Hey there!
I made this model recently.
This is more of a test model more than anything.
I made this model without using the subdivision modifier in blender and the results turned out nice and low poly, sitting around 1.9k tris.
Images:
Textured Model
Textured in substance painter
Summary
While it does seem like a strange idea to model without the subdivision modifier, it is a very good way to give your models high detail while also keeping them very low poly. It also allows for greater control and even greater topology while modelling. If you’d like to learn how to model without the subdivision modifier, please let me know if you want a tutorial on this!
Thanks for reading,
Shark <3