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Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra review: RTX Spark in a straight-up beautiful Windows PC
The Surface Laptop Ultra is the most beautiful laptop Microsoft has ever made, and RTX Spark is powerful for AI models. But if you don't run AI models, there's nothing novel for normal Windows users to take advantage of, and this system is very pricey.
Windows doesn't take advantage of what RTX Spark offers
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It's been a few years since we've seen a Surface focused on performance. With Nvidia's entry into mobile SoCs, Microsoft is one of several hardware partners that have developed an ultra-premium PC designed around the RTX Spark.
The Surface Laptop Ultra is the most beautiful laptop Surface has ever produced. The screen is gorgeous. The port selection is strong, and the metal chassis feels luxurious. It's heavy, but that's the price of cooling an SoC designed to run AI models.
This is also one of the first Windows on Arm laptops that isn't using a Qualcomm chip. It benefits greatly here from years of work by Microsoft and Qualcomm, and hopefully Nvidia's involvement raises the bar for everyone. Windows on Arm works better here than ever before.
And yet, this system is expensive. If you want to run mobile AI workloads on the go, you will see, the Surface Laptop Ultra is a serious contender. But if you're just a Windows power user, you won't get a ton out of RTX Spark besides better software and gaming compatibility than previous Arm-based laptops. This is a lovely laptop waiting for Windows 11 to catch up to it.
The Surface Laptop Ultra is, without a doubt, the nicest system that Microsoft has ever built. The company has made some nice designs across both its Surface Pro and Laptop lines, but the Laptop Ultra really is something else.
The Ultra very much looks like Surface Laptops of old, with a spartan design, including a tone-on-tone reflective Microsoft logo. Our system came in Microsoft's new "nightfall" color (a very dark shade of gray), though a more traditional platinum is available in select configurations. The aluminum chassis is rock solid.
The keyboard deck is just as spare, with room for a large haptic touchpad and backlit chiclet keys. The Mini-LED display has a minimal bezel surrounding it.