ASUS ProArt P16 Review: The $7,000 AI Laptop Question

The gap between marketing hype and real-world utility has rarely been wider than in the case of the ASUS ProArt P16.

Released on October 23, 2026, this laptop is the first from ASUS to feature NVIDIA's RTX Spark chip, a system-on-a-chip that combines a 20-core Arm CPU with a Blackwell GPU. While Microsoft and NVIDIA have positioned this as a complete reinvention of the PC, the review suggests it is a niche tool rather than a mass-market replacement for traditional Intel or AMD processors. The device is built for power-hungry creators who need to run local AI models, leveraging up to 128GB of unified memory in a slim chassis. However, the hardware arrives with a significant price premium that may limit its appeal to a specific demographic of researchers and enthusiasts.

Cost is the primary barrier to entry for most buyers. The base model starts at $2,800, but the price climbs sharply as memory is increased. The specific unit reviewed, equipped with the maximum 128GB of RAM, costs $7,000. While the laptop handles gaming well, the review notes that consumers would pay significantly less for a dedicated gaming machine. For those strictly looking for gaming performance, the ASUS Zephyrus G16, available at Best Buy for $2,124 with an RTX 5070 and a 240Hz OLED screen, offers a more value-driven alternative with full compatibility.

The physical design of the ProArt P16 remains a strong point. The aluminum chassis is sturdy, and the device weighs just 3.9 pounds, making it lighter than Apple’s 16-inch MacBook Pro, which tips the scales at 4.7 pounds. The 16-inch OLED display is exceptionally bright, reaching 1,600 nits, a figure that stands out in the premium laptop category. Connectivity is robust, featuring three USB-C ports, a USB Type A port, HDMI, a headphone jack, and a full-size SD card reader, though the absence of an Ethernet port is a notable omission for some professional workflows. The keyboard and large haptic touchpad are also praised for their generous sizing.

Performance benchmarks present a mixed picture. In general application tests, the P16 scored approximately 3,000 points lower in PCMark 10 Applications than the ASUS A16 equipped with a Snapdragon X2 Elite chip. It also trailed slightly in Geekbench 6 single-threaded CPU testing. However, the system excels in graphics and AI tasks. It outperformed a MacBook Pro with an M5 Max by 4,700 points in Geekbench 6 GPU tests. In Procyon’s AI Computer Vision 2 test, it scored 3,895 compared to Apple’s 3,267. The AI Image Generation test yielded a score of 1,519, which is 600 points higher than the Apple equivalent. These results confirm its strength in specialized AI workloads, even if raw CPU speed lags behind some competitors.

Real-world usage supports the focus on AI capabilities. The laptop successfully ran OpenClaw and the Qwen3.8 27B model, which consumes 42GB of RAM on its own, leaving ample memory for other tasks. Gaming performance is also capable, handling titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Control: Resonant at high settings. In Control: Resonant, the system achieved 70 fps at 1440p with ultra settings, medium ray tracing, and 4x frame generation. Lowering the settings pushed the frame rate to 120 fps. NVIDIA states that the graphics hardware is roughly on par with the RTX 5070 mobile GPU while drawing less power, a claim supported by the observed performance, though fans can become loud under load.

Compatibility remains a concern for the broader user base. Most games rely on Microsoft’s Prism emulator for the Arm CPU, which can reduce performance and introduce stability issues. While native Arm64 builds exist for popular titles like Fortnite, DOTA 2, and Marvel Rivals, NVIDIA is still working with anti-cheat companies to resolve potential conflicts in multiplayer games. Adobe has ported its major software to the platform, but support from other multimedia applications remains less certain. This reliance on emulation and developing software support suggests that the ecosystem is still maturing.

Several less flattering details emerged during testing. The black finish is prone to fingerprints, and battery life in the PCMark 10 Applications test was recorded at ten hours and 51 minutes. This is well below the 15-plus hours offered by many other premium laptops. Performance did not degrade when the laptop was unplugged, but the overall endurance is not a highlight. The review concludes that AI professionals are the clear target buyers who can justify the cost. For general users or gamers, the reviewer suggests waiting at least a year before considering the RTX Spark platform, allowing the software ecosystem to mature and prices to potentially stabilize.

The arrival of the RTX Spark represents a new branch of PC design that will sit alongside existing x86 hardware and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X chips rather than replacing them. While competition from NVIDIA may push other manufacturers to improve, the memory-heavy nature of this platform is unlikely to ease prices already inflated by high AI demand for RAM. The ProArt P16 is an impressive machine, but its utility is currently best suited for those who need its specific AI capabilities and can afford its premium price.