How Microsoft built its MacBook Pro competitor

Microsoft is using its new Surface Laptop Ultra, powered by Nvidia’s RTX Spark Arm chip, to directly challenge the MacBook Pro in premium business and creator computing while bringing serious local AI, GPU, and workstation-class performance into a portable Windows device. For CIOs and technology leaders, this signals a shift toward endpoint platforms that can run larger AI models locally, improve developer and creative productivity, and reduce dependence on cloud-only workflows—while also raising the bar for device standardization, repairability, and high-end Windows refresh strategies.