Microsoft unveils Nvidia RTX Spark PCs and a revamped Windows 11
At a San Francisco event, Microsoft revealed the specs and pricing of its Surface Laptop Ultra and Surface RTX Spark Dev Box. The machines are built to run AI models locally and ship with a Windows 11 version that can sandbox AI agents.
Microsoft revealed the specifications and prices of its new Nvidia RTX Spark-powered computers on Wednesday, at an event held during San Francisco's Tech Week. Nvidia announced in June that it had agreements with Microsoft and other PC makers to build AI- and agent-ready Windows PCs, but details about the machines were scarce at the time.
Surface Laptop Ultra and the workstation
The Surface Laptop Ultra comes in two base models. The cheaper one starts at $2,600, while the version with a more powerful chip starts at $3,700. Adding memory and storage can push the price as high as $5,900. Microsoft says the top configuration is already out of stock.
The company also introduced a workstation, the Surface RTX Spark Dev Box, which starts at $6,000. It comes with developer tools including VS Code, GitHub Copilot CLI, WSL and PowerShell 7.
Running AI locally
The central pitch for both devices is running AI models directly on the machine, at no extra cost. The CPU, GPU, unified memory and other hardware changes, such as better cooling, make this possible. The devices run a revamped version of Windows 11 with a feature called "Execution Containers," which makes it easier to sandbox AI agents. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said the feature will be available to all Windows 11 users.
Nadella explained that over the past three to four years it became clear that a model alone is not enough. Orchestration, memory outside the model, and a layer that combines multiple models with context, memory and the action space are all needed. He said Microsoft is enabling this for apps from anyone's agent, not only its own.
Target audience and competitors
The devices are clearly aimed at developers. Microsoft is offering up to $1,000 off for those who trade in a MacBook Pro, since Macs are popular among developers and AI agent enthusiasts, especially in Silicon Valley. The company also says the PCs can handle content creation, video processing and gaming.
Microsoft was not the only company to share specs on Wednesday. Dell detailed its previously announced Dell XPS 16 Creator Edition, priced at $3,800. It is available for preorder at Best Buy, with delivery later in October.
