Microsoft launches Surface Laptop Ultra

Microsoft has a new laptop to take on Apple’s MacBook Pro, and it’s an absolute powerhouse.

Called the Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra, it runs on Nvidia’s RX Spark N1X chip which has either a 5,120-core GPU and an 18-core CPU or a 6,144-core GPU and a 20-core CPU. Memory options range from 24 to 128 GB and storage is 512 GB, 1 TB or 2 TB.

The Surface Laptop Ultra is available in two colors: Platinum and Nightfall (pictured).
Credit: Microsoft

The specifications above are important to AI developers and creators because they deliver a massive amount of AI computing in a portable form factor. With the Surface Laptop Ultra, you’ll be able to run local AI agents with over 120 billion parameters, which is roughly comparable to what you can do with Apple’s most powerful MacBook Pro.

If you want a lighter color, there is always Platinum.
Credit: Microsoft

The Surface Laptop Ultra features a 15-inch PixelSense Ultra display, 3270 x 2180 pixel resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and a battery rated for 12 hours of active web use or 15 hours of local video playback. It weighs 4.5 pounds, it’s only 18 millimeters thick when closed, and it comes in two colors: Platinum and Nightfall. In terms of connectivity, you get three USB-C ports, a USB-A port, an HDMI port, an SD card reader, and a headphone jack.

This is Magnetic Connect, the “world’s first integrated magnetic USB-C charger on a laptop”.
Credit: Microsoft

If you need further proof that Microsoft is positioning this as an alternative to the MacBook Pro, consider Magnetic Connect; it’s essentially Microsoft’s version of MagSafe, only with a USB-C port. Oh, and if you trade in an eligible MacBook, you get a $1,000 “breakup” bonus.

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra is available for pre-order, starting at $2,599, but with the least powerful chip and only 32GB of memory; the most powerful version will cost you $5,899.99. Availability begins October 16.

Need power without the extra bits? That’s what the Surface RTX Spark Dev Box is for.
Credit: Microsoft

Besides the Surface Laptop Ultra, Microsoft also launched the Surface RTX Spark Dev Box, a compact box that offers essentially the same performance as the laptop, but without the keyboard and screen. Primarily aimed at developers, it offers up to 1 petaflop of AI performance and 128 GB of unified memory, and also supports AI models with more than 120 billion parameters.

In terms of specs, it runs an NVIDIA RTX Spark™ N1X chip that combines a 6,144-core GPU with a 20-core CPU. 128GB LPDDR5x unified memory is the only RAM option, and storage is a removable SSD with 2TB of space. It’s quite portable, measuring 12.85 x 6.77 x 1.69 inches and weighing 4.4 pounds.

It is available for pre-order on Microsoft’s website for $5,999 and will ship in November.

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