ModemGuides · The Blog · Tagged: GPU Comparison
GPU Comparison
Local AI Hardware in 2026: GPUs, VRAM, and Honest Build Tiers for the Memory-Shortage EraWhich GPU and how much VRAM for local AI in 2026 — honest build tiers repriced for the memory shortage, from used RTX 3090 to Apple Silicon.
Will GPU Prices Go Up in 2026? What Nvidia's Rubin Ramp Means for Your Next BuildNvidia's Rubin racks are shipping at scale, each pooling 20.7TB of HBM4. The honest buy-now-or-wait call for GPUs, RAM, and SSDs in late 2026.
The AI Compute Wall: Power, Chips, and Why Owning Your AI Stack Is the HedgeThe viral RAND chart, explained without the geopolitics: why AI's power and chip limits are already raising your costs, and the local-first hedge.
The Ryzen AI Max+ 395 for Local LLMs: An Honest Reality CheckThe honest tokens-per-second, the $1,499-vs-$2,200 SKU trap, the Linux memory unlock, and whether a Strix Halo box can replace your Claude Code bill.
What AI Models Can You Actually Run at Home? The Mid-2026 GuideThe mid-2026 guide to local AI: which open models actually run on 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB machines — and which "open weights" still need a datacenter.
Best Local AI Models by VRAM: 8GB to 384GB (June 2026)Verified open-weight AI model picks for every memory tier — 8GB cards to 384GB workstations — with licenses, Q4 sizes, and fine-tune vetting.
Best Open-Source Local LLMs by Hardware Tier (July 2026)The best open-source LLMs to run locally in 2026, by hardware tier, with the top tier benchmarked against Opus 4.8, GPT-5.5, and Gemini 3.1 Pro.
How to Build a Local AI Knowledge Base You Actually OwnBuild a private, local-first AI knowledge base using Obsidian, Ollama, and AnythingLLM. Your research stays on your network with zero monthly fees.