing and feature details now public as the laptop hits the market. [1, 2]
