Microsoft and NVIDIA launch Surface Laptop Ultra with RTX Spark chip

Microsoft has announced the Surface Laptop Ultra, a high-end AI PC featuring NVIDIA’s new RTX Spark super chip. Designed to compete with Apple’s silicon ecosystem, the device aims to bridge the performance gap in local AI processing for creators and developers.

The RTX Spark SoC integrates Grace architecture CPUs with Blackwell architecture GPUs, supporting up to 128GB of unified memory and providing up to 1 Petaflop of FP4 computing power. This hardware is capable of running 120B parameter large language models locally and supporting million-token context windows, reducing reliance on cloud-based AI services.

A notable hardware feature is the ‘Magnetic Connect’ USB-C port. This magnetic interface is designed to allow smoother attachment and detachment, similar to Apple’s MagSafe, while maintaining compatibility with standard USB-C cables. The device is scheduled to begin shipping on October 16.