GoKawiil
Tech News
Microsoft has released the Surface Laptop Ultra, a high-end Windows laptop reviewed as a serious rival to Apple's MacBook Pro. The device emphasizes strong local processing power rather than relying primarily on cloud-based AI services.
During a recent event, Nvidia and Microsoft announced the Surface Laptop Ultra alongside new Windows PCs powered by Nvidia's RTX Spark chip. They described this as the start of the 'agentic PC' era, emphasizing enhanced processing capabilities driven by Windows updates, Nvidia's latest chips, and AI advancements. This development suggests a shift toward more powerful, AI-enabled devices capable of handling tasks traditionally reserved for cloud-based systems.
Microsoft announced the Surface Laptop Ultra, featuring an Nvidia AI chip, with a starting price of $2,599 and scheduled to ship on October 16. The device includes the world's first magnetic USB-C port and supports running various AI models locally. The company also revealed plans for Meta's Muse AI agent to be available on Windows, aiming to enhance AI capabilities on consumer devices.
Microsoft announced the release date and starting price for its new high-end Surface Laptop Ultra, priced at $2,600 with 24GB of memory. The device features Nvidia's new RTX Spark SoC, which includes a powerful 18-core ARM CPU and options for up to 128GB of unified memory, along with removable SSD options. Pre-orders are now open, and the laptop boasts a 15-inch 4K touchscreen, Dolby Vision IQ, and a novel magnetic USB-C charging port capable of 140W power delivery.
Microsoft unveiled a new magnetic charging feature called Magnetic Connect for the Surface Laptop Ultra, which attaches to the right-side USB-C port. The magnetic connection is designed to be simple to use, with the connector snapping into place when brought close. Despite the magnetic feature, the USB-C port remains fully functional for data, video, and other connections.
Microsoft is holding a San Francisco event at 10AM PT on Wednesday, October 7th, featuring CEO Satya Nadella, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, and Windows and Surface chief Pavan Davuluri discussing local AI on PCs. The keynote is expected to run about an hour and will be streamed on YouTube, with pricing and specs anticipated for the Surface Laptop Ultra and more details on Nvidia's RTX Spark platform.