Earlier this year, Razer unveiled the Blade 18, its latest and most powerful gaming laptop, which is equipped with NVIDIA’s RTX 50-series laptop GPUs. The launch had been anticipated for later in the year and has now arrived.

While the design of the Blade 18 closely resembles its predecessor, Razer has made some subtle adjustments to enhance its aesthetic appeal. The new model boasts improved performance thanks to the integration of the latest Intel and NVIDIA chips, along with a dual-mode display.

At its initial announcement, Razer indicated a starting price of $3,199.99. However, consumers will now find the Blade 18 priced at $3,499.99 upon its release.

The increase in price has caught some consumers off guard, although it should not be entirely surprising for a couple of reasons. First, tariffs that were implemented during President Trump’s administration have contributed to rising costs for many products.

While Razer has not explicitly stated that these tariffs are responsible for the price hike, it would be a plausible explanation given the similar price increases for various RTX 50-series desktop GPUs. Additionally, Razer paused sales of its laptops just before these tariffs took effect, leading to speculation that a price increase was forthcoming.

Other laptop manufacturers also halted sales around this time, as they sought to navigate the emerging tariff landscape. Razer’s price adjustment seems inevitable, especially considering the high-end components featured in the Blade 18 and the impending price rises in similar products across the market.

Furthermore, Razer offers multiple configurations for the Blade 18. The base model, which now starts at $3,499.99, includes the NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti, alongside an RTX 5080 model priced at $4,099.99.

For enthusiasts seeking the ultimate experience, the top-tier version with the RTX 5090 is available for $4,899.99, which is $400 higher than initially expected. If buyers choose to enhance this model further with 64GB of RAM and 4TB of storage, the price escalates to $5,199.99.

Although the costs are significant, this laptop serves as a formidable desktop replacement, catering to gamers seeking high performance. It is available exclusively on Razer’s website and in physical Razer Store locations.