Microsoft has a new laptop to compete with Apple’s MacBook Pro, and it’s an absolute powerhouse. Called the Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra, it runs on Nvidia’s RX Spark N1X chip that has a 5120-core GPU and an 18-core CPU, or a 6144-core GPU and a 20-core CPU. Memory options range from 24 to 128 GB and storage is 512 GB, 1 TB or 2 TB. SEE ALSO: Microsoft’s new Surface laptops drop Copilot+ PC branding. The Surface Laptop Ultra is available in two colors: Platinum and Nightfall (pictured). Credit: Microsoft The above specifications are important for AI developers and creators as they offer a huge amount of AI computing in a portable format. With Surface Laptop Ultra, you’ll be able to run local AI agents with over 120 billion parameters, which is roughly on par with what you can do with Apple’s most powerful MacBook Pro. If you want a lighter color, there is always Platinum. Credit: Microsoft The Surface Laptop Ultra features a 15-inch PixelSense Ultra display with a resolution of 3270 x 2180 pixels and a refresh rate of 120 HZ, and a battery that lasts for 12 hours of active web use or 15 hours of local video playback. It weighs 4.5 pounds, is just 18 millimeters thick when closed, and is available in two colors: Platinum and Nightfall. In terms of connectivity, you get three USB-C ports, a USB-A port, an HDMI port, an SD card reader, and a headphone jack. This is Magnetic Connect, the “first magnetic USB-C charger built into a laptop.” Credit: Microsoft If you need more proof that Microsoft is positioning this as an alternative to the MacBook Pro, consider Magnetic Connect; It’s essentially Microsoft’s version of MagSafe, only with a USB-C port. Oh, and if you trade in an eligible MacBook, you’ll get a $1,000 “breakup” bonus. Mashable Light Speed The Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra is available for pre-order, starting at $2,599, but that’s with the less powerful chip and just 32GB of memory; the most powerful version will cost you $5,899.99. Availability begins October 16. Need power without extra bits? That’s what the Surface RTX Spark Dev Box is for. Credit: Microsoft In addition to the Surface Laptop Ultra, Microsoft also launched the Surface RTX Spark Dev Box, a compact box with essentially the same performance as the laptop, just without a keyboard or screen. Primarily aimed at developers, it offers up to 1 petaflop of AI performance and 128 GB of unified memory, and also supports AI models with more than 120 billion parameters. In terms of specifications, it runs an NVIDIA RTX Spark™ N1X chip that combines a 6,144-core GPU with a 20-core CPU. 128GB LPDDR5x unified memory is the only option when it comes to RAM, and storage is a removable SSD with 2TB of space. It is quite portable, measuring 12.85 x 6.77 x 1.69 inches and weighing 4.4 pounds. It’s available for pre-order on Microsoft’s website for $5,999 and will begin shipping in November. Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or directly to your device? Subscribe to Mashable’s Top Stories newsletter or receive push alerts from Mashable. Featured video for you How does fashion influencer Wisdm describe his work?
