Surface Laptop Ultra Hands-On: a beautiful beast powered by NVIDIA’s RTX Spark
Yes, it’s just a high-end laptop. But it sure looks pretty.
When we first saw the Surface Laptop Ultra back in June, I was struck by how normal it seemed. Even though Microsoft claimed it was the most powerful Surface Laptop ever, it actually looked like a simple MacBook Pro clone, even more so than the Surface Laptop (or the Laptop Studio, which no one talks about anymore). There are no weird hinges or flashy Surface features – it just seemed like a pure high-end laptop.
After spending some time there today, I can confirm that this remains the case. At the same time, it feels better than any other Windows laptop I’ve had before. And considering its starting price of $2,599, it’s much better.
Devindra Hardawar for Woozad
The Surface Laptop Ultra isn’t anything fancy, but for AI developers who want a powerful portable system with up to 128GB of RAM, this could be their dream machine. Even before I got my hands on it, the Laptop Ultra exuded a feeling of quality. Its aluminum body gleamed amid the studio lights, its screen was surprisingly bright, and its overall aesthetic was clean. Think of it as a rugged, minimalist Volvo, compared to a flashy BMW or Audi.
Beyond just looking great, everything about the Surface Laptop Ultra exudes quality. Its keyboard has just the right amount of tactile feedback, something I’ve always appreciated about Microsoft’s keyboard. Its huge haptic touchpad is smooth and responsive. It’s a heavy machine, weighing less than 4.5 pounds, but that’s par for the course with 16-inch workhorses. It’s still lighter than Apple’s 16-inch MacBook Pro and feels just as sturdy.
Devindra Hardawar for Woozad
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