SFF.Network Asus Shows Nvidia RTX Spark Powered ProArt Mini-PC

Image Credit – Asus
 
Written by Christopher Moine, Senior Editor for SFFN
AI was not used to write this news report. 
 
Asus has announced a new mini-PC using the Nvidia RTX Spark ARM based CPU. As part of the ProArt line, the mini-PC will be aimed at creators who focus on AI content. It features up to 128GB of unified memory, 10GbE wired network, and a claimed 140 watt thermal limit. Asus seems to be claiming that the 140 watts is a stable long-duration performance number in their press release, but as the size of the unit is 150 x 150 x 51 mm, this needs to be independently confirmed.
The RTX Spark processor is Nvidia’s attempt to enter the Microsoft Windows chip market. It features up to 20 ARM architecture based CPU cores, and up to 6,144 GPU CUDA Cores using the RTX Blackwell...

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[confusis]

Interesting pivot back to ARM for all involved - but an understandable one given the performance of Apple's M2 chip. Anyone have recent experience with Windows for ARM and mainstream, non-recompiled for ARM, apps?

 

[Skripka]

I'm kind of meh about it. These are going to be priced only for people whose names are listed on the S&P500. Also, the cores on the CPU are from MediaTek who is renowned for shitty drivers.

 

[Revenant]

Can’t say I have any experience with Windows on Arm. I do hope it gives us options over both AMD and Intel though. From what I’ve read, ARM support on Windows was a patchwork of poor support from MS due to the vast number of ARM code types. I’m not developer though and don’t know first hand. I’m hoping that is not the case.

 

[Skripka]

Can’t say I have any experience with Windows on Arm. I do hope it gives us options over both AMD and Intel though. From what I’ve read, ARM support on Windows was a patchwork of poor support from MS due to the vast number of ARM code types. I’m not developer though and don’t know first hand. I’m hoping that is not the case.

Apple changed CPU architectures 3 times in 25 years. And they did it because of being dictatorial to developers and herding (forcing) them to migrate both with carrot (bespoke built emulation initially) and then stick (you'll deal with it or lose support).

MS has tried and failed to do Windows on ARM...because Windows software and coding is a free for all, and Windows has a massive 2 decades of technical debt they don't like to purge--because of all the legacy code people rely on both personally and in business that isn't maintained. And also because MS did jack and shit to "guide" developers on moving--no carrots or stick, they just "let the market decide". Turns out the Market is f'ing lazy and will only do things for Cheddar ($)...and so no one lifted a finger to support ARM, because why would they?

Maybe I'm tired and a cynic...But Microsoft hasn't even finished W11 migration from the WinXP Control Panel app--if they cannot do something so basic, I do not think they can get devs to move off ARM. Only the "Microslop" branding that went viral got them to realize "oh shit--people don't like us, and if they don't like Windows they aren't going to keep paying for OneDrive and O365 that pays our bills!"

 

[Revenant]

If the world were just and fair, we would all be using Amiga or Be OS now. Maybe in some alternate timeline…

Microsoft being out of touch is nothing new. There is an old joke about them. A helicopter pilot was lost in fog. The only thing he could see was a large corporate building. He hovered next to the building and held up a sign that said “where am I?”. The worker inside held up a sign that said “you’re in a helicopter”. The pilot nodded, turned the chopper, and went straight through the fog to the airport. After he landed a passenger asked how he found the airport?

The pilot responded “well, the information that guy gave at the office building was completely accurate, but also useless and wrong for the situation. I knew it had to be the Microsoft building, which is 10 minutes directly East of the airport.”