Nvidia's RTX Spark N1X processor, an Arm-based system-on-chip (SoC), has launched in Windows laptops from eight manufacturers as of October 16, 2026. This release follows the joint announcement by Nvidia and Microsoft at Computex on May 31, 2026, where they detailed the N1X chip and its supporting AI ecosystem. The N1X integrates a custom-designed Grace CPU, a Blackwell RTX GPU, and unified memory, targeting high performance for artificial intelligence, creative applications, and gaming workloads on Windows on Arm devices.
The N1X chip comes in two primary configurations. The higher-end version features a 20-core CPU, comprising 10 Arm Cortex-X925 performance cores and 10 Arm Cortex-A725 efficiency cores, paired with a Blackwell RTX GPU containing 6,144 CUDA cores and 192 fifth-generation Tensor Cores. This configuration supports up to 128GB of LPDDR5X unified memory, operating at speeds up to 9,400 Mbps, providing a peak memory bandwidth of 300 GB/s over a 256-bit interface. A second, slightly scaled-down variant includes an 18-core CPU (nine performance, nine efficiency cores) and a Blackwell RTX GPU with 5,120 CUDA cores, supporting up to 64GB of unified memory. Both chips are fabricated by TSMC on a 3-nanometer process node.
The N1X's architecture is designed to rival high-performing Arm-based SoCs from competitors such as Apple. Nvidia positions the RTX Spark platform as a solution for on-device AI, enabling laptops to run large language models locally that previously required cloud access. For instance, the 128GB unified memory configurations can handle 70-billion-parameter models at 4-bit quantization, requiring approximately 41GB, and Nvidia claims support for models up to 120 billion parameters.
Initial reviews indicate that the N1X offers competitive multi-threaded CPU performance and class-leading GPU performance compared to existing mobile platforms. While its single-core CPU performance is strong, it may trail some competing chips in certain benchmarks. The integrated Blackwell RTX GPU's 6,144 shader cores align with the CUDA core count of Nvidia's desktop GeForce RTX 5070. Despite having lower memory bandwidth than discrete GPUs, the N1X's larger compute block and unified memory architecture show advantages in synthetic 3DMark tests. The platform also supports PCI Express Gen 5 and Gen 4 connectivity, as well as USB 4.
The launch includes models from Acer, ASUS, Dell, Gigabyte, HP, Lenovo, Microsoft, and MSI. Pricing for RTX Spark laptops begins at $2,599 for configurations like the Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra with an 18-core CPU, 5,120-core GPU, and 24GB of unified memory. High-end configurations, such as an ASUS ProArt P16 with a 20-core N1X, 128GB of memory, and a 2TB SSD, can reach prices of $6,999.99. Nvidia plans to release compact RTX Spark desktops in November 2026.