This week in Tom's Hardware Premium: November 14, 2026 — Mac Studio versus DGX Spark, AMD's MEXT cuts DRAM requirements in half, and the Huang saga reaches critical mass

The hardware industry is experiencing seismic shifts this week, particularly in the AI sector following Nvidia founder Jensen Huang's departure as CEO. This transition comes as the company has evolved from a gaming GPU manufacturer to an AI business over the past five years, with ramifications that continue to unfold across the tech landscape.

AI hardware comparison

As AI computing expands beyond hyperscalers and neoclouds, a growing segment of enthusiasts is focusing on PCs dedicated to running local AI models. With numerous options now available, including Nvidia's recently released RTX Spark and AMD's Strix Halo platform, Tom's Hardware has conducted a thorough benchmark test between two unexpected competitors: Nvidia's DGX Spark and Apple's Mac Studio.

The testing involved running both real-world and synthetic benchmarks across both devices, with large models being evaluated on each machine. Given the premium pricing of these systems, the comparison aims to help users make informed decisions based on their specific workloads.

Industry analysis

Sayem Ahmed, Subscription Editor at Tom's Hardware, leads the publication's coverage of hardware developments. With professional experience dating back to 2015, Ahmed has written for Gamespot, IGN, and Dexerto, bringing deep expertise to the evolving AI hardware landscape.