RTX Spark Laptops Start at $2,599: Good for Gaming?
By Reiner A.·

Gaming Hardware News: Two Weeks to October 10, 2026

Laptops with Nvidia’s RTX Spark chip are now up for preorder, and the cheapest costs $2,599. In the same two weeks, the RX 9070 GRE dipped below its launch price, AMD promised FSR 4 for handhelds before year end, and Nvidia shipped the Call of Duty driver. Here’s what changes for your next purchase.

RTX Spark Laptops Ship October 16 from $2,599, but They’re Not for Gaming Yet

Preorders opened this week for the first laptops built on RTX Spark, Nvidia’s Windows chip with an Arm CPU and a Blackwell GPU. Most ship October 16. The Surface Laptop Ultra starts at $2,599 with 24 GB of memory; the 20-core version with 32 GB starts at $3,699 and the 128 GB top model reaches $5,899. The Dell XPS 16 starts at $3,799 and the HP OmniBook X at $2,999 (Tom’s Hardware, TechPowerUp, VideoCardz).

Nvidia says the big chip performs like a laptop RTX 5070 and runs AAA games at 1440p above 100 FPS with DLSS. It hasn’t published a game list or settings, so for now that’s marketing. A good part of the PC catalog is built for x86 and runs here through emulation (Prism), which usually costs performance. Call of Duty won’t arrive until 2027, because its anti-cheat doesn’t work on Arm (TechPowerUp). A prototype unit leaked before launch capped the GPU around 50 W, though that was unpolished software (TechPowerUp).

What it means for your next purchase: if you want to game, ignore them until independent reviews land. For $2,600 you can buy an x86 laptop with far more punch and no compatibility surprises; our best gaming laptops 2026 guide has x86 alternatives at much lower prices. RTX Spark targets people who do AI or creative work and game now and then. If that’s you, wait for the first independent tests.

The RX 9070 GRE Falls to $529 on Amazon, Below Its Launch Price

On October 6, Tom’s Hardware and VideoCardz reported the ASUS RX 9070 GRE 12 GB at $529.99 on Amazon US, under the $549 AMD launched it at. Mind the caveats: it’s one specific model (ASUS ATS OC), Prime members only, and over the past 30 days its price ranged from $529.99 to $589.99. It has also hit $499 before, so this isn’t its low (Tom’s Hardware, VideoCardz).

The deal itself matters less than the direction. We’ve had months of GPU price hikes, and a midrange card below launch price is a pause, not a trend reversal. One listing doesn’t prove the market has cooled.

What it means for your next purchase: if you were eyeing a 12 GB card for 1440p, this is a reasonable window. Compare against the real price on the day, since the “discount” is measured against an inflated list price. We use this card in the $1,000 gaming PC build, and best GPU for your budget shows how it stacks up. If the price jumps back next week, don’t be surprised.

AMD Promises FSR 4 on Handhelds and Laptops Before the End of 2026

Jack Huynh, AMD’s head of computing and graphics, told South Korean media that FSR 4 will reach APUs, gaming laptops and handhelds before year end, using a lighter model built for this hardware. According to TechSpot, that would cover devices like the ROG Ally X, Legion Go and GPD Win; the Steam Deck and the base ROG Ally would wait until next year, when FSR 4 reaches RDNA 2 GPUs (TechSpot, VideoCardz). Rumors of new handheld chips are also circulating, but nothing is confirmed, so we don’t base any advice on them.

This is a schedule promise, not a release. Until we see it running and measure performance and battery, we don’t know how much it improves the image or what it costs in power.

What it means for your next purchase: if you already own a recent AMD handheld, change nothing: the upgrade would come via software. If you’re buying one today, don’t wait for FSR 4: best handheld gaming PC still holds, and you can stretch battery life with the settings in handheld battery life.

Nvidia Ships Driver 617.42 for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 and Star Wars: Galactic Racer

GeForce 617.42 WHQL came out October 6. It adds launch support for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 and STAR WARS: Galactic Racer, both with DLSS 4.5. Call of Duty’s campaign early access starts October 16, with the full launch on October 23. The driver also fixes a crash in Assassin’s Creed Shadows; Nvidia lists an open issue with the “Prefer Maximum Performance” power mode (TechPowerUp, Nvidia).

This is minor news: one more driver. The only weight is that Activision games keep launching with DLSS 4.5 from day one, which matters if you’re choosing between Nvidia and AMD.

What it means for your next purchase: nothing to buy. Update the driver before the 16th, and if you don’t know your FPS, measure it first with how to monitor FPS and temperatures for free. If video memory worries you for new AAA releases, check how much VRAM you need in 2026.

What to Do With All This

  • If you want a gaming laptop: skip RTX Spark for now. Wait for independent reviews and meanwhile look at the x86 options in our laptop guide.
  • If you need a midrange graphics card: the 12 GB RX 9070 GRE is in a good spot, but the price moves fast. Compare on the day and don’t pay above today’s price.
  • If you own or plan to buy an AMD handheld: don’t wait for FSR 4. It’s a software upgrade with a rough date and no tests yet.
  • If you’re playing Call of Duty on the 16th or 23rd: update the driver and check your performance before launch.

Sources

A note on the data: RTX Spark and RX 9070 GRE prices are those reported by specialist outlets and US retailers on these dates, and they change often; RTX Spark performance figures are Nvidia claims we haven’t seen confirmed by independent tests; the FSR 4 promise is a statement from an AMD executive, not a release.

Missed the last edition? Here’s the September 30 recap, with the $4,299 RTX 5090 at Walmart and the ROG Xbox Ally X20.