NVIDIA’s ambitious push to redefine high-end Windows computing with its Arm-based RTX Spark superchip has begun in earnest, having transitioned from a platform preview to actual retail reality. Combining a multi-core NVIDIA Grace CPU, a Blackwell-architecture RTX GPU, and gobs of unified LPDDR5X memory on a single package, RTX Spark machines are purpose-built for creators, developers running frontier AI agents locally, and even gamers who want to play AAA games in slim form factors.
We have already seen first-hand how capable the RTX Spark platform is, as we had a chance to test and benchmark a Surface Laptop Ultra following Microsoft's Windows and Surface event in San Francisco earlier this month. We also formally reviewed HP's OmniBook Ultra 16.
If you are unfamiliar with RTX Spark, we encourage you to check out our past coverage, including some live demos we got to see early on (embedded above).
Overall, RTX Spark is an intriguing platform with a lot of promise. While not without some tradeoffs—namely, premium prices and some compatibility quirks at times—the platform represents a solid start for NVIDIA's push into the Windows space beyond its GeForce products.
If you're sold on the superchip, note that Best Buy has rolled out a wide variety of RTX Spark configurations, with prices kicking off at $2,599.99. While there are well over a dozen specific hardware variants circulating, they all stem from six mainline designs from Microsoft (Surface Laptop Ultra), ASUS (ProArt P14 and P16), Lenovo (Yoga 9n), HP (OmniBook Ultra), and Dell (XPS 16).
Here is what's up for grabs in descending order by price:
- 15" Microsoft Surface Ultra (20-core, 48GB/1TB): $3,999.99
- 16" Dell XPS 16 OLED (20-core, 32GB/1TB): $3,999.99
- 16" Dell XPS 16 OLED (18-core, 32GB/512GB): $3,799.99
- 16" Lenovo Yoga 9n OLED (20-core, 64GB/1TB): $3,749.99
- 15" Microsoft Surface Ultra (20-core, 32GB/1TB): $3,699.99
- 16" ASUS ProArt 16 OLED (20-core, 32GB/1TB): $3,399.99
- 15" Microsoft Surface Ultra (18-core, 32GB/1TB): $3,299.99
- 16" HP OmniBook Ultra 16 OLED (20-core, 32GB/1TB): $3,199.99
- 14" ASUS ProArt P14 OLED (20-core, 32GB/512GB): $3,099.99
- 16" Lenovo Yoga 9n OLED (18-core, 32GB/1TB): $3,099.99
- 15" Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra (18-core, 24GB/1TB): $2,999.99
- 16" ASUS ProArt P16 OLED (18-core, 24GB/512GB): $2,799.99
- 15" Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra (18-core, 24GB/512GB): $2,599.99
As you shop for RTX Spark systems, note that there are two configurations of NVIDIA's superchip. One features 20 CPU cores (10 Arm Cortex-X925 performance cores and 10 Arm Cortex-A725 efficiency cores) and the other sports 18 cores (nine of each). Likewise, the GPU on the 20-core model is a beefier configuration with 6,144 CUDA cores (48 streaming multiprocessors), 1 PFLOP of AI performance, and support for up to 128GB of LPDDR5X, whereas the GPU on the 18-core model sports 5,120 CUDA cores (40 SMs), delivers up to 827 TFLOPS, and supports up to 32GB of LPDDR5X.
Also note that of the available models above, Microsoft's Surface Laptop Ultra leverages an IPS display with mini LED backlighting, whereas all the rest have OLED panels.
Paul is a seasoned geek who cut this teeth on the Commodore 64. When he's not geeking out to tech, he's out riding his Harley and collecting stray cats.