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Best GPU for Local AI

Compare GPU considerations for local AI, including VRAM, quantized models, batch size, context length, and when CPU-only testing is enough.

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Top picks

  1. 12GB VRAM for small models
  2. 16GB to 24GB VRAM for stronger local chat
  3. 48GB plus for larger open models

Grouped recommendations

Best for small models

12GB VRAM class

Best practical local tier

16GB to 24GB VRAM class

Best for large models

48GB+ or server-class GPUs

How to choose

VRAM matters more than raw gaming performance for many local LLM workflows. Buy for the model sizes you actually plan to run.

Related links

/guides/how-much-vram-local-ai//models/phi-4-mini//models/mistral-small-3-1/

Sources

llama.cpp

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