### Razer Blade 18 Gaming Laptop Launches with Significant Price Hikes

Razer's much-anticipated Blade 18 gaming laptop has been officially launched but with a surprising turn of events—a significant price increase. Initially advertised at $3,199.99, the base model now costs $3,499.99, marking a $300 jump from its CES announcement earlier this year. The top-tier variant featuring the RTX 5090 graphics card hasn't been spared either, seeing a heftier $400 increase, now priced at $4,899.99.

In addition to the base and top-tier models, Razer has introduced a new configuration with the RTX 5080 graphics card, starting at $4,099.99. Despite the price adjustments, there has been no word from Razer explaining these sudden increases. Multiple requests for comment have gone unanswered at the time of this publication.

Back in April, Razer temporarily halted direct sales for its laptops, coinciding with the Trump administration’s announcement of new tariffs on tech products from countries like China and Taiwan, where many components are sourced. Andy Johnston, Razer's public relations manager, declined to comment on the impact of these tariffs.

Nevertheless, Razer resumed sales over a week later, including its newly launched Blade 16 laptop. As for the Blade 18, it is now available for order on Razer's website with deliveries starting from June 2nd. The top-of-the-line model, equipped with 4TB storage and 64GB RAM, is priced at $5,199.99, excluding the RazerCare warranty.