RTX Spark: Second lower-end config confirmed via latest driver

Notebookcheck reports that NVIDIA's latest GeForce driver for Windows on Arm has confirmed a second lower-end RTX Spark GPU configuration, expanding the known SKU lineup beyond the previously identified flagship 6,144-core and mid-range 5,120-core N1X variants. The driver package — the same native Arm64 GeForce driver that VideoCardz reported on earlier today — contains additional device IDs in its INF file that point to a further reduced GPU configuration targeting more affordable RTX Spark systems. This newly discovered lower-tier SKU is believed to correspond to the N1 (non-X) variant of the RTX Spark superchip, which NVIDIA previewed at Computex 2026 as the mainstream entry point for the platform, designed to bring Arm-based Windows computing with RTX-class graphics and AI acceleration to price points below the N1X's premium ~$2,900+ floor.

The confirmation of a second lower-end configuration through the GeForce driver's INF file provides the most concrete evidence yet that NVIDIA's RTX Spark lineup will span multiple performance tiers at launch. While the N1X targets premium laptops and compact desktops from Microsoft, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and MSI with its 6,144 or 5,120 CUDA core configurations, the newly identified lower-end SKU is expected to power thinner, lighter, and more affordable RTX Spark systems aimed at mainstream consumers and education buyers. Notebookcheck notes that the driver signature validates NVIDIA's two-tier strategy: the flagship N1X for creators, developers, and power users who need maximum GPU and AI performance, and a mainstream N1 variant that makes the Arm-based Windows platform accessible to a broader audience while still delivering meaningful AI acceleration and gaming capability through NVIDIA's DLSS 4.5 and Blackwell architecture.

For Canadian consumers tracking the RTX Spark rollout ahead of its Fall 2026 launch, the driver confirmation of a second lower-end configuration is encouraging news for platform accessibility. While premium N1X systems are expected to start at approximately $2,900 CAD and above, the mainstream N1 variant could bring RTX Spark-powered Windows on Arm laptops into the sub-$1,500 CAD range — directly competing with Qualcomm Snapdragon X-based Copilot+ PCs and offering a more accessible entry point for Canadian students, educators, and everyday users interested in on-device AI capabilities. The GeForce driver's inclusion of both N1X and N1 device IDs also confirms that NVIDIA's full consumer driver stack — including Game Ready optimizations, DLSS framework, and Control Panel — supports both tiers natively on Arm64 Windows, eliminating a key concern about software support fragmentation between the two SKU families at launch.