Microsoft’s new Surface Laptop Ultra starts at $2,599.99, and preorders are open now. It is the first Surface laptop built on Nvidia’s RTX Spark chip, made to run AI models and heavy creative work on the laptop itself.
The short version
Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Ultra is a $2,599.99 machine built for running AI models and heavy creative work on the laptop itself. Most people should skip it, but a trade-in offer through Nov. 23 makes it worth a look for a small group of buyers.
- It starts at $2,599.99, which works out to about $650 a year if you keep it for four years.
- Microsoft’s trade-in offer pays up to $1,000 on purchases made from the Microsoft Store online by Nov. 23, but most trade-ins will get less than the full amount, so get a quote first.
- It is built for people who run AI models locally, edit video, do 3D work or write code, with up to 128GB of shared memory and up to 2TB of storage.
- The downside: there is no pen support, Microsoft gives no battery life figure, and some older Windows apps and games may not run well on the new chip at launch.
- If you mostly browse, write, stream and video call, a laptop at a third of the price will do the job just as well.
Summary drafted with AI and checked by the editor.
Most people do not need it. But Microsoft is pairing the launch with a trade-in offer worth up to $1,000 through Nov. 23, and that changes the math for one group of buyers. Here is who that is.
What is the Surface Laptop Ultra?
It is a 15-inch Windows laptop built around the Nvidia RTX Spark superchip, which puts an Nvidia graphics processor, AI hardware and up to a 20-core Arm-based processor on one piece of silicon. Microsoft unveiled it at its Windows and Surface event on Oct. 7.
According to Microsoft’s product page, the key specs are:
- Up to 128GB of unified memory, shared by the processor and graphics
- Up to 2TB of storage, and the storage can be upgraded later
- A 15-inch 120Hz touchscreen that Microsoft rates at 2,000 nits peak HDR brightness
- Three USB-C ports, USB-A, HDMI, an SD card reader and a headphone jack, plus a magnetic USB-C charging port
- Under 4.5 pounds and under 18mm thick
- Platinum or a new Nightfall color
Microsoft does not list battery life hours for it. It says only that battery life varies a lot by use.
What does it really cost?
The starting price is $2,599.99. Microsoft’s trade-in offer gives up to $1,000 back when you buy from the Microsoft Store online in the US or Canada between Oct. 7 and Nov. 23, 2026, and mail in a qualifying device within 15 days of starting your claim.
We ran the numbers, assuming you keep the laptop for four years:
- No trade-in: $2,599.99, or about $650 a year
- Best-case trade-in ($1,000): $1,599.99, or about $400 a year
Most trade-ins will not get the full $1,000. That amount usually goes to newer, high-end machines in good shape. Get your quote before you count on it.
Who should buy it?
- People who run AI models on their own computer and want a lot of memory without a desktop
- Video editors, 3D artists and developers who need graphics power on the go
- Anyone with a recent high-end laptop to trade in before Nov. 23
The downside: there is no pen support, Microsoft does not promise a battery life figure, and this is a brand-new chip, so some older Windows apps and games built for Intel and AMD processors may run through translation or not at all on day one.
Skip if: you mostly browse, write, stream and video call. A laptop at a third of the price does that just as well. Our guides to the best laptops for remote work and budget laptops for students are a better place to start.
Why the timing matters
Memory prices are climbing across the industry, and that is pushing up the cost of laptops with lots of RAM. We covered why the RAM shortage could last into 2028. A machine with 64GB or 128GB of memory is exactly the kind of computer that shortage hits hardest.
What we don’t know yet
Independent battery tests, real-world app compatibility on the new chip, and full pricing for the higher memory versions. Microsoft lists the top models but the price ladder on its site may change after launch.
What to watch
First reviews should land once the laptop reaches buyers. If you are interested, get a trade-in quote now, then wait for those tests before Nov. 23.
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