Recently, an engineering sample of NVIDIA's inaugural N1 SoC motherboard, tailored for AI-powered PC laptops, surfaced on China's popular second-hand trading platform, Xianyu. This marks the first tangible glimpse of the processor. The motherboard showcases a sleek, compact design, ideal for integration into laptops and high-performance tablets alike.

At its heart lies the N1 SoC chip, which leverages Arm architecture to support the Windows on Arm platform and Copilot+ AI functionalities. This move underscores NVIDIA's formal foray into the Arm-based laptop arena. In terms of hardware prowess, the motherboard is outfitted with eight SK Hynix LPDDR5X memory chips, collectively offering a staggering 128GB capacity and operating at a swift 8533 MT/s. To ensure stable power delivery during high-performance tasks, it employs an 8+6+2-phase VRM power supply design.

Storage expansion is facilitated by two 2240-specification M.2 slots, designed for high-speed solid-state drives. The motherboard also boasts a variety of interfaces, including USB, HDMI, USB Type-C, and a combined headphone and microphone port. Additionally, it features reserved PCB traces for future expansion possibilities. For cooling efficiency, a dedicated mounting position for a large turbine fan is provided, complemented by a heatsink.

According to the seller, this motherboard is currently in its early engineering sample phase and is priced at 9,999 RMB (approximately $1,400 USD), with the final transaction price subject to negotiation. However, the functionality of the motherboard remains unverified. Industry insiders speculate that the NVIDIA N1 SoC is slated for an official release in the latter half of 2026, with potential announcements regarding its Windows on Arm laptop plans anticipated at Computex 2026.