Microsoft on Tuesday unveiled a new desktop PC powered by an Nvidia processor geared towards developers who want to run AI models locally. The new PC, called the Surface RTX Spark Dev Box, is powered by Nvidia’s new Arm-based chips announced earlier this week. Microsoft previously announced a new Surface laptop powered by the chips on Sunday. #Gadgets
Microsoft said the Dev Box will make it possible for developers to run more AI models locally, making it less expensive for them to use AI tools like its GitHub Copilot coding product. The device gives Microsoft a more direct competitor to Apple’s Mac Mini, which has seen spiking demand from developers over the past year aiming to use the computers to run AI locally.
“It’s like a datacenter right on your desktop,” CEO Satya Nadella said during his keynote address at Microsoft’s Build conference Tuesday. He added that Dev Box will offer 1 petaflop of compute power—while that’s not enough compute power to run frontier models from the likes of OpenAI or Anthropic locally, Microsoft said the Dev Box can handle smaller models, including its own homegrown models that can handle less complex AI tasks.
Microsoft hasn’t disclosed pricing or detailed specifications for the new Surface devices, which it said will become available later this year.
Separately, Microsoft on Tuesday previewed a new operating system meant for internet-connected smart devices that would let professionals to remotely control AI agents. Microsoft showed two prototypes of such devices—which it called “Project Solara”—including a wearable handheld badge with a built-in camera and microphone and a “stationary” desktop console, both of which feature touch screens and connect to the internet.
Microsoft doesn’t have plans to sell those devices itself, but rather aims to sell the operating system for such devices that could be made by other manufacturers. The operating system is meant to let users control AI tools such as its 365 Copilot AI software, which automates workplace tasks like drafting emails, rescheduling meetings, or sending messages, by speaking to such internet-connected devices.
Microsoft said the devices are built to support workers in fields like healthcare, construction, retail, and other industries—for instance, a healthcare professional could use the wearable badge device to scan patient records and automatically record and transcribe meetings with patients, Microsoft said. Corporate customers including Accuweather, Best Buy, CVS, and Target are currently “exploring” how to use the devices, Microsoft said.
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Microsoft debuts Surface RTX Spark Dev Box to run large AI models without cloud costs
Microsoft’s new Surface RTX Spark Dev Box packs Nvidia Blackwell AI power and 128GB of unified memory to run large AI models locally, helping developers cut cloud costs and rethink enterprise AI infrastructure.