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Linux on RTX Spark laptops throttles GPU to 35% speed
What is Nvidia RTX Spark encrypted firmware slows inference speed to 35% on Linux?
Running Linux on Nvidia RTX Spark laptops works, but the GPU is forced down to about 780 MHz when plugged in, cutting inference throughput to roughly a third of Windows performance. The slowdown is caused by encrypted power-management firmware that only Nvidia’s Windows driver can decode.
Who it is for
AI developers who rely on fast local inference should stay on Windows or use WSL until Linux can read the encrypted firmware.