Grace Blackwell
NVIDIA Grace Blackwell

Desktop
AI Supercomputers

Pricing, power, and specification reference for DGX Spark desktop AI supercomputers. Three implementations of the GB10 Grace Blackwell superchip compared across cost, power draw, thermal design, and platform features.

3 system variants$3,999 - $6,332 price range240 - 280 W peak power~20 TFLOPS FP32 each
Platform

The DGX Spark Platform

NVIDIA's DGX Spark form factor defines a new category of desktop AI supercomputers. At its heart is the GB10 superchip, a compact Grace Blackwell package that integrates one Blackwell GPU (B10) and one Grace CPU on a unified module with 128 GB of coherent LPDDR5X memory at ~273 GB/s bandwidth. The GB10 SOC has a TDP of 140 W, with peak system power reaching 240 - 280 W depending on the vendor chassis and PSU rating.

Grace CPU (20 Core)

  • 20 ARM Neoverse V2 cores at 2.8 GHz
  • Coherent access to all 128 GB unified memory
  • NVLink-C2C bridge to B10 GPU at 64 GB/s
  • Handles data loading, orchestration, networking

B10 Blackwell GPU

  • ~5,120 CUDA cores, ~160 5th-gen Tensor Cores
  • Full Blackwell architecture (FP4/FP8/FP16/BF16)
  • ~20 TFLOPS FP32, ~1 TFLOPS FP64 (non-tensor)
  • Coherent memory access via NVLink-C2C

Unified Memory

  • 128 GB LPDDR5X, shared coherent GPU + CPU pool
  • ~273 GB/s aggregate bandwidth
  • No CPU-GPU data copies (pointer coherence)
  • GPU can spill to CPU memory transparently

Three vendors currently ship DGX Spark-class systems: NVIDIA with its reference Founders Edition, ASUS with the compact Ascent GX10, and Dell with the expandable Pro Max workstation. All three use the identical GB10 superchip - the differentiation is entirely in chassis design, power delivery, thermal management, storage configuration, and software integration.

Cost

Pricing Overview

All three systems are built on the same GB10 superchip, so the compute capability is identical. Pricing differences reflect chassis design, power delivery, storage configuration, expansion features, and software integration.

SpecNVIDIA DGX SparkASUS Ascent GX10Dell Pro Max
Base Price$4,699$3,999$4,061
Max Price$5,200 (partner retail)$5,999$6,332
Street Price / PFLOPS (FP32)$235 / PFLOPS$200 / PFLOPS$203 - $317 / PFLOPS
Base Storage4 TB NVMe4 TB NVMe1 TB NVMe
Max Storage4 TB4 TB8 TB RAID

Cost-per-PFLOPS (FP32): At $4,699 for 20 TFLOPS, the NVIDIA DGX Spark costs $235 per PFLOPS. The ASUS Ascent GX10 at $3,999 achieves $200 per PFLOPS - the best value. The Dell Pro Max spans $203 (1 TB config) to $317 (4 TB config) per PFLOPS depending on storage choice.

NVIDIA Reference System

NVIDIA DGX Spark

$4,699 USD (current MSRP; rose from $3,999 in early 2026)

NVIDIA's reference DGX Spark Founders Edition is the baseline implementation of the GB10 Grace Blackwell platform. It packages the 20-core Grace CPU, B10 Blackwell GPU, and 128 GB of unified LPDDR5X memory into a compact micro-desktop chassis with active fan cooling and USB-PD power delivery. Ships with NVIDIA DGX OS and the full AI Enterprise software stack pre-installed.

Listed on NVIDIA's official marketplace. Partner retailers may list around $5,200 USD. Pricing varies by region and configuration.

Specifications

Model
DGX Spark Founders Edition
Price (USD)
$4,699 (current MSRP)
Grace CPUs
1x GB10 superchip (20 ARM Neoverse V2 cores)
NVIDIA GPUs
1x B10 Blackwell (~5,120 CUDA cores, ~160 Tensor Cores)
System Memory
128 GB unified LPDDR5X (coherent GPU + CPU)
Memory Bandwidth
~273 GB/s
Interconnect
NVLink-C2C (internal CPU-GPU coherent)
Peak FP64
~1 TFLOPS
Peak FP32
~20 TFLOPS
Dimensions
Compact micro-desktop: ~150 x 150 x 51 mm
Storage
4 TB NVMe M.2 SSD (configurable to 1 TB, 2 TB, or 4 TB)
Networking
1x Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth 5.4
I/O
2x USB4 (40 Gbps), 3x USB 3.2, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.1
Cooling
Active fan (reference NVIDIA thermal solution)
OS
NVIDIA DGX OS (custom Ubuntu LTS)

Power & Thermal

Power Supply (W)
240 W (external USB-PD adapter, included)
Thermal Design Power (TDP)
140 W (GB10 SOC - CPU + GPU combined)
Typical Idle Power
40 - 45 W (per ServeTheHome measurement)
Peak System Power
240 W (matches adapter rating)
Power Connector Type
USB-C (USB-PD 3.2, 48 V up to 5 A)

Target Workloads

  • AI research and model prototyping
  • Large-language-model fine-tuning (up to 200B parameters with quantization)
  • Agentic AI and high-throughput inference
  • End-to-end ML experimentation with NVIDIA AI Enterprise

Best Fit

Developers and researchers who want the reference DGX Spark experience with guaranteed compatibility, NVIDIA's full software stack, and the compactest footprint in the lineup.

Back to top
ASUS DGX Spark Implementation

ASUS Ascent GX10

$3,999 USD (base configuration: 128 GB / 4 TB NVMe)

The ASUS Ascent GX10 is the first third-party DGX Spark-class system, built around the NVIDIA GB10 Grace Blackwell superchip. ASUS adds its own compact chassis, custom thermal solution, and power delivery while maintaining full compatibility with the NVIDIA DGX Spark software stack. At $3,999, it is the most affordable entry point into the Grace Blackwell desktop ecosystem.

Higher-end configurations (e.g., 5 TB SSD, expanded RAM) are priced around $5,999 USD per ASUS product page. Compared to the NVIDIA DGX Spark at $4,699, the ASUS base model undercuts by $700.

Specifications

Model
ASUS Ascent GX10
Price (USD)
$3,999 (base 128 GB / 4 TB); up to $5,999 (max config)
Grace CPUs
1x GB10 superchip (20 ARM Neoverse V2 cores)
NVIDIA GPUs
1x B10 Blackwell (~5,120 CUDA cores)
System Memory
128 GB unified LPDDR5X
Memory Bandwidth
~273 GB/s
Interconnect
NVLink-C2C (internal CPU-GPU, PCIe 5.0 x8 external)
Peak FP64
~1 TFLOPS
Peak FP32
~20 TFLOPS
Dimensions
Compact desktop: ~180 x 180 x 50 mm
Storage
1x M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 x4 (up to 4 TB)
Networking
1x Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth 5.4
I/O
2x USB4 (40 Gbps), 3x USB 3.2, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.1
Cooling
Active fan (custom ASUS thermal solution)
OS
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, NVIDIA DGX OS

Power & Thermal

Power Supply (W)
240 W (external power supply, included)
Thermal Design Power (TDP)
140 W (GPU, per BenchGame; GB10 SOC TDP)
Typical Idle Power
~24 W (after firmware update; older firmware ~40 W)
Peak System Power
240 W (max PSU rating)
Power Connector Type
Standard AC inlet feeding internal 240 W PSU

Target Workloads

  • Local AI model prototyping and fine-tuning (up to ~30B parameters)
  • CUDA and Blackwell application development
  • Small-scale inference, RAG pipelines, and demos
  • Cost-sensitive individual developer deployments

Best Fit

Individual developers, researchers, and small teams that need a compact, fully integrated desktop AI workstation at the lowest price point in the DGX Spark ecosystem.

Back to top
Dell Desktop AI Workstation

Dell Pro Max

$4,060 - $6,330 USD (range by storage config)

The Dell Pro Max brings the GB10 Grace Blackwell superchip into Dell's professional workstation chassis, prioritizing expandability, thermal headroom, and enterprise manageability. It offers a larger chassis with PCIe expansion slots, dual storage bays with RAID support, and Dell's Precision-optimized thermal management. Dual-boot support for Windows 11 Pro and Linux makes it the most versatile OS option in the lineup.

Dell's catalog lists the 1 TB SSD configuration at $4,061 and the 4 TB SSD configuration at $6,332 (including DGX OS 7). Compared to the NVIDIA DGX Spark at $4,699, the Dell Pro Max offers a wider range spanning both lower entry pricing and higher max-config pricing.

Specifications

Model
Dell Pro Max (Grace Blackwell Edition)
Price (USD)
$4,061 (1 TB SSD) - $6,332 (4 TB SSD + DGX OS 7)
Grace CPUs
1x GB10 superchip (20 ARM Neoverse V2 cores)
NVIDIA GPUs
1x B10 Blackwell (~5,120 CUDA cores)
System Memory
128 GB unified LPDDR5X (GPU + CPU coherent)
Memory Bandwidth
~273 GB/s
Interconnect
NVLink-C2C internal, PCIe 5.0 x16 expansion slot
Peak FP64
~1 TFLOPS
Peak FP32
~20 TFLOPS
Dimensions
Mid-tower workstation: ~420 x 200 x 370 mm
Storage
2x M.2 NVMe PCIe 5.0 (up to 8 TB RAID 0/1)
Networking
1x 10GbE RJ-45, 1x 2.5GbE, Wi-Fi 7
I/O
4x USB4 (40 Gbps), 6x USB 3.2, 2x DisplayPort 2.1, 1x HDMI 2.1
Cooling
Dual-fan tower with vapor chamber (Dell Precision thermal)
OS
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, Windows 11 Pro, Red Hat Enterprise Linux

Power & Thermal

Power Supply (W)
280 W (external USB-C adapter, included)
Thermal Design Power (TDP)
140 W (GB10 SOC TDP)
Typical Idle Power
~45 W (per community measurements)
Peak System Power
280 W (adapter rating)
Power Connector Type
USB-C (USB-PD 3.2, 20 V x 5 A, up to 280 W)

Target Workloads

  • Enterprise AI development and model fine-tuning
  • Continuous integration and testing for AI pipelines
  • On-premise inference serving for small-scale deployments
  • Mixed-use workflows (AI development + general productivity)

Best Fit

Enterprise teams and professional users who need a desktop Grace Blackwell system with room for PCIe expansion, dual-boot OS flexibility, enterprise manageability (vPro, TPM 2.0), and a larger thermal envelope for sustained workloads.

Back to top
Power

Power & Thermal Comparison

Power delivery is the most physically differentiating dimension across DGX Spark implementations. All three share the same 140 W GB10 SOC but differ in PSU capacity, idle efficiency, and thermal solution.

SpecNVIDIA DGX SparkASUS Ascent GX10Dell Pro Max
Power Supply (W)240 W240 W280 W
GB10 SOC TDP140 W140 W140 W
Typical Idle40 - 45 W~24 W~45 W
Peak System240 W240 W280 W
Connector TypeUSB-C PD 3.2Standard AC inletUSB-C PD 3.2
PSU Margin100 W (42 % overhead)100 W (42 % overhead)140 W (50 % overhead)
Cooling MethodActive fanActive fanDual-fan + vapor chamber

Key insight: The Dell Pro Max provides 40 W more PSU headroom (280 W vs 240 W) than the NVIDIA and ASUS systems, giving its thermal solution more margin to sustain boost clocks under continuous all-core load. All three systems idle well below 50 W, making them practical for always-on development environments. The ASUS Ascent GX10's ~24 W idle after firmware update is the best standby efficiency in the lineup.

Reference

Full Specification Matrix

All three systems side by side. The GB10 compute core is identical across every implementation; differences reflect chassis, I/O, storage, and platform decisions.

SpecNVIDIA DGX SparkASUS Ascent GX10Dell Pro Max
Price (USD)$4,699$3,999 - $5,999$4,061 - $6,332
Grace CPU Cores202020
GPU TypeB10 BlackwellB10 BlackwellB10 Blackwell
Unified Memory128 GB LPDDR5X128 GB LPDDR5X128 GB LPDDR5X
Memory BW273 GB/s273 GB/s273 GB/s
Peak FP32~20 TFLOPS~20 TFLOPS~20 TFLOPS
Power Supply240 W USB-PD240 W internal280 W USB-PD
Peak System Power240 W240 W280 W
Idle Power40 - 45 W~24 W~45 W
ConnectorUSB-C PDAC inletUSB-C PD
Storage4 TB NVMe4 TB NVMe8 TB RAID NVMe
ExpansionNoneNonePCIe 5.0 x16
Dimensions150 x 150 x 51 mm180 x 180 x 50 mm420 x 200 x 370 mm
Form FactorMicro-desktopCompact desktopMid-tower
Remote MgmtNoNoIntel vPro
OSDGX OS (Ubuntu)Ubuntu / DGX OSWin / Ubuntu / RHEL

Key insight: All three systems deliver identical GB10 compute (20 ARM cores, 5,120 CUDA cores, 128 GB unified memory, ~20 TFLOPS FP32). The decision between them is driven by price, chassis footprint, power delivery design, storage configuration, expansion needs, and OS / enterprise feature requirements.

Analysis

Trade-offs and Selection Guide

Since all three systems deliver identical compute from the GB10 superchip, the real trade-offs are in the platform, power delivery, and chassis decisions each vendor makes:

Price vs. Platform

The ASUS Ascent GX10 at $3,999 is the clear value leader - $700 below the NVIDIA reference for identical compute. The Dell Pro Max offers the widest price range ($4,061 - $6,332), reflecting its storage and expansion flexibility. The NVIDIA DGX Spark at $4,699 sits in the middle and guarantees first-party software integration.

Power Delivery & Thermal

Dell leads on PSU headroom (280 W vs 240 W), providing 40 W more margin for sustained boost behavior under load. The ASUS system achieves the best idle power (~24 W after firmware). All three systems use the same 140 W GB10 SOC and stay within the practical limits of fan cooling and standard AC power.

Chassis & Portability

The NVIDIA DGX Spark is the most compact (150 x 150 x 51 mm), roughly the size of a Mac mini. The ASUS is only slightly larger (180 x 180 x 50 mm). The Dell Pro Max is a full mid-tower (420 x 200 x 370 mm) - dramatically larger but offers expansion slots and better airflow.

Storage & Expansion

Dell leads with 2x M.2 NVMe PCIe 5.0 (up to 8 TB RAID 0/1) and a PCIe 5.0 x16 expansion slot. NVIDIA and ASUS offer a single M.2 slot (4 TB max) with no internal expansion. The Dell is the only option that can accommodate additional accelerators, NICs, or storage controllers.

OS & Software

NVIDIA ships DGX OS (custom Ubuntu LTS) with the full AI Enterprise stack pre-installed - the most integrated experience. ASUS offers Ubuntu and DGX OS. Dell provides the most flexibility with Windows 11 Pro, Ubuntu, and RHEL support, plus Intel vPro for enterprise fleet management.

Cost-per-PFLOPS (FP32)

The ASUS achieves the best efficiency at $200 / PFLOPS. The NVIDIA DGX Spark comes in at $235 / PFLOPS. The Dell ranges from $203 to $317 / PFLOPS depending on storage configuration. All three deliver the same ~20 TFLOPS peak FP32.

Decision Guide

  • Choose NVIDIA DGX Spark for the reference experience with guaranteed first-party software integration, the most compact footprint, and USB-PD power delivery. Best for developers who want the platform NVIDIA tests against.
  • Choose ASUS Ascent GX10 for the best value at $3,999 with identical compute, the lowest idle power draw (~24 W), and the same compact desk footprint. Best for individual developers on a budget.
  • Choose Dell Pro Max for enterprise deployment with PCIe expansion, RAID storage, 280 W thermal headroom, dual-boot OS flexibility, and Intel vPro remote management. Best for teams and professional users who need room to grow.