Nvidia has just announced a new superchip that promises to mark “a new beginning for personal computers”.
The Nvidia RTX Spark is a high-end chip designed for AI, build and play, and features an Nvidia Blackwell RTX GPU and a 20-core Nvidia CPU. Although we haven’t tested the chip ourselves, its specs look impressive.
So, how does the RTX Spark compare to Apple’s M5 Pro chip? Considering the M5 Pro, alongside the M5 Max chip, is hailed as “the most advanced chips in the world of professional laptops”, how do the ratings stack up? Which chip might suit you best?
We compared the specifications of the Nvidia RTX Spark and the Apple M5 Pro chip and highlighted all the important differences between the two. We also explain where you can get each chip.
Want to see how the RTX Spark and M5 Pro compare to other devices? Our list of the best laptops has you covered.
Availability
Nvidia RTX Spark will be available in upcoming Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Microsoft Surface and MSI laptops and desktop computers starting this fall. These laptops include: Asus ProArt P16, Dell XPS 16, HP OmniBook X 14, Lenovo Yoga Pro 9n, Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra and MSI Prestige N16 Flip AI Plus.
Nvidia has also teased that models from Acer and Gigabyte will follow, although no further details have been provided at this time.
We don’t know yet how much the RTX Spark gaming PC will cost, but we’ll be sure to update this guide once we get more information.
In comparison, the M5 Pro chip can be found in the latest MacBook Pro M5 series, and has a starting RRP of £2199/$2199 for the 14-inch iteration. However, you can choose to upgrade the MacBook Pro with a nano-texture display, more processing power and higher memory for an additional cost.
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Features Comparison Table
| Nvidia RTX Spark | Apple M5 Pro | |
| CPU | 20-core Nvidia Grace (Arm) | 14-core or 12-core |
| The GPU | Blackwell, 6,144 CUDA cores | 20-core or 14-core GPU |
| Memory | Up to 128GB | Up to 64GB |
| AI Compute | 1 petaFLOP | |
| OS | Windows 11 | macOS Sequoia |
| Effective Date | From autumn 2026 | March 2026 |
| Starting RRP | Not guaranteed | £2199 |
Nvidia has redesigned Adobe Premier and Photoshop for RTX Spark
Nvidia isn’t alone with RTX Spark. Not only has it partnered with Microsoft to deliver a native Windows experience for personal agents, which we’ll explain in more detail later, but Nvidia has also partnered with Adobe to rebuild Adobe Premier and Photoshop for RTX Spark.
Adobe is redesigning both Photoshop and Premiere to deliver twice as fast AI and graphics performance. For example, Premier will soon include a new video pipeline that goes into RTX Spark integrated memory, Blackwell GPU and TensorRT software for real-time editing and color correction performance, while users can expect more efficient rendering of complex timelines as well.
Photoshop will also be improved with live filters enabled and modern natural brushing as well. Not only that, but Adobe’s Substance 3D Painter and Stage will work natively on RTX Spark for smoother and more responsive 3D rendering and scene creation.
In comparison, Adobe Photoshop and Premier are also supported on MacBook. In fact, Apple promises that the M5 Pro and Max chips have 35% increased capabilities for improved visual effects and 3D rendering.
RTX Spark is designed for AI agents
As mentioned earlier, Nvidia has partnered with Microsoft to deliver a native Windows experience for personal agents. In fact, RTX Spark is set to power the world’s first Windows PCs “purpose-built for human agents”.
In fact, Nvidia explains that although open-source projects such as OpenClaw and Hermes Agent have achieved “record-breaking numbers”, wider adoption is limited as agents cannot run securely on many PCs.
With this in mind, Nvidia and Microsoft are working together to provide a “robust, secure Windows platform” for on-device agents. By using the new Windows security tools and OpenShell for added security, the agents on the device are promised to work safely, securely and under the full control of the user again.
The RTX Spark features a 20-core Nvidia Grace CPU
We will go into the specific structure of each chip. First, the RTX Spark features an Nvidia Blackwell RTX GPU, a 20-core Nvidia Grace CPU and sees up to 128GB of integrated memory. In comparison, the M5 Pro features an 18-core CPU, made up of six super-cores that Apple says are the fastest in the world, and 12 cores for better performance and a 30% increased workload.
In addition, the M5 Pro sports up to a 20-core GPU and up to 64GB of integrated memory instead. You can choose 128GB like the RTX Spark, however you’ll need to use the M5 Max model instead.
Preliminary Decision
Both the RTX Spark and M5 Pro are designed for professionals and developers who need high-end, lightweight laptops that need to work hard. With this in mind, choosing between the two may sound like a difficult task, as both chips promise to allow users to code, 3D render and multitask with ease.
However, when it comes to gaming, we should note that MacBooks rarely appear on our list of the best gaming laptops, with Windows offerings historically providing solid performance. With this in mind, if you’re an avid gamer perhaps the RTX Spark might be a better option for you – however bear in mind that we haven’t measured the chip ourselves.
We’ll be sure to update this comparison once we get more information on when the RTX Spark will launch and how much it will cost for PCs, and when we review both chips.