Surface Laptop Ultra hands-on: A beautiful beast powered by NVIDIA's RTX Spark
Yes, it's just a premium laptop. But it sure looks pretty.
When we first caught a glimpse of the Surface Laptop Ultra back in June, I was struck by how normal it seemed. Even though Microsoft claimed it was the most powerful Surface Laptop ever, it really looked like a straightforward MacBook Pro clone, even more so than the Surface Laptop. There aren't any weird hinges or flashy Surface features—just a pure premium laptop aesthetic.
After spending time with the device, it feels better than any other Windows laptop previously held. Given its $2,599 starting price, it certainly sets high expectations.
There's nothing ostentatious about the Surface Laptop Ultra, but for AI developers who want a powerful and portable system that can hold up to 128GB of RAM, it could be a dream machine. Its aluminum case glows under studio lights, the screen is surprisingly bright, and the overall aesthetic remains clean and minimalist.
Beyond its appearance, the keyboard offers precise tactile feedback, paired with a massive, smooth, and responsive haptic touchpad. Weighing in just under 4.5 pounds, it is a heavy machine suited for a 16-inch workhorse, yet it remains lighter than Apple's 16-inch MacBook Pro while feeling just as sturdy.
Performance and AI Capabilities
Researchers at Microsoft's launch event expressed enthusiasm for the hardware. Aidan Pinero, an AI researcher and student at UCSC Silicon Valley, noted excitement over finally having a Windows system capable of running large AI models, matching the flexibility of MacBook Pros equipped with 128GB of RAM thanks to NVIDIA's RTX Spark platform.
NVIDIA's graphical prowess also enables the Surface Laptop Ultra to function as a capable gaming system. It ran Gears of War: E-Day smoothly at slightly above 1080p, maintaining performance both when connected to power and running purely on battery. Microsoft representatives attribute this consistency to the RTX Spark platform, which relies on an Arm CPU to standardize power delivery.
Ports and Connectivity
The Surface Laptop Ultra includes multiple USB-C connections, HDMI, and a full-sized SD card slot. A notable addition is a slightly offset USB-C port designed specifically for Microsoft's custom magnetic USB-C cable, which replaces the proprietary Surface Connector while functioning similarly by automatically latching onto the port.
This design helps prevent accidents if the cable is tripped over while plugged in. Because the underlying connection is standard USB-C, users can also charge the laptop using any standard USB-C charging cable on that port.
Target Audience and Market Position
With its $2,599 price tag and heavy focus on AI, the Surface Laptop Ultra is not targeted at average computer users. Microsoft highlighted hybrid intelligence—utilizing both local and cloud-based AI tools—tailored primarily for developers.
The RTX Spark platform appears to be a direct response to the market shift initiated by Apple Silicon. Built on Arm processors with fast unified memory and integrated NPU and GPU hardware, it mirrors the architecture of recent Apple processors.
While current benefits of RTX Spark are largely geared toward developers and power users, future iterations may eventually trickle down to mainstream consumer devices.
