Technology
Microsoft's Surface Laptop Ultra has impressive hardware but unfinished software
A hands-on review finds Microsoft's $2,599-to-$5,899 Surface Laptop Ultra unusually capable at combining ARM portability, high-end gaming and local AI workloads. Its RTX Spark platform ran demanding games and a 70-billion-parameter model, while the display and build were strong. But software support is incomplete: AI tools were often CPU-only or inaccessible, CUDA setup failed, some Copilot+ features are delayed, and compatibility issues remain under emulation. The reviewer sees compelling hardware for CUDA developers but recommends that most buyers wait for the ecosystem to mature.
Editorial summary · Publisher article
What matters
- The reviewed configuration had 64GB of unified memory; the product starts at $2,599 and can reach $5,899.
- A local Llama 3.3 70B model reportedly ran at 6.26 tokens per second, though with heavy fan activity.
- The reviewer found AI software, CUDA packages, Copilot+ features and video encoding support incomplete or unavailable.
Hardware is the strongest part
The review found the 15-inch mini-LED display bright and sharp, a comfortable keyboard and trackpad, strong gaming performance and enough unified memory to run a large local model. Magnetic USB-C charging was useful but not a major differentiator.
Software and compatibility remain the risk
The laptop's practical limitations came from software rather than raw hardware. Several AI paths did not use the GPU, the reviewer's CUDA installation failed, Copilot+ features were still pending, and ARM emulation created uncertainty for specialized applications and anti-cheat systems.
Context & caveats
- The battery test was explicitly unscientific, and several findings reflect prelaunch software that Microsoft may update later.
Why this made the edition
This is a detailed hands-on review with extensive testing, pricing, compatibility observations and a balanced conclusion. It provides substantially more evidence than a product announcement and clearly distinguishes impressive hardware performance from unfinished software support.
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