I was at Computex this year when NVIDIA's RTX Spark System-on-Chip (SoC) was revealed to the world, and from the start, I had a hunch that it would be a big deal.

A powerful chip for Windows on ARM that can run every Windows app ever made? That was one of NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang's first promises.

With Microsoft as its launch partner, the Surface Laptop Ultra was one of the first RTX Spark laptops announced, but ASUS was right up there with its ProArt P16 and ProArt P14, two laptops I got to see firsthand in Taipei.

Incredibly sleek and streamlined, these laptops were a smash hit on the show floor. Apparently, they're also far more popular than ASUS was expecting.

In a recent ASUS Q2 earnings call, it was revealed that the company is completely out of ProArt P14 and P16 units to ship to its partners (aka third-party retailers and distributors) as part of pre-order efforts.

More RTX Spark laptops are on the way, of course, and ASUS has some time to shore up supplies before the planned Q4 2026 release of the new Spark-powered ProArt PCs.

It's too bad that the earnings call doesn't mention anything about exact volumes, because it's hard to say exactly how popular these laptops really are. However, ASUS says that it's "very optimistic about next year's sales" thanks to the "high AI computing power relative to its compact size" in the RTX Spark laptops.

What is NVIDIA's RTX Spark?

NVIDIA's RTX Spark is an ARM-powered SoC that's expected to compete directly with the likes of Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm for space in Windows 11 PCs.

I covered rumors of the "N1X" chip for months in the lead-up to Computex 2026, and indeed it seems just as powerful and efficient as pre-announcement estimates.

Spark takes efficient ARM-based CPU cores similar to those found in Qualcomm Snapdragon chips and pairs them with an NVIDIA Blackwell RTX GPU, all while drawing from a unified memory setup that can hit 128GB.

This combination allows for massive performance that can shred standard and AI-related tasks without requiring a bulky discrete GPU.

Throw these chips into ASUS ProArt laptops with "all-day-long" battery life, wide port variety, super slim bodies, and 4K OLED displays, and it's easy to see why there's so much interest from retail partners.

(via VideoCardz)

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Back in April, Microsoft raised the prices of all of its Surface laptops as a consequence of the ongoing RAM crisis, making these once valuable desktops nearly untenable for most people who can't afford them.

Yet not all hope is lost for these critically acclaimed laptops, as they do occasionally get generous discounts to bring their prices back down to more manageable levels.

Such is the case with the Microsoft Surface Laptop (7th Edition) with the Snapdragon X Plus CPU, 13.8-inch display, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD configuration that's now on sale with a 27% discount for $1099.99 at Best Buy.

What makes the Microsoft Surface Laptop (7th Edition) worth the money?

Despite current times being the worst time to buy a Surface Laptop, that shouldn't deter you from getting one if it's on sale, as they boast the best specs for conquering daily office workflows or finishing homework on time at school.

The 13.8-inch, 7th Edition Microsoft Surface Laptop is no exception, as it delivers exceptional performance on everyday tasks thanks to its Snapdragon X Plus processor and 16GB of RAM.

It also features a splendid, ultra-thin clamshell design that's pretty to look at, practical enough to carry around while traveling, durable enough to withstand accidental (or intentional) bumps or bruises, and comfy enough to hold in your hands while working.

Other notable features include a 2K touchscreen display with a 120Hz refresh rate to render images with crystal-clear 2304x1536 resolution, a respectable battery life of around 18-19 hours, and a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) with 45 TOPS to efficiently run AI-related programs like Recall or Windows Studio Effects.

If you need to browse the net for research notes fast or write down your work on documents or spreadsheets using Microsoft Office without slowdown, you can't go wrong with the Microsoft Surface Laptop (7th Edition) now that it's on sale, as it's one of the best Windows laptops around.

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Best Buy's back-to-school sale continues to provide illustrious discounts on all kinds of computers and laptops built to help students succeed in school.

If you're looking for a high-quality laptop with solid performance and a clear display that has vastly benefited from this sale, then look no further than the 2025 edition of HP OmniBook X Flip 14", which is now 30% off for $699.99 at Best Buy.

Why buy the HP Omnibook X Flip 14"?

The HP OmniBook X Flip 14" (2025) laptop variant that's on sale right now comes configured with an Intel Core Ultra 5 (Lunar Lake) 226V CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD for storage.

For those who don't speak techno-wizardry, all this means is that this laptop can run software like Microsoft Office, browse the web, email, and multitask with multiple apps at once without any slowdown.

It's also great for creating digital artwork as it features a 14-inch, 1920x1200 touchscreen display capable of loading and rendering images with crisp clarity so you can make out all the details much easier when drawing.

Speaking of drawing, the HP Omnibook X Flip 14" (2025) is compatible with stylus pens (which are sold separately), so you will be able to draw on the screen instead of using a mouse if you prefer drawing that way.

Add to that a respectable battery life of up to 22 hours with its Intel chip, a durable and portable-friendly design, and an HP 5MP IR Camera for video conferencing, and you have a sweet mid-range laptop for work whose value has risen dramatically thanks to Best Buy's 30% discount.

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Join Zac Bowden and Jez Corden on this week’s Windows Central Podcast as they dive deep into unreleased Microsoft hardware, AI developments, and big Xbox announcements!

• The Lost "Surface Phone" Prototype: Zach and Jez dissect newly leaked images and video of an unreleased 2013-era Microsoft-built Windows Phone prototype, reminiscing about the Lumia era, Nokia’s acquisition, and what could have been.
• Microsoft Copilot’s Super App & AI Disillusionment: A look at the rollout of the new unified Copilot experience (merging consumer and Microsoft 365 features), dropped functionalities (Group Chat, Podcast mode, Deep Research), and a frank discussion on AI hype, practical workflows, and "AI psychosis".
• Xbox Backward Compatibility Coming to Windows PC: The hosts break down the official announcement of original Xbox/Xbox 360 emulation on Windows, potential licensing hurdles, Play Anywhere integration, and upcoming achievement support.
• Gaming Rumors & Franchise Future: Updates on The Elder Scrolls VI codename rumors (Sentinel), long development cycles across Bethesda/Obsidian, and a candid critique of the state of the Halo franchise following Halo Campaign Evolved and project cancellations.
• New Xbox Console Features & Live Q&A: A discussion of the upcoming "Platinum Trophy" achievement equivalent, party/mic audio in Game DVR captures, and a live Q&A touching on Windows K2 progress, mobile shells for Windows on ARM, MSN's automation, and modern foldable vs. slab phones.

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