With a starting price of $2,599, this is not a cheap alternative to Apple silicon. This is cutting-edge hardware and you will pay a premium for it. Depending on the memory and processor options selected, the MSRP can reach up to $5,899. Potential buyers should note that the lower-spec 24GB unified memory model ships with Windows 11 Home, while the rest of the fleet arrives with Windows 11 Pro. I received the 64GB model for testing and I think that would probably be the sweet spot for many users to align cost and performance.
I really have to wonder if 24GB is enough when we know that Windows 11 alone consumes a lot of memory. When you have to allocate a significant portion of that 24GB of unified memory to VRAM for gaming, does performance suffer? An audience question within the Surface Laptop Ultra review briefing asked about the usefulness of the base model and didn’t get much more than a vague “useful for smaller models locally” response. Microsoft may have a more definitive answer to that question in a few months, when the software and drivers catch up with the hardware.
So has the Microsoft and Nvidia team created the ultimate all-in-one laptop? Or is the industry once again putting the hardware cart before the finished software horse?
Surface Laptop Ultra Specifications
| Specs at a glance: Surface Laptop Ultra | ||
| Basic configuration | How it was reviewed | |
| Screen | 3:2 15 inch mini LED touch screen; 3270×2180 (262 PPI) up to 120 Hz dynamic | 3:2 15 inch mini LED touch screen; 3270×2180 (262 PPI) up to 120 Hz dynamic |
| SW | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Pro |
| UPC | NVIDIA RTX Spark N1X (5120-core GPU, 18-core CPU) | NVIDIA RTX Spark N1X (6144-core GPU, 20-core CPU) (4.00 GHz) |
| RAM | 24GB LPDDR5x unified memory | 64GB LPDDR5x unified memory |
| GPU | Blackwell RTX GPU | Blackwell RTX GPU |
| Storage | 512GB SSD | 1TB SSD |
| Networks | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth Core 5.4 | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth Core 5.4 |
| Ports | 2 x USB-C/USB4, 1 x USB-C/USB4 with Mag Connect, 1 x USB-A 3.1, 1 x HDMI 2.1b, SD card reader, 3.5mm headphone jack | 2 x USB-C/USB4, 1 x USB-C/USB4 with Mag Connect, 1 x USB-A 3.1, 1 x HDMI 2.1b, SD card reader, 3.5mm headphone jack |
| Size | 12.95×9.40×0.71 inches | 12.95×9.40×0.71 inches |
| Weight | 4.41 lbs (2.0 kg) | 4.41 lbs (2.0 kg) |
| Recommended RRP | $2,599.99 | $4,299.99 |
| Additional Features | 1080p front webcam | 1080p front webcam |
Tidy interiors of Surface Laptop Ultra. Microsoft promises that the laptop is “built with serviceability in mind.”
Tidy interiors of Surface Laptop Ultra. Microsoft promises that the laptop is “built with serviceability in mind.”
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The 15-inch mini-LED display may not be enough to get people using the Ultra on its own, but it’s a compelling reason to add it to the list. The 3270×2180 native resolution looks simply stunning whether you’re watching a 4K video, gaming, or just looking at a desktop spreadsheet. I preferred the enhanced color profile, but the Vivid and sRGB modes looked fantastic too.
It’s not the easiest to photograph, but the display is impressive in person.
It’s not the easiest to photograph, but the display is impressive in person.
Blacks remained deep on bright, vivid subjects without any visible blooming. I wish I could say the same about my television. While I can’t quantify how it compares to the latest Retina display on the MacBook Pro, I can say that it is a very nice display. Viewing angles are gorgeous, colors are punchy, and the 2000 nits peak brightness kept things readable even in a room flooded with natural sunlight. My only complaint is that in bright rooms you have to deal with glare. The glossy glass looks fantastic in lower light levels, but can act as a mirror in direct sunlight. It hindered my ability to photograph the screen more than my ability to use the computer. Still, if you’re looking for a laptop with a matte screen, you might want to keep this in mind.
