According to TechSpot, Nvidia’s DGX Spark mini workstation finally started shipping last month after unexpected delays. Redditor Retrotom decided to test whether the $4,000 AI-focused machine could handle demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077. Using Box64 translation software, he managed to get the game running on the ARM-based system through Steam. The results were disappointing – just 50fps at 1080p with medium settings and no DLSS support. YouTube channel ETA Prime confirmed similar limitations when testing PS3 emulation. Both tests show the Spark’s severe limitations for gaming despite its premium price tag.
How it actually works
Here’s the thing – the DGX Spark wasn’t designed for gaming at all. It’s built around Nvidia‘s Grace CPU architecture, which uses ARM processors instead of the x86 architecture that virtually all PC games are designed for. To even get Cyberpunk running, Retrotom had to jump through multiple technical hoops including compiling Box64 v0.3.8 with specific options and installing Steam through custom scripts. Basically, he was running the game through multiple translation layers – from ARM to x86, then through Linux compatibility layers. It’s impressive that it worked at all, but the performance hit was massive.
The real problem
So why does a $4,000 machine struggle with a several-year-old game? It’s not about raw power – it’s about specialization. The DGX Spark is optimized for AI workloads and parallel processing, not the single-threaded performance and graphics API optimization that games demand. There’s no dedicated gaming GPU here, and the translation layers introduce significant overhead. Think about it – you’re essentially emulating an entire computing architecture while trying to render a demanding game. That’s like trying to win a drag race while towing a trailer.
What you could actually buy
Now consider this – for that same $4,000, you could build an absolute monster gaming PC. We’re talking RTX 4090 territory with top-tier CPUs that would crush Cyberpunk at 4K with ray tracing enabled. Even pre-built systems from companies like Alienware would deliver dramatically better gaming performance. And if you’re looking for specialized computing hardware for industrial applications rather than gaming, companies like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com offer purpose-built industrial panel PCs that actually match their intended use cases. The lesson here? Always buy hardware designed for what you actually want to do.
The bigger picture
This experiment actually reveals something interesting about the future of gaming on ARM. Microsoft has been pushing Windows on ARM for years, and Apple’s M-series chips have shown that ARM can handle gaming when properly supported. But we’re still in the early days where compatibility layers and translation introduce too much overhead for serious gaming. The fact that Cyberpunk ran at all is kind of amazing. But “kind of amazing” doesn’t cut it when you’re spending four grand. Maybe in a few years, but definitely not today.
