Microsoft is introducing two new Surface products later this year, each driven by Nvidia’s RTX Spark chips. During Microsoft’s Build conference this week, I had the opportunity to examine the Surface Laptop Ultra along with the Surface RTX Spark Dev Box in detail. Although they share the same processor, Nvidia’s RTX Spark powers distinct functions in each model.

The Surface Laptop Ultra closely resembles a 16-inch MacBook Pro in appearance and build. It features no convertible hinges, removable screens, or special mechanisms, making it a traditional clamshell design centered on high performance. Microsoft selected a 15-inch mini LED screen capable of reaching 2,000 nits in HDR. I viewed this maximum HDR brightness in a darkened space, and it proved exceptionally luminous, marking it as the brightest panel ever used on any Surface device.

The Nightfall color choice.

The trackpad included with the Surface Laptop Ultra exceeds standard Surface sizes and incorporates fresh haptics features from Windows 11. These provide gentle feedback during hover actions near close buttons or guidance cues for dragging, resizing, and rotating items. Such haptics noticeably enhance device interaction, appearing across Windows 11 during slider adjustments and UI engagements. I hope additional laptop makers adopt this upgraded haptics capability.

Upon first handling the Surface Laptop Ultra, its weight stood out. It feels more substantial than the 15-inch Surface Laptop 7, reflecting a deliberate choice to favor performance and battery duration over reduced mass. “Our design priorities centered on performance, performance, performance, followed by battery life, battery life, battery life, then display, display, display, ensuring we perfected those core aspects,” explains Andrew Hill, corporate vice president of Surface product, during a discussion with The Verge. “Any other compromises come second, but we must deliver on the essentials users truly value.”

This trackpad is the largest on any Surface and features an updated haptics setup.

I observed the Surface Laptop Ultra handling multiple workloads, such as a local AI model consuming significant portions of its 128GB unified memory while still allowing smooth gameplay of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.

I also tested the thermal output of the Surface Laptop Ultra, noting warmth above the keyboard area. The section atop the keyboard and the corresponding rear portion felt warm yet remained comfortable for lap use. The device employs dual fans for cooling, which stayed nearly silent even near maximum operation.

The internals of the Surface Laptop Ultra resemble fine craftsmanship.

Microsoft improved component accessibility inside the Surface Laptop Ultra. The layout appears meticulously organized with labeled parts in a dark grid pattern. The company enhanced repairability on the Surface Laptop 7, raising its iFixit score from 0/10 in 2017 to 8/10 in 2024. It will be interesting to learn the iFixit rating for the Surface Laptop Ultra upon release.

The Surface Laptop Ultra offers an extensive selection of ports. The left side includes two USB-C connections and an HDMI port, while the right side provides one USB-C, a USB-A, and a full-size SD Card slot. Notably, the single USB-C on the right appears slightly broader than those on the left.

This USB-C port holds a unique feature.

When I inquired about this distinctive USB-C port, Hill responded with a smile, noting Microsoft plans to reveal additional details about the Surface Laptop Ultra later this year. The laptop omits the usual Surface Connect magnetic charger, prompting speculation about a potential USB-C based alternative from the company.

Microsoft avoids heavy emphasis on its Copilot Plus PC program for the Surface Laptop Ultra. Although the device meets all Copilot Plus PC criteria, the branding receives little mention in company posts, with marketing instead targeting professionals, creators, and developers.

Hill confirms Microsoft continues support for the Copilot Plus PC label despite reduced focus here. Attention shifts to creators and developers seeking local AI processing without cloud token costs. “This provides an option to handle substantial work locally on owned hardware, and when pushed hard, there is no usage meter,” Hill states. “Some tasks perform better in the cloud, yet much can be accomplished on this device.”

The Surface RTX Spark Dev Box resembles a flattened Xbox Series X.

I also briefly viewed the Surface RTX Spark Dev Box. It targets developers needing a compact yet powerful desktop PC for local AI tasks with 128GB unified memory. The Dev Box uses a 3D-printed aluminum enclosure featuring 1,000 air vents to symbolize its 1,000 teraflops compute capacity.

These vents evoke an Xbox Series X design, giving the Dev Box the look of a compressed Microsoft console. Rear connections include two USB-C ports, USB-A, HDMI, Ethernet, and a headphone jack. It runs the same chip as the Surface Laptop Ultra, though Microsoft indicates minor undisclosed variations.

Detail view of the 1,000 air vents.

A key distinction is its 100-watt thermal limit versus up to 80 watts on the Surface Laptop Ultra. This enables stronger sustained performance, especially for workloads leveraging Nvidia’s Tensor cores. Primarily used in AI tasks, Tensor cores also support DLSS upscaling, potentially improving gaming on the Dev Box compared to the laptop.

Pricing remains the open question for both devices. Recent memory cost increases have raised prices on Microsoft’s Intel-based Surface models, and these RTX Spark versions are likely to sit at the highest end of premium pricing. Details will emerge later this year.

Photography / The Verge

Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.

Tom Warren