Asus ProArt P14 Shines at Gamescom 2026
At Gamescom 2026, the author tested a range of laptops powered by Nvidia’s RTX Spark SOC. The machines, all built by different manufacturers, feature 20-core Grace CPUs and 6,144 RTX Blackwell GPU cores, promising RTX 5070-level performance.
At Gamescom 2026, the author tested a range of laptops powered by Nvidia’s RTX Spark SOC. The machines, all built by different manufacturers, feature 20-core Grace CPUs and 6,144 RTX Blackwell GPU cores, promising RTX 5070-level performance.
Asus ProArt P14 The Asus ProArt
P14 stood out as the author’s top pick. Its design mirrors the ROG Zephyrus G14, with a milled aluminium chassis that feels robust yet slim. The keyboard is crisp, and the OLED panel delivers vivid colours.
A brief session in Arc Raiders left the author eager to take the laptop back to the hotel for a full gaming run. While the author could not pin down exact frame rates, the experience felt like 100 fps+ on high to ultra settings. The 14-inch form factor made it a convenient travel companion, especially compared to the heavier Blade 15 Advanced.
Dell XPS 16 Creator Edition The Dell XPS 16 Creator
Edition impressed with its sleek look and solid build. The tight keyboard and OLED display were praised, and the machine ran Doom: The Dark Ages with minimal noise. The author described it as a “civilised machine” suitable for a bag, noting that the RTX Spark SOC delivers gaming performance in a slim chassis.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra
In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra fell short of the author’s expectations. The chassis felt tired, and the Mini LED screen was not particularly enticing. While it ran World of Tanks, it did not generate the same excitement as the other models. The author sensed an old-fashioned vibe and anticipated a high price point, especially given the premium competition.
Pricing and Variants
Nvidia representatives declined to provide exact figures for the Spark-powered laptops, particularly those boasting 128 GB of RAM-a ludicrous amount that would likely translate into a ludicrous price. The author hopes for 16 GB or 32 GB variants of the Asus and Dell models to offer more reasonable options. For more detailed performance data, see the stats and standings pages.
The author’s experience at the booth was brief, with no opportunity for personal benchmarking or deep dives into settings menus. Games such as 007 First Light, Arc Raiders, Borderlands 4, and F1 25 ran smoothly, suggesting that Nvidia’s Prism translation layer and Windows-on-Arm support are functioning well. Frame generation was used on each machine, though specific numbers were not disclosed.
The author remains open to revisiting the laptops once a review is available, noting fatigue after a long day at the show. Despite the mixed impressions, the RTX Spark SOC demonstrates that powerful gaming can fit into lightweight, travel-friendly designs.
Source: pcgamer.com