Nvidia and Microsoft unveil RTX Spark laptop processor for on‑device AI

Nvidia and Microsoft announced the RTX Spark processor, a new system‑on‑chip aimed at thin‑and‑light Windows laptops. The chip pairs Nvidia’s Blackwell GPU architecture with a custom 20‑core Arm‑based Grace CPU, delivering roughly one petaflop of AI performance, 6,144 CUDA cores and up to 128 GB of unified memory. Optimisations for Windows 11 include a new WPS scheduler, MPTF power management and an enhanced Prism emulator for x86 apps on Arm, enabling strong local AI workloads and high‑frame‑rate gaming (over 100 fps at 1440p with DLSS 4.5). The first RTX Spark‑enabled devices – Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra, and models from ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo and MSI – are slated for release in the second half of 2026.

The platform targets on‑device processing of large language models and other AI agents, reducing reliance on cloud services, improving privacy and lowering latency for remote‑work and creative applications. Nvidia highlighted collaborations with MediaTek for the CPU design and emphasised energy‑efficiency measures that keep battery consumption in line with premium laptop expectations.