News in Short
- Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra starts at $2,599 and will launch on October 16.
- It features an Nvidia RTX Spark chip with up to 6,144 GPU cores.
- The laptop supports up to 128GB of unified memory and runs Windows on Arm.
- It gets a 15-inch mini-LED touchscreen with HDR brightness above the M5 MacBook Pro.
- Microsoft is offering MacBook owners up to $1,000 cash back through eligible trade-ins.
Microsoft has officially revealed pricing and availability for the Surface Laptop Ultra. The new 15-inch laptop starts at $2,599 and is positioned as a high-performance machine for creators and developers.
The pricing puts it below Apple’s 16-inch MacBook Pro, which starts at $2,999. Microsoft is clearly positioning the Surface Laptop Ultra as an alternative for demanding creative, development, AI, engineering and 3D workloads.
The laptop will launch on October 16.
Nvidia RTX Spark brings desktop-class hardware to a laptop
The Surface Laptop Ultra is powered by Nvidia’s RTX Spark platform. It combines an Nvidia Blackwell RTX GPU with up to 6,144 cores and an Nvidia Grace CPU with up to 20 cores.
The laptop supports up to 128GB of unified memory. Microsoft has also developed a new thermal architecture to handle the higher-performance hardware.
However, the RTX Spark platform uses an Arm-based architecture. As a result, the laptop runs Windows on Arm, while x86 applications rely on Microsoft’s Prism emulation layer.
Microsoft is positioning the Surface Laptop Ultra as its most powerful notebook yet.
15-inch mini-LED display gets a brightness boost
The Surface Laptop Ultra features a 15-inch mini-LED touchscreen. Microsoft says it delivers its brightest and sharpest display yet on a Surface device.
The company claims peak HDR brightness is 25 percent higher than the M5 MacBook Pro. The screen also supports touch gestures and navigation.
However, there is no pen input support. That means the touchscreen is primarily designed for interaction and navigation rather than digital drawing or handwriting.
Lighter than MacBook Pro with more ports
Microsoft has also focused on portability. The Surface Laptop Ultra is lighter than Apple’s 16-inch MacBook Pro.
It features a large haptic trackpad and upgradeable storage. Microsoft has also introduced Magnetic Connect, its magnetic USB-C charging system.
The company describes it as the first built-in magnetic USB-C charging system on a laptop.
Connectivity includes three USB-C ports, one USB-A port and an HDMI port. There is also an SD card reader and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
For creators, that selection could reduce the need for dongles when connecting cameras, displays and other peripherals.
Microsoft wants MacBook users to switch
Microsoft is making its competition with Apple particularly direct. The company is offering eligible MacBook owners up to $1,000 cash back when they trade in their existing MacBook for a Surface Laptop Ultra.
The offer gives Microsoft a way to target users already invested in Apple’s laptop ecosystem.
At $2,599, the Surface Laptop Ultra also undercuts the $2,999 starting price of the 16-inch MacBook Pro. However, the two platforms differ significantly in architecture and software compatibility.
The Surface Laptop Ultra’s Arm-based Nvidia platform could be a major factor for professional users who depend on traditional x86 applications.
Surface RTX Spark Dev Box also announced
Alongside the laptop, Microsoft has introduced the Surface RTX Spark Dev Box. It is priced at $5,999 and targets developers and AI professionals.
The desktop uses the same Nvidia RTX Spark platform. Microsoft says it can deliver up to one petaflop of AI performance.
It also supports AI models with up to 120 billion parameters. This puts the machine in competition with compact professional desktops designed for AI development and demanding workloads.
Microsoft is taking a direct shot at Apple’s pro segment
The Surface Laptop Ultra marks a more aggressive move by Microsoft into the high-performance creator market.
Its combination of Nvidia hardware, up to 128GB memory, a high-end mini-LED display and extensive connectivity gives it a strong hardware pitch.
At the same time, the $2,599 starting price gives Microsoft a clear pricing advantage against the 16-inch MacBook Pro.
The bigger question will be how well the Arm-based platform handles professional software. If compatibility and performance come together as Microsoft expects, the Surface Laptop Ultra could become a serious alternative for creators and developers.
