Microsoft revealed new AI-focused computers and software at an event in San Francisco on Wednesday. The company wants Windows to become a main platform for AI agents that write code and handle complex work tasks.
The lineup includes a new Surface Laptop Ultra powered by Nvidia's RTX Spark chips. Microsoft also showed the Surface RTX Spark Dev Box, a workstation that starts at $6,000.
Both machines are built to run AI models directly on the device instead of in the cloud. They include a CPU, GPU, unified memory and improved cooling to handle that work.
Microsoft plans to shift some work from its Azure cloud data centers to high-powered Windows machines. In that setup, customers pay for the hardware. Apple is chasing the same market with new Mac computers.
New Security Tools for AI Agents
Microsoft also announced Microsoft Execution Containers, known as MXC. The tool stops AI agents from accessing data or doing tasks without permission on laptops and desktops.
The feature is part of a revamped version of Windows 11 and will be available to all Windows 11 users. Pavan Davuluri, executive vice president for Windows and devices, said Anthropic, OpenAI and Nvidia will use the tools.
"We needed to make the desktop the most secure place for agents to execute," Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said. Davuluri said IT departments will be able to set rules for agents, and Windows will enforce them on each employee's machine.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang joined Nadella on stage. He said MXC "is going to revolutionize how agents are built and deployed." He added that without it, agents are "a complete nonstarter."
Microsoft said several AI models that once needed the cloud can now run locally on powerful Windows machines. These include Nvidia's open-source Nemotron model and a version of DeepSeek's V4 model for computers with at least 60 gigabytes of memory.
Microsoft's Copilot assistant will split tasks between the cloud and the laptop. Meta's Muse personal assistant will also come to Windows as a native app using some of the new security tools.
Price Remains a Hurdle
The new devices are expensive after a shortage of memory chips pushed up costs. The Surface Laptop Ultra starts at $2,599, and a model with a more powerful chip starts at about $3,700. The top version, with 128 gigabytes of memory, costs $5,899.
Apple's base MacBook Pro costs $1,999 but has 16 GB of memory, compared with 24 GB on the entry-level Ultra. A MacBook Pro with 128 GB of memory and two terabytes of storage costs $6,700, though the machines are not directly comparable.
Microsoft is targeting developers, many of whom use Macs. It is offering up to $1,000 off for customers who trade in a MacBook Pro.
Nvidia has raised the price of its DGX Spark AI desktop by about 75% since launch, to $6,950. Anshel Sag, an analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy, said "only the people who have the budget can really afford to run AI locally."
Dell also shared details on Wednesday for its XPS 16 Creator Edition, which uses the same Nvidia chip. It is available for preorder at Best Buy for $3,800, with delivery later in October. Microsoft said its highest-end Surface Laptop Ultra is already out of stock.
