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Nvidia (NVDA) is taking aim at Intel (INTC) and AMD (AMD) with the debut of its RTX Spark superchip for Windows laptops. The processor, which includes a Blackwell GPU and Grace CPU, will power laptops from manufacturers including ASUS, Dell (DELL), HP (HPQ), and Microsoft (MSFT) when it lands this fall.
Unveiled during Nvidia’s GTC Taipei event, the RTX Spark, which is also coming to small desktops, is meant for customers running AI applications, content creators, and, importantly, gamers.
According to the company, the RTX Spark will pack upward of 128GB of memory, a massive amount for any laptop.
Memory serves as a kind of temporary holding area for data the CPU needs to access quickly. Generally, the more memory, the better the overall performance
Most laptops generally pack 16GB of memory, though higher-end systems, like a top-of-the-line MacBook Pro, can be outfitted with 128GB. But to get that configuration, you’ll have to shell out a whopping $5,099.
Nvidia hasn’t announced pricing for laptops running its new chip, but it did note that the first systems will target the premium market. However, it will also offer less powerful versions of the RTX Spark with less memory for use in lower-priced notebooks.
While Nvidia didn’t provide a look at any of the laptops built using the chip, it did offer hints at styling and features, noting that the notebooks will be roughly 14 millimeters thick, include HD webcams, and all-day battery life.
Because the RTX Spark is using an Arm-based Grace processor, Nvidia says it’s been working with Microsoft and software developers to ensure that their programs can run on the chip. That’s because the vast majority of software in the world has been built to run on what are called x86 chips from Intel and AMD.
It’s taken years to get developers to either create Arm versions of their apps or build emulators that can translate x86-based programs to run on Arm chips.
And while initial attempts saw less than stellar results, the work has paid off.
Qualcomm’s Arm-based processors already power Windows laptops, and can run the vast majority of apps with ease, while providing impressive battery life.
But gaming on Arm poses some potential issues.
Nvidia got its start as a gaming company, eventually becoming the largest graphics chipmaker in the world, before it began its work in the AI industry.
And while it’s better known globally for its AI chips, the company’s chips are still highly coveted among gamers. That said, if the RTX Spark can’t run the games players want, it’ll be a hard sell.
