Almost two months ago, Microsoft announced the Surface Laptop Ultra. Since then, the company has launched the more affordable Surface Laptop 8, which is currently available on Amazon for $1,399. While official details about the Surface Laptop Ultra remain scarce, new leaks have surfaced online. Earlier this month, an engineering sample of the device was spotted in Cinebench 2026 tests.

Recently, the TechPowerUp forum published a detailed report revealing new information about Microsoft’s unreleased laptop. The report describes the experience of using a Surface Laptop Ultra prototype labeled EV1.5 over the course of about a month. The device is equipped with high-performance hardware, but its capabilities are limited by immature software.

Design Features

The Surface Laptop Ultra features a modular bottom panel, but the removable aluminum covers do not provide access to most internal components.

Software and Performance

The device was running outdated Windows-on-ARM (WoA) graphics drivers from November 2025, which led to unstable GPU performance, frequent lags, and system crashes under certain loads and in some games. Newer beta drivers, version 616.00, did not improve the situation and even introduced a new bug that caused the screen to freeze during extended use.

The drivers also interfered with testing RTX Spark’s AI performance. CUDA-based tests did not run properly, so slower CPU and Vulkan Compute modes were used for evaluation. Launching certain games, such as Helldivers 2, resulted in system crashes after just a few minutes of gameplay.

Hardware Specifications

Setting aside software limitations, the 15-inch Mini LED display showed uneven local dimming and had Nvidia G-Sync disabled. The Surface Laptop Ultra maintained performance levels of 35–50W for the CPU and 95–105W for the GPU, with temperatures reaching 98–100°C and 80–90°C, respectively.

Expected Pricing

The starting price for the Surface Laptop Ultra is expected to be $2,799 for the version with 24GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, while models with 128GB of RAM could cost over $4,499. These figures have not yet been officially confirmed.

Additional Details

The device features a small notch on the front panel for easier screen opening. Large images of the Nvidia RTX Spark chipset have also been published.