Maingear is primarily known for its pre-built gaming PC business, but the company has been known to make a laptop or two over the years.
And on Wednesday, Maingear continued that tradition when it unveiled its newest gaming laptop. Unlike last year's ultra-portable ML-16, the new Ultima 18 is a high-end desktop replacement gaming laptop that lives up to its name.
Maingear's "most powerful laptop to date" boasts an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor and a discrete Nvidia RTX GPU up to the RTX 5090. With up to 4 M.2 SSD slots, up to 192GB of RAM, and an 18-inch 4K display, the Maingear Ultima 18 is undoubtedly a beast of a machine.
But what sets the Ultima 18 apart from other desktop replacement gaming laptops? Let's take a look.
Maingear Ultima 18: Specs
Price: |
$3,599 starting |
CPU: |
Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX |
GPU: |
Up to Nvidia RTX 5090 with 24GB VRAM |
RAM: |
Up to 192GB |
Storage: |
Up to 4 M.2 SSDs |
Display: |
18-inch, 3840 x 2400, 200Hz, IPS |
Battery: |
98Whr (watt-hour) |
Size: |
15.83~16.14 x 12.56 x 1.10~1.42 inches |
Weight: |
8.8 pounds |
Maingear is currently offering just two GPU configurations for the Ultima 18, the Nvidia RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 Laptop GPUs, to keep the laptop's performance in line with its name.
Maingear Ultima 18: Features
In addition to its powerful Intel Core Ultra 9 and Nvidia RTX 5080/5090 combination, the Ultima 18 also features an impressive 18-inch display. With a max resolution of 3840 x 2400p, a 200Hz refresh rate, a rating of 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, and a response time of less than 7ms, the Ultima's display is suited for high-performance 4K gaming and content creation.
Maingear packed five speakers in the Ultima for a quality sound system, featuring two drivers, two tweeters, and a subwoofer. The five-point sound system is powered by Sound Blaster Studio Pro 2.
The Ultima 18 is Maingear's first laptop with support for dual-channel DDR5 memory, PCIe Gen 5 SSDs, Thunderbolt 5 ports, and WiFi 7.
“Ultima 18 isn’t just a laptop, it’s a no-compromise desktop-class gaming rig that fits in a backpack,” Maingear CEO Wallace Santos states in the Ultima 18 press release.
“We’ve engineered this notebook to handle the latest AAA games, creative workloads, and AI-driven applications with headroom to spare. From the raw horsepower to the fine details, this system embodies everything our gamers expect from a premium Maingear gaming system.”
Maingear Ultima 18: Outlook
Not only is the Ultima 18 a powerhouse laptop from a pure tech specs perspective, but it also comes with the quality and support guarantee that backs all Maingear systems.
Maingear has a reputation for high build quality and component selection in its desktops, which also tends to hold true of its laptops. Maingear also offers lifetime support for the Ultima 18, including live assistance from its New Jersey headquarters.
Maingear also offers lifetime support for the Ultima 18, including live assistance from its New Jersey headquarters.
The Ultima 18 is now available from Maingear, starting at $3,599. It comes in both pre-configured and custom variations, so you can get the ideal spec for your personal gaming or content creation needs.
And about the laptop's name, like any good Final Fantasy XIV player, I'm immediately reminded of spell summon chant: "From the deepest pit of the seven hells to the very pinnacle of the heavens, the world shall tremble."
Let's hope Maingear's version of Ultima is just as powerful.
