Razer has launched the Razer Blade 18 laptop computer with what the corporate says are two firsts: an optionally available 18-inch, 200Hz 4K panel and Thunderbolt 5 capabilities.

Pricing on the up to date, New Razer Blade 18 is seemingly considerably variable: it’s listed as beginning at $2,899.99, however Razer is seemingly promoting it for $2,699.99. However, Razer’s buying page says that the Razer Blade 18 pricing begins at $3,099.99.

Razer is positioning the Blade 18 as a creator-class laptop computer, pre-installing Nvidia’s content-aligned Nvidia Studio drivers slightly than its Game Ready drivers. But make no bones about it: This is a top-of-the-line gaming laptop, too. You’ll have the choice of both shopping for a mannequin with a Thirteenth-gen Core i9-13950HX, or a extra fashionable Core i9-14900HX, and pairing it with a Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060, 4070, 4080, or 4090.

Memory choices vary from 16, 32, or 64GB of DDR5-5600 reminiscence, paired with both a 1TB, 2TB, or a 4TB PCIe 4.0 SSD configuration. (The latter is shipped as a pair of 2TB drives in adjoining M.2 slots.) Razer says that all the Blade 18s will ship with two obtainable M.2 slots, considered one of which can be stuffed with the inventory SSD.

Interestingly, one of many Blade 18’s options form of undercuts the opposite.

The Razer Blade 18 is the primary laptop computer we’ve heard of with help for Thunderbolt 5, an up to date model of Thunderbolt 4 present in most Thunderbolt docking stations. Thunderbolt 5 helps bi-directional bandwidth of 80Gbps, or 120Gbps a technique. The thought is that the Thunderbolt 5 specification can be used for supporting a pair of 4K shows at refresh charges as much as 144Hz, which pairs excessive decision with a excessive refresh charge, too.

Razer, nonetheless, already ships an optionally available 4K, 200Hz inside show — which implies that, considerably mockingly, an exterior show linked to a Thunderbolt 5 dock gained’t have the ability to obtain the identical refresh charge as what the Blade 18 already presents. On the opposite hand, Razer’s Blade 18 additionally presents the choice of a extra typical 18-inch 300Hz 2560×1600 miniLED show, doubtlessly providing an intriguing mixture of a quick 4K exterior show paired with a good quicker laptop computer show.

It’s all moot for now, since Thunderbolt 5 docks don’t exist and possibly gained’t till later this 12 months. But Razer has plans for these, too: Razer representatives instructed my colleague Adam Patrick Murray that the corporate plans to ship a Thunderbolt 5 dock, in all probability a followup to the surprisingly good Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma.

The different chance that Thunderbolt 5 opens up once more is the chance to ship an exterior GPU docking station — and Razer apparently has not less than a prototype in a again room, Murray experiences. Again, shopping for a laptop computer with a GeForce RTX 40-series GPU inside it makes this characteristic largely moot — however GeForce RTX 50-series elements can’t be too far-off?

Razer

Razer

Razer

If Thunderbolt 5 issues to you, nonetheless, be sure you purchase a model of the Blade 18 with a RTX 4080 or 4090, as Thunderbolt 5 gained’t be within the 4070 fashions and beneath. You’ll discover different ports up and down the Blade 18 lineup, nonetheless: 2.5Gbps Ethernet, a second USB 3.2 Gen 2 (with DisplayPort) port, a UHS-II SD card reader, and HDMI 2.1. Inside is both WiFi 6e or WiFi 7, relying on the mannequin.

The laptop computer measures 15.74 x 10.84 x 0.86 inches, and weighs a fairly hefty 6.8 kilos, even completed with aluminum. A GaN energy adapter (280W/330W, relying on the mannequin) will cost the interior 91.7Wh battery.

Further studying: The best gaming laptops we’ve tested

Additional reporting by Adam Patrick Murray.