Maingear has unveiled the Ultima 18, a powerful gaming laptop that is designed to replicate desktop-level performance. This system is intended to pack serious power, boasting an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor and a potential NVIDIA RTX 5090 graphics card viewable on a giant 4K display. Weighing a hefty 8.8 lbs, it's meant for maximum power users only. The Ultima 18 can now be customized at the Maingear website, starting from $3,599.
Under the Hood Key Specs:
- CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX (24 cores, up to 5.4GHz)
- GPU: Options up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile (24GB GDDR7)
- Display: 18.0-inch 4K (3840x2400) at 200Hz, with G-SYNC and 100% DCI-P3 color
- Memory: Supports up to 192GB DDR5 (4 slots)
- Storage: Space for up to four M.2 SSDs (including one Gen5x4 slot)
- Connectivity: Includes 2x Thunderbolt 5, Wi-Fi 7, dual 2.5Gb LAN ports, HDMI 2.1, and microSD
- Battery: 98WHr Lithium Polymer
- Weight: Approximately 8.8 lbs (3.99kg)
The Ultima 18 is built-in on the 24-core Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU, placing itself among the top mobile processors today. The display is an 18-inch 4K screen with the same refresh rate value of high 200Hz and good color reproduction; however, it does not feature display dual modes like some rivals have. According to Maingear, the display has a response time of under 7ms, making the laptop a great gadget for competitive gaming.
In terms of performance upgrade, the Ultima 18 is quite impressive. It is also Maingear's first unit using dual-channel DDR5 memory, with the capability of hitting a capacity of up to 192GB RAM. Storage also comes in hoards with 4 M.2 slots, one of which complies with the most current PCI Express 5.0 speeds.
This laptop's design is heavy-duty industrial in nature and has a lot of metal in it. The RGB lighting is per-key on the keyboard and on the back of the unit, as well. There is a nice additional touch of being able to have rear-facing ports, which include dual 2.5Gb LAN, as well as modern connectivity such as Thunderbolt 5 and Wi-Fi 7.
We've established that this is truly one of the heaviest 18-inch gaming laptops at 8.8 lbs; when looking at the power potential of its 98WHr battery, you can nab a charge using a 330-watt adapter or through USB-C, but endurance on the go will surely be another factor considering whether or not one travels often.
Like many other custom builders, Maingear typically gets the odd base laptop design from Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). This means that some other brands may attach very similar core hardware to their laptops, although Maingear uses its own custom and branding options.
