What Asus has launched
Asus has launched the ProArt P16 and ProArt P14, bringing Nvidia's RTX Spark platform to portable workstations for content creators, developers and AI professionals. The laptops were first shown at Computex 2026. They pair Nvidia's Arm-based Grace CPU with a Blackwell RTX GPU.
The platform uses unified memory. The CPU and GPU draw from the same memory pool. That is the main argument for these machines. Asus wants to get around the VRAM ceiling that limits large AI models on conventional laptops with discrete GPUs.
Asus's Australian product page lists the platform maximums. It cites up to 1 petaflop of FP4 AI performance, up to 6,144 CUDA cores, up to 20 Grace CPU cores and up to 128GB of unified memory. Every one of those is an "up to" figure.
The "up to 128GB" caveat
The Australian configurations show how much "up to" matters. Reporting from EFTM and GadgetGuy lists these variants:
- 128GB: P16 at A$10,999 and P14 at A$9,999. Both have a 20-core CPU and 6,144-core GPU.
- 64GB: P16 and P14 at A$7,999 each.
- 48GB: P16 at A$6,999, on Windows 11 Home.
- 32GB: P14 at A$6,499, on Windows 11 Home.
- 24GB: P16 at A$5,999, with a cut-down 18-core CPU and 5,120-core GPU.
GadgetGuy confirms that memory starts at 24GB of on-board LPDDR5X and scales to 32GB, 48GB, 64GB and 128GB. That matches the Australian lineup. GadgetGuy also notes that the entry-level P16 has Asus's page also lists rendering 90GB+ 3D scenes, editing 12K 4:2:2 video and generating 4K AI video.
These are vendor claims. None of the Australian coverage includes independent benchmarks. A 120-billion-parameter model also needs memory to match, so that claim realistically belongs to the 128GB tier. A 24GB machine is a different proposition. Real performance will depend on quantisation, software support and the workload.
Local execution does have real attractions:
- Sensitive projects can stay on the device.
- There are no per-token usage charges.
- Work can continue offline.
Asus's own Australian executive, Bradley Howe, frames this as a hybrid. Users can run autonomous AI agents on the device or tap cloud services when they need them. Cloud remains part of the picture.
Software and ecosystem
Asus is shipping MuseTree, which handles local image generation using FLUX and WAN models, and StoryCube, an AI media-management app. It has also partnered with Nous Research to integrate Hermes Agent, an open-source autonomous assistant that works across local apps and files. Both laptops support ComfyUI, a node-based interface for generative AI workflows.
The platform is Arm-based Windows 11, so app compatibility matters. Nvidia advertises CUDA support for the ecosystem. Buyers with niche plugins, drivers or x86-only tools should confirm compatibility before paying A$6,000 to A$11,000.
Hardware details
- Size and weight: EFTM reports the P16 at 12.9mm thick and 1.77kg, with a 99.9Wh battery. The P14 is 13.9mm thick and 1.48kg, with a 90Wh battery.
- Displays: The P16 has a 4K OLED with Nvidia G-Sync support, and the P14 has a 3K OLED. ChannelNews reports 120Hz refresh, 100% DCI-P3 coverage and 1,600-nit peak HDR brightness. Asus's U.S. product page says its Lumina Pro panels reach Delta E below 1, up to 1,600 nits, 120Hz and an anti-reflection coating. These are manufacturer figures, not independent measurements.
- Ports and connectivity: GadgetGuy lists three USB-C ports, a USB-A port, HDMI 2.1, an SD card reader and a headphone jack. EFTM adds Wi-Fi 7 and an Asus haptic touchpad.
- Finishes: Nano Black and Neo White.
One small inconsistency is worth flagging. GadgetGuy says both laptops have 3K displays. Asus's own listings and the other Australian outlets say the P16 tops out at 4K UHD+, and only the A$10,999 model has that panel. The rest of the P16 range is 3K.
Pricing and timing in Australia
The release is staggered, and Australian availability differs from the global timeline.
- Pre-order now: The A$10,999 P16, the A$9,999 P14 and the A$6,499 P14 are listed as available to pre-order.
- October: The 64GB P16 and P14 models.
- November: The 48GB P16.
- December: The 24GB P16, as an Asus Store exclusive.
General availability starts on 17 October, according to iTWire. TechTown's report on the global launch says shipping is expected to begin on October 16, 2026. The one-day gap is most likely down to market timing.
Asus's own press release has an internal date inconsistency. Its header says October 8, 2026, but the dateline in the body says 2027. The 2026 date is the one that fits all the other reporting.
The bundle
Each Australian unit includes subscriptions, per EFTM:
- 3 months of Adobe Creative Cloud
- 6 months of GoPro Premium+
- 3 months of Google AI Pro
- 3 months of Goodnotes Essential
- 6 months of Dropbox with 500GB
- 1 year of Asus Secure Auto-Backup with 200GB
iTWire values the bundle at more than A$1,200. That is a reported valuation, not a discount. These are trial-length subscriptions, and the sources do not describe the redemption terms. They do not reduce the price of the hardware.
Analysis: who should care?
These laptops are an early test of whether Arm-based Windows can serve professionals who need big local models. For the right buyer, the 128GB machines are interesting. That means someone running agent workflows on private data, or a creator juggling large 3D scenes and video projects.
The lower-memory models are harder to judge. A 24GB or 32GB machine may not run the largest models that the marketing highlights. Some of the extra cost in the 48GB and 64GB tiers goes to memory rather than to a faster chip.
Before buying, a sensible buyer would:
- Work out the model size and memory the workload actually needs.
- Check that key apps and drivers support Arm-based Windows 11.
- Wait for independent reviews of battery life, thermals and sustained performance.
- Confirm the exact SKU, ship date and retailer, since the configurations arrive across three months.
The launch is real and the configurations are clearly listed. The performance claims are still unverified by independent testing, and that is the part buyers should watch for as reviews arrive.