Nvidia's first laptop chip, RTX Spark, is about to reach buyers. Preorders opened in early October, and the first laptops are due to ship on October 16, 2026.
Nine laptops from six brands have US prices so far. They come from Microsoft, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo and MSI. Starting prices run from $2,599.99 to $3,799.99. Fully loaded models cost much more. PCWorld reports a top price of about $7,000 for the ASUS ProArt P16 with 128GB of memory.
We already covered the Surface Laptop Ultra vs MacBook Pro 16. This article looks at the whole RTX Spark lineup, so you can pick the right one before the first units arrive.
Key dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Early October | Preorders open at Microsoft, ASUS, Lenovo, Best Buy, Newegg and B&H |
| October 16, 2026 | First laptops ship (Surface Laptop Ultra, ASUS ProArt P14 and P16) |
| November 4, 2026 | Some sources list this ship date for the HP OmniBook X 14 |
| Not set | Dell XPS 16, Lenovo and MSI dates are not firm in every source |
One report gave October 18 as the first ship date, but most sources, including PC Guide and PCWorld, say October 16. Ship dates vary by model and store, so check the date on the order page before you pay.
What is RTX Spark?
RTX Spark is a "superchip". It puts an Arm-based Nvidia Grace CPU and a Blackwell RTX GPU on one package, with one pool of shared memory. The laptops run Windows 11. Tech Insider reports that Nvidia co-developed the chip with MediaTek.
Nvidia's own spec page lists two laptop versions, both called RTX Spark N1X:
| Top version | Lower version | |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 20-core Grace | 18-core Grace |
| GPU | 6,144-core Blackwell RTX | 5,120-core Blackwell RTX |
| Max memory | Up to 128GB LPDDR5X | Up to 64GB LPDDR5X |
| Power (TDP) | 45 to 80W | 45 to 80W |
| AI performance | Up to 1 petaflop (FP4) | Not stated separately |
| Ray tracing cores | 4th gen | 4th gen |
| Tensor (AI) cores | 5th gen | 5th gen |
A note on the numbers. PCWorld lists the top GPU as 6,244 cores. Nvidia's own page says 6,144, so we use Nvidia's figure. Also, some store listings show 18-core models with up to 128GB of memory. Nvidia says the 18-core version goes up to 64GB. If memory matters to you, check the exact chip in the configuration you order.
Nvidia says the 128GB version can run AI models of up to 120 billion parameters locally and handle 3D scenes of up to 90GB. PCWorld says the GPU is roughly on par with an RTX 5070 on paper.
Every RTX Spark laptop with a US price
| Laptop | Screen | US starting price | Where to preorder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra | 15-inch touch | $2,599.99 | Microsoft, Best Buy |
| ASUS ProArt P14 | 14-inch OLED touch | $2,599.99 | ASUS, Best Buy |
| ASUS ProArt P16 | 16-inch 4K OLED touch | $2,799.99 (see note) | ASUS, Best Buy |
| Lenovo Pro 9n | 15-inch (PC Guide) | $2,999.99 | Lenovo |
| Lenovo Yoga 9n 2-in-1 | 16-inch OLED, convertible | $2,999.99 | Lenovo |
| HP OmniBook X 14 | 14-inch | $2,999.99 | HP |
| HP OmniBook Ultra 16 | 16-inch OLED touch | $3,199.99 | Best Buy |
| MSI Prestige N16 Flip AI+ | 16-inch, convertible | $3,299.99 | Newegg, B&H |
| Dell XPS 16 Creator Edition | 16-inch OLED touch | $3,799.99 | Best Buy |
Prices come from PC Guide, The Desk Brief and PCWorld. ASUS ProArt P16 note: PC Guide, The Desk Brief and PCWorld list it from about $2,800. Tom's Guide lists it at $4,499, which is likely a higher configuration. We have not seen a cheaper P16 for sale ourselves, so check the store page.
Size, weight and battery
PCWorld published the most complete spec list. Here are the six models it covers:
| Laptop | Memory | Storage | Weight | Battery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surface Laptop Ultra | 24 to 128GB | 512GB to 2TB | 4.41 lb | 92Wh |
| ASUS ProArt P14 | 24 to 128GB | 512GB or 1TB | 3.26 lb | 90Wh |
| ASUS ProArt P16 | 24 to 128GB | 512GB to 2TB | 3.9 lb | 99.9Wh |
| Lenovo Yoga 9n | 32 or 64GB | 512GB or 1TB | 4.28 lb | 99.9Wh |
| HP OmniBook Ultra 16 | 32 or 64GB | 1TB or 2TB | 4.89 lb | 99.9Wh |
| Dell XPS 16 Creator Edition | 32 to 128GB | 512GB or 1TB | 4.45 lb | Not listed yet |
PCWorld says the HP OmniBook Ultra 16 only comes with the 20-core chip. The Desk Brief lists its base model with the 18-core chip. We could not confirm which is right, so check the listing.
Where each one wins
ASUS ProArt P14
- Lightest model at 3.26 lb.
- Ties for the lowest starting price.
- Best if you carry your laptop every day.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra
- Ties for the lowest starting price.
- Large 15-inch touch screen.
- Sold at Microsoft and Best Buy, which makes returns simple.
ASUS ProArt P16
- 4K OLED screen and a 99.9Wh battery.
- Lighter than the other 16-inch models at 3.9 lb.
- The full 128GB model is the most expensive RTX Spark laptop, at about $7,000.
Lenovo Yoga 9n and MSI Prestige N16 Flip
- Both are 2-in-1 convertibles. You can fold the screen back and use a pen.
- The Yoga 9n tops out at 64GB of memory.
Dell XPS 16 Creator Edition
- Highest starting price at $3,799.99.
- Starts at 32GB of memory, more than the 24GB base models.
Things to know before you preorder
- No full reviews yet. None of these laptops has been widely reviewed. Real battery life, heat and fan noise are still unknown.
- This is Windows on Arm. Most modern apps run fine, but check that your must-have apps, games and drivers support Arm before you buy.
- The cheapest models are not the fastest. A $2,599.99 base model may use the 18-core chip and less memory. The spec that matters most for local AI is memory, so price out a 64GB or 128GB model if that is why you want one.
- Ship dates can slip. Dell, Lenovo and MSI have not given firm dates in every source, and one HP model may not ship until November.
Which should you buy?
- Buy the ASUS ProArt P14 if you want the lightest RTX Spark laptop and the lowest price.
- Buy the Surface Laptop Ultra if you want a 15-inch screen, a simple Microsoft experience, and easy returns at Best Buy.
- Buy the ASUS ProArt P16 if you edit video or 3D and want the biggest, sharpest screen.
- Buy a Yoga 9n or Prestige N16 Flip if you want a 2-in-1 with a pen.
- Buy a MacBook Pro 16 if you want a proven, reviewed laptop with lots of unified memory today, and you are happy on macOS.
- Wait if you can. Reviews will land in the next few weeks, and Black Friday is November 27. First-generation hardware often gets cheaper and better supported after launch.
Check MacBook Pro 16 price on Amazon
Want to line up specs yourself? Use our compare tool.
Other tech news this week
- Apple holds its "Welcome home" launch on October 13. A new HomePod mini, Apple TV 4K and the HomeView hub are expected. See our Apple October 13 preview.
- Google opened preorders for the Fitbit Edge at $179.99 on October 12. It ships October 27. See our earlier Fitbit Edge vs Fitbit Air vs Charge 6 piece.
- Apple's first foldable, the iPhone Duo, opens for preorder on October 16 from $1,999.
Sources
- NVIDIA: RTX Spark product page and specs
- PCWorld: Nvidia's first RTX Spark laptops cost up to $7,000
- PC Guide: RTX Spark laptop pre-order, where to buy
- The Desk Brief: Best RTX Spark laptops 2026
- Tech Insider: NVIDIA RTX Spark price and launch
- Tom's Guide: NVIDIA RTX Spark laptop preorders are live
- Windows Central: Every RTX Spark laptop you can preorder now
- Tech Startups: Top tech news, October 12, 2026
Image: NVIDIA RTX Spark superchip inside a laptop, via NVIDIA.
