Microsoft's Surface Laptop Ultra starts at $2,600 with Nvidia's RTX Spark chip

Microsoft revealed prices and specifications for its new Surface Laptop Ultra at an event in San Francisco during the city’s Tech Week on Wednesday. The laptop runs on Nvidia’s RTX Spark chip, a processor built to run AI models directly on the device instead of in the cloud. It comes in two base configurations: one starting at $2,600, and a more powerful version starting at $3,700. Adding memory and storage pushes the price as high as $5,900, and Microsoft says that top-end model is already out of stock.

Microsoft also introduced a companion workstation, the Surface RTX Spark Dev Box, priced from $6,000. It comes preloaded with developer tools including VS Code, GitHub Copilot CLI, Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), and PowerShell 7. Both devices are built around the idea that running AI models locally, on a device’s own chip rather than remote servers, lets users work with AI for free without sending data elsewhere. Microsoft credits the RTX Spark chip’s processor, graphics chip, shared memory pool, and improved cooling for making that possible.

Execution Containers for every Windows 11 user

The new hardware runs a revamped version of Windows 11 that includes a feature Microsoft calls Execution Containers, designed to sandbox AI agents by isolating them from the rest of a computer’s files and systems. Unlike the hardware, this feature will roll out to all Windows 11 users, not just buyers of the new Surface devices, according to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who spoke at the event. Nadella said that having an AI model alone accomplishes little, that models need orchestration, memory outside the model, and a way to take action, and that Microsoft is building that layer into Windows for any developer’s agent, not just its own apps.

The new Surface lineup is clearly aimed at developers. Microsoft is offering up to $1,000 off for customers who trade in a MacBook Pro, acknowledging that Macs have become the default choice for many developers and AI agent builders, especially in Silicon Valley. Microsoft says the laptop’s graphics hardware also supports other demanding tasks, including content creation, video editing, and gaming.

Microsoft was not the only computer maker detailing new Nvidia RTX Spark machines on Wednesday. Dell also released specifics for its previously announced XPS 16 Creator Edition, which is available for preorder now through Best Buy, priced at $3,800, with delivery expected later in October.

Neither Microsoft nor Nvidia has published independent benchmarks showing how the RTX Spark chip performs against cloud-based AI models on real workloads. Buyers will get their first chance to test that claim when the Surface Laptop Ultra and the RTX Spark Dev Box begin shipping, and when Execution Containers reaches a wider rollout across Windows 11.