There’s still a lot we don’t know about NVIDIA’s RTX Spark AI chip – we’re still waiting for in-depth technical details and pricing for the first batch of systems – but it’s poised to change the way we think about Windows PCs entirely. RTX Spark should provide the raw performance that the first batch of Copilot+ programs lacked, and will push Microsoft to make the Windows experience even better on Arm CPUs (something I’ve argued is the real highlight of the entire Copilot+ program, in addition to AI support).
With Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon chips powering low- and mid-range Windows PCs, there’s room for NVIDIA to finally fill the gap, bringing powerful (and potentially a lot expensive) PCs will attract memory-hungry content creators, developers and AI enthusiasts.
Windows may finally have had its Apple Silicon moment this year – a big push to expand the aging OS for more efficient Arm chips, while also rethinking what’s possible when you can give GPUs direct access to crazy gobs of memory. The MacBook Pro comparison was immediately clear in the first batch of RTX Spark devices such as the Surface Pro Ultra and ASUS’ new ProArt systems. Of course, Windows-powered laptops are nothing new, but they often had trade-offs like thicker and heavier cases, or bigger demands on battery power. What if you could get a powerhouse PC that didn’t feel like a brick, and lasted as long as a low-power ultraportable?
That’s the promise of the RTX Spark plans, but a lot of details are still up in the air. Based on NVIDIA’s description of the chip, the RTX Spark appears to be the same hardware on the DGX Spark AI platform that launched last year for $3,999, but now retails for $4,699. That makes me think that the first RTX Spark systems could start around $4,000 or more. Its 20-core CPU is made up of 10 Cortex X-925 cores and 10 Cortex-A275, both of which are slower than Arm’s new C1-Ultra core, Engadget Editor-in-Chief, Aaron Souppouris, notes. That hardware is currently only available on the Mediatek Dimensity 9500 chip, powering the new Oppo Find X9 Pro. NVIDIA’s Arm cores are also slower than the latest Snapdragon Elite Oryon cores, as well as Apple’s M5 chips. If NVIDIA charges a premium for RTX Spark systems, you can expect them to at least use CPU cores from 2026.
The real stars of the RTX Spark systems will be their 6,144 RTX Blackwell GPU cores, similar to the RTX 5070 desktop GPU, and their support for up to 128GB of integrated memory. Conceptually, that’s not too far from what Apple is doing with its M series chips, which also include Arm cores, beefy GPUs and tons of integrated memory. Apple Silicon gave Macs the efficiency and performance boost over PCs, and the entire Windows ecosystem has been struggling to keep up.
The only competition for NVIDIA hardware on the PC side is AMD’s Ryzen AI Ultra system, which is a complex system-on-chip design with powerful CPU cores, built-in graphics, powerful NPU. again integrated memory. Last year’s Ryzen AI Max+ 395 (AKA “Strix Halo”) chip is supported by up to 128GB of RAM, and the new AI Max 400 series brings that up to 192GB of integrated memory.
The Ryzen AI Max lineup is still based on the x86-64 architecture, which gives them full compatibility with legacy Windows software, but there are no advantages to the power efficiency of the Arm cores. NVIDIA RTX Spark systems, such as Snapdragon X Elite Copilopt+ machines, will need to run x86 software with Microsoft’s Prism emulator. I found that to be pretty seamless when I reviewed the Surface Pro Copilot+ in 2024, and Microsoft says it’s working with NVIDIA to make Windows 11 even better for RTX Spark.
Last year, Microsoft’s Copilot+ program for AI PCs seemed like a paradox, but I argued at the time that it was at least pushing PC makers to enforce new standards for their flagship laptops. Eventually, almost everyone started equipping their PCs with at least 16GB of RAM. The real failure of Copilot+ was that it relied on AI features that few people wanted, and that were fraught with privacy issues, such as Microsoft’s Recall.
Things are a little different now, as more developers and power users are adopting AI agents like OpenClaw. NVIDIA is clearly trying to target that crowd with the RTX Spark plans – people who aren’t willing to spend a ton of money to get PCs with lots of RAM just so they can use the latest AI tools and models. (Those people are also why the Mac Mini has been out of stock for months, and you can partly blame them for the demise of the $599 model.)
Aside from AI enthusiasts, I’ve also seen content creators and non-AI developers who are tempted by the possibility of a very large amount of unified memory. RTX Spark systems will theoretically be able to handle large video editing tasks much better than existing laptops. Their Blackwell GPUs also mean you’ll have full access to NVIDIA’s DLSS AI enhancements and framerate rendering for games (and you’ll likely have enough overhead for serious gaming while working on AI and rendering tasks in the background).
While RTX Spark systems may be powerful, they will ultimately be limited by their prices. Based on what we know so far, these will be the most expensive machines for serious buyers. Still, there’s hope for the future: Rumors point to NVIDIA working on stripped-down versions of the chip for cheaper systems, and possibly real ultraportables. And hopefully by then, RAMaggedon will be over, and more people will actually be able to afford RTX Spark plans.
