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The Surface Laptop Ultra is Microsoft’s most powerful notebook to date, serving as one of the flagship devices for NVIDIA’s new RTX Spark platform. Starting at $2,599, the premium laptop can be configured with up to 128GB of unified memory and features a bright 15-inch display, though its high cost and performance trail Apple’s hardware.
Design and NVIDIA RTX Spark Performance
The Ultra model resembles a sleek, all-metal business laptop with a 3:2 aspect ratio screen and a segmented base for cooling vents and downward-firing speakers. The core of the device is the Arm-based NVIDIA RTX Spark chip, featuring up to 20 CPU cores and 6,144 GPU cores on top-tier configurations. The system includes unified memory shared between the CPU and GPU, which allows users to run large AI models locally. The RTX Spark chip delivers gaming performance comparable to an RTX 5070 laptop GPU, supporting 1440p gaming with NVIDIA DLSS and frame generation. However, the Arm-based CPU requires software emulation for older Windows programs, though Microsoft and NVIDIA have improved compatibility for modern apps and multiplayer games.
Display, Keyboard, and Connectivity
The 15-inch mini-LED screen delivers up to 2,000 nits of HDR brightness, offering vibrant colors and deep contrast. The keyboard provides deep key travel and satisfying feedback, while the large trackpad supports Windows haptic feedback. Microsoft introduced a magnetic USB-C charging cable that snaps into place and easily detaches if pulled, functioning alongside standard USB-C ports. Port selections include three USB-C ports, an HDMI port, an SD card slot, a headphone jack, and a traditional USB Type-A port.
Real-World Usage and Benchmarks
Encased in an aluminum chassis that weighs 4.4 pounds, the notebook scored 1,553 points in Cinebench 2024 multi-threaded testing, trailing the Apple M5 Pro chip’s 2,188 points. The Apple chip also outpaced the Surface in single-threaded tests. In gaming tests, the laptop reached 87 fps in Cyberpunk 2077 at 1440p with maxed-out settings. The device managed 13 hours and 25 minutes on the PCMark 10 battery benchmark, offering roughly seven and a half hours of active workday use.
Review configurations with 32GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and the full-powered RTX Spark chip cost $3,700, while maxed-out variants with 128GB of RAM reach $5,900. Despite its high price and 2TB storage limit, the Surface Laptop Ultra demonstrates Microsoft’s hardware refinement, even as it trails Apple’s raw processing power.
