Full Breakdown
HP Unveils the OmniBook Ultra 16 Powered by Nvidia’s RTX Spark N1X
By Drooid · · How we work
HP Launches a New RTX Spark Laptop
HP’s OmniBook Ultra 16 is a 16-inch Windows laptop built around Nvidia’s RTX Spark N1X SoC, pairing a 20-core Grace CPU with a 6,144-core Blackwell GPU and up to 128 GB unified memory. Pricing starts at $3,200 for a 32 GB/1 TB model; the 64 GB and 128 GB configurations cost $5,000 and $6,200 respectively.
Background & Context
RTX Spark is Nvidia’s first high-performance Arm-based laptop platform, competing with Intel/AMD x86 chips, Apple’s M-series, and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X. HP’s earlier OmniBook X 14 used a lower-end N1X variant (18-core CPU, 5,120-core GPU) at $3,000.
Design and Thermal Innovation
HP’s cooling system places the display on top of the rear edge, creating a “thermal shelf” that clears the back for airflow. Two fans and three heat pipes dissipate heat. The all-aluminum chassis houses a 16-inch 3K OLED touch panel (2,880 × 1,800, 120 Hz), a large haptic touchpad, and a plush keyboard; a numeric keypad is omitted.
Data & Statistics
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| CPU / GPU | Nvidia RTX Spark N1X (20-core Grace, 6,144-core Blackwell) |
| Memory | 32 GB LPDDR5-9400 (soldered, upgrade at purchase) |
| Storage | 1 TB SSD (base) |
| Display | 16-inch 3K OLED, 120 Hz, touch |
| Ports | 2 × USB-C 40 Gbps, 2 × USB-A 10 Gbps, HDMI 2.1, microSD, combo audio |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0 |
| Weight | 4.9 lb (2.2 kg) |
| Battery life (CNET) | ~11 h |
| GPU gaming (1080p) | 96 fps *Guardians of the Galaxy*, 99 fps *Shadow of the Tomb Raider* |
| AI inference (Stable Diffusion XL) | Leads Windows laptops, ahead of MacBook Pro scores |
Benchmarks show the Ultra 16 matching or exceeding other RTX Spark laptops in multicore work, while trailing Apple’s M5 Pro/Max in single-core tests. In 3DMark Arm titles it ranks below the M5 Max-based MacBook Pro but above the M5 Pro.
Official Statements & Responses
HP markets the Ultra 16 as a “premium creator laptop” offering “all-day battery life” and “high-performance AI inference.” The company highlights the hinge-based thermal design and the unified memory slider that lets users allocate RAM between CPU and GPU (the test unit allocated 12 GB to the GPU).
Why It Matters
The device aims to attract creators and AI developers who might otherwise choose Apple’s MacBook Pro, expanding the Windows market for AI-accelerated laptops. Its price positions it above typical consumer notebooks, targeting professionals or enterprises with larger budgets.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
All figures come from a single review; independent verification and long-term usage data are lacking. The review notes possible Windows-on-Arm compatibility issues but does not specify affected applications.
What’s Next
HP plans a detailed review of the Ultra 16 and a forthcoming review of Lenovo’s RTX Spark Yoga 9N 16 Gen 11. No additional release dates or software updates have been announced.