Note: This article discusses the RTX Spark PC, which uses the N1X chip designed by Nvidia and MediaTek, not the Vera PC with Nvidia’s server processor.
Nvidia’s RTX Spark PCs
Targeted Market
In his Computex keynote address, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang stated that RTX Spark will redefine the personal computer, enabling users to execute large language models (LLM), AI agents, and advanced creative workflows locally.
Traditional Microsoft and OEM model
The new RTX Spark PCs utilize the N1X chip, designed by Nvidia and MediaTek, combining a CPU with AI computing hardware widely adopted by Nvidia, touted as the most efficient PC chip ever. It is expected that 30 laptops and approximately 10 desktops will incorporate this new PC chip developed by Nvidia’s graphics processing unit (GPU) division. These PCs with Nvidia CPUs will target creative professionals, AI developers, and gamers.
RTX Spark Specifications
The RTX Spark features a 20-core Grace CPU, Blackwell GPU, fifth-generation Tensor Cores, and up to 128GB of unified memory, providing up to 600GB/s bandwidth via NVLink-C2C.
Two years behind Apple
According to leaked Geekbench test data from 2025, the N1X engineering sample scored approximately 3,096 points in single-core and 18,837 points in multi-core tests.
In comparison, the Apple M3 Max scored approximately 3,128 points in single-core and 20,969 points in multi-core tests; the M5 chip achieved 4,224 points in single-core tests; and the latest M5 Max’s multi-core score is even closer to 30,000 points.
The report points out that although the N1X features 20 CPU cores, its single-core performance is roughly equivalent to the M3 series released in 2023, failing to catch up with the current M5 generation. In other words, if the final product is not significantly different from the leaked test results, Nvidia will still lag behind Apple by more than two years in terms of CPU performance.
Why was the RTX Spark destined to fail?
There are two main reasons: The RTX Spark uses an ARM processor, which is incompatible with x86, even if it uses Microsoft Windows. Based on my 30 years of experience in this industry, no Windows on ARM (WoA) PC has ever had a good ending. To reiterate, not a single one; regardless of the company.
The price was too high: the estimated retail price was NT$140,000. Who would want to buy a PC that can’t run most Windows programs? Some might immediately counter: many gaming laptops are also expensive and sell very well.
But have those who disagree understood that those expensive gaming laptops that sell well use x86 processors, just like regular laptops, and can run all Windows programs? That’s the key point.
What will become of WoA PCs?
If you are interested in WoA PCs, or AI PCs, please see my previous articles:
- “How much potential does ARM’s WOA (Windows on ARM) has?“
- “AI PC is changing the PC supply chain and ecosystem“
- “Qualcomm PC might bring it back to glory“
But RTX Spark has advantages, right?
I don’t deny that RTX Spark can run Nemotron multimodal models and AI agents, focusing on AI functionality; it may be attractive to AI workstation enthusiasts.
The problem with RTX Spark isn’t price or features; the problem is program compatibility. Just look at the fate of Apple’s Apple Vision Pro, and then look at why the recently launched Macbook Neo is in such high demand.
Nvidia’s Mindset to Launch RTX Spark
This isn’t Nvidia’s first time launching a PC, nor is it Nvidia’s first time launching an AI PC—what were the results of the previous two? I don’t need to elaborate; readers can easily find the information themselves.
Nvidia probably knows that RTX Spark won’t be profitable. But Nvidia has plenty of money, and it can afford to lose this small amount (which would be a huge sum for other small and medium-sized enterprises). What Nvidia cares about isn’t whether RTX Spark will be profitable, but rather “Nvidia’s market positioning.”
Microsoft released its AI PC specifications last year. Nvidia, the AI leader in the market, couldn’t allow this to happen. Since last year, Jensen Huang has repeatedly emphasized that “Nvidia is no longer just a chipmaker; we are a comprehensive platform provider.”
Who will benefit?
Nvidia won’t benefit from RTX Spark’s AI PC; rather, it will benefit market speculators, MediaTek (whose stock price is rising), and Arm (which collects royalties). Only these two companies will be guaranteed to profit. The rest, whether it’s Microsoft or laptop OEMs like Lenovo, Dell, and HP, will only end up losing money and looking humiliated.
Conclusion
The world’s first Windows product based on the ARM architecture (WoA) was the Microsoft Surface (commonly known as the Surface RT), officially announced on October 26, 2012, alongside Windows 8.
To date, no PC using ARM processors has achieved success, except from Apple. RTX Spark will likely be no exception!
RTX Spark is destined to fail. There’s no need for time to prove it; anyone with even a basic understanding of the industry or common sense knows the outcome. There’s no need to wait or look at market sales reports six months from now.
RTX Spark will only be a niche product, and investors shouldn’t have too high expectations.
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- “How much potential does ARM’s WOA (Windows on ARM) has?“
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- “Arm relisted successfully and it’s ushering in its best days“
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