LLM
Apple M5 Pro and M5 Max: What 4x Faster LLM Processing Actually Means for Local AI
M5 Pro hits 307GB/s, M5 Max doubles to 614GB/s. Neural Accelerators in every GPU core. 128GB runs 70B+ models on a laptop. What actually changes for local AI.
CodeLlama vs DeepSeek Coder vs Qwen Coder: Best Local Coding Models Compared
CodeLlama vs DeepSeek Coder vs Qwen Coder vs Codestral benchmarked: HumanEval scores, VRAM per quant, and speed tests. Qwen 7B beats CodeLlama 70B.
Best Local LLMs for Mac in 2026 — M1, M2, M3, M4 Tested
The best models to run on every Mac tier. Specific picks for 8GB M1 through 128GB M4 Max, with real tok/s numbers. MLX vs Ollama vs LM Studio compared.
Best Local LLMs for Chat & Conversation
The best local LLMs for chat and conversation in 2026. Picks for every VRAM tier from 8GB to 24GB, with Ollama commands to start chatting immediately.
What Can You Actually Run on 16GB VRAM?
13B-14B models hit 22-53 tok/s at Q4-Q6, Flux runs at FP8, and 20B models squeeze in with short context. Where 16GB beats 12GB, where it trails 24GB, and the best cards at this tier.
Best Local LLMs for Writing & Creative Work
Qwen 2.5 32B on 24GB VRAM is the sweet spot for fiction and long-form. On 8GB, Nous Hermes 3 8B punches above its weight. Model picks for every tier and writing task.
What Can You Actually Run on 24GB VRAM?
32B models at 25-38 tok/s, 70B at Q3 with limited context, Flux at full FP16, and LoRA fine-tuning. RTX 3090 at $700 vs 4090 at $1,800—every model that fits and which GPU to buy.
CPU-Only LLMs: What Actually Works
Running CPU-only LLMs without a GPU — what actually works. Best model picks, real speed benchmarks, and a budget dual Xeon server build for 70B models.
Best Models Under 3B: Small LLMs That Work
The best models under 3B parameters for laptops, old GPUs, Raspberry Pi, and phones. What works, what doesn't, and which tiny LLM to pick for your use case.
What Can You Actually Run on 8GB VRAM?
7B-8B models hit 35-42 tok/s at Q4, SD 1.5 runs great, SDXL is tight but doable. Nothing above 13B fits. Every model that works on RTX 4060 and 3060 Ti, plus the best upgrade path.
What Can You Actually Run on 12GB VRAM?
14B models at Q4 hit 25-32 tok/s, 7B-8B run at near-lossless Q6-Q8, and SDXL generates without workarounds. Every model that fits on an RTX 3060 12GB and the best upgrade path.
Best Local Coding Models Ranked: Every VRAM Tier, Every Benchmark (2026)
The best local LLMs for coding in 2026, ranked by VRAM tier. Benchmarks, editor setup, and practical recommendations for developers replacing Copilot.
Best VRAM Cheat Sheet for Local LLMs: Every Model, Every Quant
Exact VRAM for Qwen 3.5, Llama, Mistral, and DeepSeek at Q3 through FP16. Lookup tables for 7B, 9B, 13B, 27B, 32B, 70B, and 120B models with real measurements and GPU recommendations. Updated March 2026.
GPU Buying Guide for Local AI: Pick the Right Card
The complete GPU buying guide for local AI. Covers RTX 3060 through 4090 with VRAM analysis, performance benchmarks, prices, and used vs new buying advice.