An RTX Spark laptop runs AI models on its own chip. Your prompts, documents and code stay on the machine, the model keeps working with no internet connection, and you stop paying a monthly fee to use it. NVIDIA says the chip runs models of up to 120 billion parameters.
The chip pairs a 20-core Arm CPU with a Blackwell GPU and up to 128 GB of memory that both share. A regular laptop splits memory between the system and a graphics card, and a model that will not fit in the graphics memory slows to a crawl. Shared memory lets the GPU load a model as large as the memory itself.
Preorders opened October 7. The first units from Microsoft, ASUS and Dell ship October 16, and prices start at $2,599.99. Only the Surface Laptop Ultra is on Amazon. The others sell through Best Buy, Newegg and the makers' own stores, and they are listed below the picks. No outlet has reviewed a retail unit yet.
What you can order on Amazon.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra (RTX Spark, 18-core, 24 GB / 512 GB)
RTX Spark N1X, 18-core CPU, 5,120-core GPU · 24 GB · 512 GB removable SSD · 15-inch mini-LED, 120 Hz · 4.41 lb
Microsoft's RTX Spark laptop has a 15-inch mini-LED display and a removable SSD. Amazon sells the base model at $2,599.99, the same price as Microsoft's store, and it ships October 16.
- The Amazon listing comes from Microsoft's own store, at Microsoft's price
- Mini-LED panel rated for 1,000 nits SDR and 2,000 nits HDR peak, per Microsoft
- Removable SSD, plus HDMI 2.1b, USB-A and an SD reader next to three USB4 ports
- Microsoft claims up to 15 hours of local video playback
- The base model has 24 GB, enough for mid-size models but not the 120B class NVIDIA quotes
- The 64 GB and 128 GB versions sell only at Microsoft's store, $4,299.99 and $5,899.99
- No review of a retail unit yet
- Windows on Arm: older x86 apps run through emulation
Buy this if you want an RTX Spark laptop and want to order it through Amazon. Amazon lists six versions, all sold by Amazon. The base model at $2,599.99 has the 18-core chip with a 5,120-core GPU, 24 GB and 512 GB. The full 20-core chip with the 6,144-core GPU starts at $3,699.99 with 32 GB and 1 TB, and the top Amazon version has 48 GB for $3,999.99.
Memory decides which models you can run, so pick the configuration for the largest model you plan to use. For 70B-class models, you need the 64 GB or 128 GB versions from Microsoft's store. Microsoft rates the battery at up to 15 hours of local video and 12 hours of web browsing, measured on a 20-core, 64 GB preproduction unit.
ASUS ROG Flow Z13 (Ryzen AI Max+ 395, 128 GB / 1 TB)
AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395, 16 cores · 128 GB LPDDR5X-8000 · 1 TB · 13-inch 2.5K, 180 Hz touch · detachable keyboard
The Flow Z13 runs on AMD's version of the same idea: one chip, with the CPU and GPU sharing 128 GB of memory. It costs $3,299.99 from Amazon and ships now.
- 128 GB of shared memory, the most of any laptop here
- Ships today, with 83 buyer reviews behind it
- An x86 chip, so every Windows app runs without emulation
- 13-inch tablet with a 170-degree kickstand and a detachable keyboard
- A 13-inch screen, against 15 and 16 inches on most RTX Spark laptops
- AMD graphics: tools built for NVIDIA's CUDA need ROCm or Vulkan versions
- Costs $700 more than the base Surface
Get the Z13 if you want shared-memory local AI now, without waiting for RTX Spark reviews. The Ryzen AI Max+ 395 has 16 cores and RDNA 3.5 graphics, and ASUS pairs it with 128 GB of quad-channel LPDDR5X-8000 that the CPU and GPU share. NVIDIA chose the same design for RTX Spark. A Surface Laptop Ultra with 128 GB costs $5,899.99, $2,600 more.
LM Studio and Ollama both run on AMD graphics. Some research code assumes an NVIDIA GPU, and that is where an RTX Spark laptop or the SCAR 16 below will save you time.
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2026, M5 Max, 48 GB / 2 TB)
M5 Max, 18-core CPU, 40-core GPU · 48 GB unified memory · 2 TB · 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR · 3x Thunderbolt 5
Apple's MacBook Pro has used shared memory for years, and the M5 Max adds a Neural Accelerator to each GPU core for AI work. Amazon sells the 48 GB model for $4,499.
- Apple says it runs at full speed on battery as well as plugged in
- Display rated for 1,000 nits sustained and 1,600 nits peak, per Apple
- Mature local AI apps on macOS, including LM Studio and Ollama
- Ships today
- The 128 GB version costs $7,699.99, sold by Adorama with two left
- 48 GB tops out below the 70B class
- macOS only, with no CUDA
Pick the MacBook Pro if you already work on a Mac and want local AI in the same machine. Apple lists LLM inference and training among the workloads the M5 Max is designed for, and the listing credits a Neural Accelerator in each GPU core.
The catch is price per gigabyte. The 48 GB model runs mid-size models well. The same laptop with 128 GB costs $7,699.99 on Amazon from Adorama, $1,800 more than a 128 GB Surface Laptop Ultra.
ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 16 (2025, RTX 5090, 32 GB / 2 TB)
Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX · NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 laptop GPU · 32 GB DDR5-5600 · 2 TB · 16-inch mini-LED, 240 Hz
The SCAR 16 carries NVIDIA's fastest laptop graphics card, the RTX 5090, with its own dedicated memory. It costs $4,399, sold by Amazon.
- NVIDIA GPU with CUDA, which most AI tools support first
- Tool-free access to the RAM and SSD, per ASUS
- Mini-LED display with more than 2,000 dimming zones and 240 Hz
- A full x86 gaming laptop, with no emulation
- The GPU's memory caps model size: a model larger than it spills into slow system RAM
- 3.9 stars across 20 reviews, the lowest rating here
- The listing gives no battery-life figure
Choose the SCAR 16 if your AI work runs on CUDA, such as image generation, fine-tuning or research code, and the models fit in the GPU's memory. A dedicated RTX 5090 is faster than shared memory for models that fit. MSI's listing for the same laptop GPU gives it 24 GB of GDDR7.
For 70B and larger language models, the shared-memory laptops above can load what the SCAR 16 cannot. This is also the pick if you want one machine for AI and AAA games today.
The numbers.
| Surface Laptop Ultra | ROG Flow Z13 | MacBook Pro 16 | ROG Strix SCAR 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chip | RTX Spark N1X (18-core) | Ryzen AI Max+ 395 | M5 Max (40-core GPU) | Core Ultra 9 275HX + RTX 5090 |
| Memory for AI | 24 GB shared | 128 GB shared | 48 GB unified | GPU memory, plus 32 GB system |
| Most memory offered | 128 GB | 128 GB | 128 GB | Upgradable system RAM |
| Display | 15-inch mini-LED | 13-inch 2.5K, 180 Hz | 16.2-inch XDR | 16-inch mini-LED, 240 Hz |
| Runs on | Windows on Arm | Windows (x86) | macOS | Windows (x86) |
| Available | October 16 | Now | Now | Now |
| Price | $2,599.99 | $3,299.99 | $4,499 | $4,399 |
The other RTX Spark laptops.
ASUS ProArt P14 and P16 (from $2,599.99)
The P14 ties the Surface for the lowest starting price. It starts at $2,599.99 at Best Buy with 24 GB, 512 GB and a 14-inch 2880 x 1800 OLED at 120 Hz, and weighs 3.26 lb with a 90Wh battery. The P16 starts at $2,799.99 with a 16-inch 3840 x 2400 OLED, 3.90 lb and a 99.9Wh battery. Both top out at 128 GB, for $6,499.99 (P14) and $6,999.99 (P16, 2 TB) on ASUS's US store. ASUS says the first US units arrive October 16.
Visit press.asus.com →MSI Prestige N16 Flip AI+ ($3,299.99)
The cheapest way to the full 20-core chip with the 6,144-core GPU: $3,299.99 with 32 GB and 1 TB, $400 less than the same chip and memory in the Surface. It is a 2-in-1 with a 360-degree hinge and a 16-inch 2880 x 1800 OLED touchscreen at 120 Hz, a 99.9Wh battery, and a weight of 4.19 lb. Newegg lists it as shipping November 6. MSI sells it on its US store, Newegg and B&H.
Visit us-store.msi.com →HP OmniBook Ultra 16 (from $3,199.99)
HP's 16-inch RTX Spark laptop starts at $3,199.99 with 32 GB and 1 TB, and Tom's Hardware reports the 128 GB version at $5,309 on HP.com. It has a 3K OLED touchscreen certified for VESA DisplayHDR True Black 1000 and a 99Wh battery, which HP rates at up to 17 hours. HP says it goes on sale at HP.com on October 16, and Best Buy has it too. HP also sells a 14-inch OmniBook X 14 from $2,999.99.
Visit hp.com →Lenovo Yoga 9n 2-in-1 (from $3,099.99)
Lenovo's 16-inch convertible costs $3,099.99 at Best Buy with 32 GB and 1 TB. It has a 2880 x 1800 OLED with a variable 30-120 Hz refresh rate, a 99.9Wh battery and a weight of 4.28 lb, and it tops out at 64 GB. Lenovo also makes a 15.3-inch Pro 9n with up to 128 GB, which its US site listed as coming soon when we checked.
Visit news.lenovo.com →Dell XPS 16 (from $3,799.99)
The most expensive starting price in the lineup: $3,799.99 at Best Buy for 32 GB and 512 GB. Dell pairs the chip with a 16-inch 3200 x 2000 tandem OLED that runs from 20 to 120 Hz, a 99Wh battery and storage up to 4 TB, at 4.45 lb. Dell's own store lists it as coming soon, and the Best Buy version ships October 16.
Visit dell.com →The buying guide.
Memory decides which models you can run
A language model has to fit in memory to run at a usable speed. On an RTX Spark laptop, the GPU draws from the same pool as the rest of the system, so a 128 GB machine can load models a 24 GB one cannot. NVIDIA's claim of models up to 120 billion parameters applies to the top configurations. Buy the amount of memory you will need for the life of the machine. Only the 20-core version of the chip supports 128 GB. NVIDIA caps the 18-core version at 64 GB.
RTX Spark runs Windows on Arm
The CPU in RTX Spark is an Arm design, like the chips in phones and Apple's Macs. Windows 11 runs apps built for Arm at full speed and runs older x86 apps through Microsoft's Prism emulation, which costs some speed. Dell names MATLAB as one of the x86 apps that runs under emulation, and says the Easy Anti-Cheat and BattlEye anti-cheat systems are supported. Windows Central reports that Call of Duty will not support it until 2027. If you depend on one specific Windows app, check that it runs on Arm before you order.
Should you wait for reviews?
No outlet has reviewed a retail RTX Spark laptop. The only test so far, on a leaked prototype in July, found unstable drivers and failed CUDA tests, per Tom's Hardware, and retail units ship three months later. Amazon charges for a preorder when it ships, and reviews should appear around October 16. If you need a laptop for local AI this month, the Flow Z13 and MacBook Pro ship today with reviews behind them.
How RTX Spark compares with the alternatives
NVIDIA rates the chip's memory bandwidth at 300 GB/s across a 256-bit interface. The Flow Z13 uses the same 256-bit width at a lower memory speed, LPDDR5X-8000 against the 9,400 MT/s most RTX Spark laptops list. Apple's M5 Max reaches up to 614 GB/s, per Apple, and costs more per gigabyte. A dedicated RTX 5090 laptop GPU is faster still for any model that fits in its own memory, and slows down for any model that does not.
FAQ.
The first units from Microsoft, ASUS and Dell ship October 16, 2026. Newegg lists the MSI Prestige N16 Flip AI+ for November 6. NVIDIA says RTX Spark desktops go on sale in November.
From $2,599.99 for the Surface Laptop Ultra and the ASUS ProArt P14, both with 24 GB and 512 GB. The 128 GB configurations run from $5,309 for the HP OmniBook Ultra 16, per Tom's Hardware, to $6,999.99 for the ASUS ProArt P16 with 2 TB.
The Surface Laptop Ultra, yes. Amazon sells six versions itself, from $2,599.99 for 24 GB and 512 GB to $3,999.99 for 48 GB and 1 TB. When we checked, Amazon did not list the ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo or MSI models.
NVIDIA says up to 120 billion parameters, on configurations with 128 GB of memory. A 24 GB or 32 GB laptop runs smaller models.
NVIDIA claims AAA games at 1440p above 100 fps with DLSS 5. Games built for x86 run through emulation, and Windows Central does not recommend the Surface Laptop Ultra as a dedicated gaming laptop. For games first, the ROG Strix SCAR 16 is the pick.
The 20-core version has a 6,144-core GPU and supports up to 128 GB. The 18-core version has a 5,120-core GPU and supports up to 64 GB, per NVIDIA.
Preorder the Surface,
or buy the Z13 today.
The Surface Laptop Ultra is the RTX Spark laptop you can order on Amazon, from $2,599.99, and the configuration with 32 GB and the full chip costs $3,699.99. If you want 128 GB without waiting for reviews, the ROG Flow Z13 ships today for $3,299.99. On a Mac, the MacBook Pro M5 Max at $4,499. For CUDA tools and games, the ROG Strix SCAR 16.
Chip specs from NVIDIA → Surface prices and specs from Microsoft →