# High-Refresh Gaming Laptops Razer Announces Its 2026 Blade 18 With Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus By Adam Harrie | Written with AI assistance | Published 2026-05-21 | Tech Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/2026-Blade-18 References: [digitaltrends](https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/razer-blade-18-2026-gaming-laptop-launch-specs-price-variants/) & [razer](https://www.razer.com/ca-en/gaming-laptops/razer-blade-18?srsltid=AfmBOoq0Fv1vG6hlcv5c7Wk5BQB19o1_Pzq47saAm6u1t6EkIsiwoWwG)  Razer introduced the 2026 Blade 18, a premium 18-inch gaming laptop featuring Intel’s [Core Ultra 9 290HX](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/msi-titan-18-hx) processor and an integrated AI-focused NPU delivering up to 13 TOPS of compute power for on-device acceleration tasks. The system launches in configurations with Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti, RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 graphics, alongside up to 128 GB DDR5 memory and as much as 2 TB PCIe Gen 4 storage. The laptop includes a dual-mode display capable of switching between UHD+ at 240 Hz and FHD+ at 440 Hz, with 100% DCI-P3 color coverage and Calman verification. Connectivity features include [Thunderbolt 5](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/core-x-v2), [Thunderbolt 4](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/super-16), Wi-Fi 7, HDMI 2.1 and a UHS-II SD card reader, while a 99 WHr battery and 400 W adapter support its high-performance hardware. For gamers and creators, the Blade 18 combines desktop-class components with portable design, reflecting continued demand for high-refresh displays, AI-enhanced workflows and premium large-format gaming laptops. Image Credit: Razer ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 8.8/10 - Popularity: 94% | Activity: 93% | Freshness: 78% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) > [Computers](https://www.trendhunter.com/computers) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **High-refresh Mobile Displays:** Ultra-high refresh rates in large-format laptops enable new visual workflows that prioritize fluid motion fidelity for competitive gaming and fast-paced content review. - **On-device AI Acceleration:** Integrated NPUs providing multi-TOPS inference create possibilities for low-latency, privacy-preserving AI features such as real-time upscaling, noise reduction, and intelligent game/stream assistance. - **Desktop-class Portable Hardware:** Desktop-level GPUs and expanded memory/storage in thin-and-light chassis shift expectations toward true workstation performance in mobile form factors for prosumers. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Gaming Hardware:** Premium, high-refresh laptops expand the market for modular cooling, power delivery, and accessory ecosystems tailored to sustained high-performance gaming. - **Content Creation Tools:** AI-enabled on-device processing opens pathways for software that offloads heavy editing tasks locally, reducing reliance on cloud rendering pipelines. - **Wireless Connectivity Infrastructure:** Advances like Wi‑Fi 7 and multi-port Thunderbolt support prompt demand for higher-throughput local networking solutions and low-latency peripheral hubs. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [AI-Accelerated Gaming Laptops](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/predator-triton-14-ai.md) - [Hybrid Performance Laptop Models](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/new-razer-blade-16.md) - [Performance-Driven Gaming Laptop Updates](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/republic-of-gamers1.md) - [High-Performance Laptop Processors](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/core-ultra-7-270k.md) - [Desktop-Grade Laptops](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hp-zbook-fury-g1i-18inch.md) - [High-Performance Laptop Chipsets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/intel-panther-lake.md) - [Dual-Display Gamer Laptop Models](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dualscreen-gaming-laptop.md) - [High-Quality Gaming Laptops](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gaming-laptops1.md) - [Ultra High-End Laptop Specs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ultima-18.md)