ASUS ProArt P16: RTX Spark is costly but capable for AI creators

ASUS's first RTX Spark laptop pairs a 20-core Arm CPU, Blackwell GPU and up to 128GB unified memory with strong local AI performance, but its $2,800 starting price and Arm compatibility tradeoffs narrow its audience.

What happened

Engadget reviewed the ASUS ProArt P16, the company's first laptop built around NVIDIA's RTX Spark system-on-a-chip instead of an Intel or AMD processor. Devindra Hardawar gave it a rating of 8.7 out of 10, praising its fast hardware, strong graphics, support for up to 128GB of RAM and bright 16-inch OLED screen. He also flagged obvious tradeoffs: it is expensive, some games and software may have compatibility issues, and the case is a serious fingerprint magnet.

The ProArt P16 starts at $2,800, but the review model costs $7,000, mostly because it includes 128GB of unified memory inside a relatively slim case. NVIDIA's RTX Spark chip combines a 20-core Arm CPU, a modern Blackwell GPU and up to 128GB of unified memory, a setup similar to Apple's M-series architecture. The laptop weighs 3.9 pounds, lighter than the 16-inch MacBook Pro at 4.7 pounds, and includes three USB-C ports, USB Type A, HDMI, a headphone jack and a full-sized SD card reader.

Benchmarks showed a mixed profile. The ProArt P16 scored 3,000 points lower than an ASUS A16 with a Snapdragon X2 Elite chip in PCMark 10 Applications, and it lagged slightly in Geekbench 6's single-threaded CPU test. But the GPU and unified memory delivered in other tests: its Geekbench 6 GPU score was 4,700 points higher than a MacBook Pro with M5 Max, and it scored 3,895 points in UL Procyon's AI Computer Vision 2 benchmark, compared to 3,267 points from that MacBook. Its AI Image Generation score of 1,519 was 600 points higher than Apple's machine.

Key facts

• ASUS ProArt P16 is the company's first laptop with NVIDIA's RTX Spark chip; starting price is $2,800 and the review model costs $7,000 with 128GB of RAM.
• The RTX Spark system-on-a-chip combines a 20-core Arm CPU, a Blackwell GPU and up to 128GB of unified memory, similar to Apple's M-series architecture.
• The laptop weighs 3.9 pounds, lighter than the 16-inch MacBook Pro at 4.7 pounds, and includes a 16-inch OLED screen and three USB-C ports.
• In UL Procyon's AI Computer Vision 2 benchmark, the ProArt P16 scored 3,895 points, compared to 3,267 from a MacBook Pro with M5 Max; its AI Image Generation score was 1,519, 600 points higher.
• It ran the Qwen3.8 27B model, which uses 42GB of RAM, while still playing Control: Resonant and Cyberpunk 2077 at high settings.

Our analysis

The ProArt P16 shows that RTX Spark delivers real local AI capability: unified memory and a powerful GPU let it run large models like Qwen3.8 27B while leaving RAM free for other tasks. That matters for creators and community operators who want private AI workflows without reaching for cloud tools. However, the price tells a different story. A $2,800 starting price and a $7,000 review unit suggest that RTX Spark is positioned for AI researchers and enthusiasts, not general content creators. The cost is also driven by memory at a time when AI demand has pushed RAM prices higher, which likely means this platform will not reverse PC pricing trends.

NVIDIA's new PC platform really isn't meant for everyone.

Competition is likely the bigger long-term effect. NVIDIA entering Windows PCs with an Arm-based chip may force AMD, Intel and Qualcomm to improve their hardware, which could benefit all buyers. But the Arm compatibility layer means creators should not assume every piece of software or game will run well. The source found that most games rely on Microsoft's Prism emulator, introducing performance drops and potential issues. Native Arm64 builds for popular titles like Fortnite, DOTA 2 and Marvel Rivals suggest compatibility may improve, but that is years away.

What it means for operators

• If you need to run local AI models such as Qwen3.8 27B, which requires 42GB of RAM, the ProArt P16's up to 128GB unified memory is a practical option; otherwise, a midrange Windows laptop may cover most creator tasks.
• Budget for the RAM premium: the starting price is $2,800 but the review unit with 128GB of RAM costs $7,000, so match hardware to actual inference workloads before buying.
• Test your software stack before committing to an Arm-based RTX Spark system, because Microsoft Prism emulation can cause compatibility issues and performance drops for many games and older Windows programs.
• If gaming performance is a core part of your content workflow, consider a dedicated gaming laptop with Intel or AMD instead, as the review notes you pay far more for RTX Spark than a comparable gaming laptop and still face emulation risks.