Nvidia RTX Spark First Tests: Can These Ambitious AI Laptops Beat Apple’s M5 Max? - PCMag UK
Nvidia's RTX Spark laptops have hit the market, with the Asus ProArt P16 serving as the first test subject for PCMag's evaluation of these new AI-capable Windows machines.
With RTX Spark laptops now available from major manufacturers including Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo, PCMag has conducted the first comprehensive tests on the Asus ProArt P16 RTX Spark model. This evaluation comes as Microsoft and Nvidia continue their collaboration to bring Nvidia's AI-capable "Grace Blackwell" hardware to Windows systems designed for AI, agentic tools, creation, and gaming.
The RTX Spark platform represents a significant innovation by bringing previously non-mainstream AI capabilities to Windows laptops. PCMag notes this is not a full review but rather an in-depth examination of the ProArt P16's unique AI capabilities, ease of use for AI tools, and initial performance metrics.
Configuration Options
The Asus ProArt P16 RTX Spark is available in multiple configurations. The entry-level model features an 18-core RTX Spark N1X chip with 5,120 CUDA cores, 24GB unified memory, and 512GB SSD, priced at $2,799.99. A mid-range option offers 32GB memory and 1TB storage for $3,399.99. The review unit includes a 20-core Grace CPU, 6,144 CUDA cores, 64GB memory, and 1TB SSD, priced at $4,399.99. The top-tier model features 128GB memory and 2TB storage for $6,999.99.
Design and Build
Despite its powerful specifications, the ProArt P16 RTX Spark is remarkably slim and light—9% lighter than the standard ProArt P16. It features a 16-inch OLED display (3K or 4K depending on configuration) and includes a large touchpad that's slightly bigger than the Apple MacBook Pro's. The laptop comes with an Asus ProArt Mouse MD301 and offers generous port selection including multiple USB-C ports, HDMI, and SD card slot.
AI Performance
Initial tests with local AI models like Qwen 3.5 9b and Gemma 4 12B showed promising performance, though the 64GB memory configuration limits the use of larger 120B+ models. The system runs these models with noticeable but not excessive fan noise, cooler than expected compared to developer desktops. Nvidia Playbooks provide helpful guidance for model installation and management.
When running any of these local models, you will hear some fan noise, but it's a lot quieter than I expected.
Gaming and General Use
The ProArt P16 RTX Spark demonstrated solid gaming performance at 1080p and 1200p resolutions, with playable frame rates in demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077. Standard computing tasks including browsing, file loading, and multitasking run smoothly. PCMag is still conducting comprehensive tests on gaming performance, battery life, and productivity benchmarks.
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