The Surface Laptop Ultra is the first Surface built on NVIDIA silicon, and it is the most mainstream laptop yet with NVIDIA RTX Spark, the Arm chip that pairs a Grace CPU with a Blackwell RTX GPU and shared memory, much like the GB10 inside the DGX Spark mini PC. Microsoft opened pre-orders on October 7, 2026, and it ships on October 16, 2026 from Microsoft.com and select retailers.
This is the first of three articles on the most important NVIDIA RTX laptops arriving now. Related: the Surface RTX Spark Dev Box, the Dell XPS 16 Creator Edition RTX Spark and the ASUS ProArt P16 RTX Spark.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra: what is confirmed
| Surface Laptop Ultra | |
|---|---|
| Chip | NVIDIA RTX Spark: 18-core Grace CPU + 5,120-core Blackwell GPU, or 20-core Grace CPU + 6,144-core Blackwell GPU |
| Memory | 24GB to 128GB unified LPDDR5X (24/32GB with the 18-core; 32/48/64/128GB with the 20-core) |
| Graphics memory | No separate VRAM: the GPU uses the unified memory |
| AI | Up to 1 petaflop; Microsoft says it runs models over 120B parameters locally |
| Display | 15” PixelSense Ultra mini-LED touch, 3270x2180, 120Hz, 2,000 nits peak HDR |
| Storage | 512GB to 2TB, user-removable SSD |
| Battery | 92Wh |
| Weight | About 2.0 kg (4.41 lb), under 18mm thick |
| Ports | Magnetic USB-C charging, 2 more USB-C, HDMI, USB-A, SD card reader, 3.5mm jack; up to three 4K displays |
NVIDIA rates the RTX Spark chip at 45 to 80W in laptops. Microsoft has not said where the Surface sits in that range.
Price
- $2,599.99 for the 18-core chip, 24GB and 512GB
- About $3,700 for the 20-core chip, 32GB and 1TB (ServeTheHome)
- About $4,300 with 64GB (PC Gamer)
- $5,899.99 for the 20-core chip with 128GB
Microsoft is also offering up to $1,000 back for trading in a MacBook Pro until November 23.
Why it matters for local AI
With 128GB of memory that the GPU can use and NVIDIA’s CUDA software, the top Surface Laptop Ultra can load the same class of models as a DGX Spark, in a laptop with a 15-inch mini-LED screen. That is a direct alternative to a 128GB MacBook Pro and to Ryzen AI Max+ 395 laptops such as the ROG Flow Z13, with the difference that most AI tools are built for CUDA first.
What we do not know yet
- Independent benchmarks. No reviews have been published before the October 16 ship date.
- Memory bandwidth. NVIDIA has not published a figure for RTX Spark, and we will not guess one.
- Gaming. This is Windows on Arm: many games run through emulation, and some anti-cheat systems may not work. Check your games before buying.
- The Surface’s power setting within NVIDIA’s 45 to 80W range, which will decide sustained performance.
Our take
The Surface Laptop Ultra is the RTX Spark laptop most people will see in stores, with the best screen and a removable SSD. The entry model’s 24GB is enough for everyday work and small models, but for local AI the 64GB and 128GB versions are the ones that make sense, and they are expensive. Wait for the first independent tests after October 16 before ordering the high-end configurations.
See the Surface Laptop Ultra at Microsoft →
See all our coverage in the Laptops section.