# Vetted Consumer

> Honest local-LLM hardware advice — cross-checked across reviews and the people who own it. We aggregate real owner reports, independent lab tests, and primary sources; we do not test first-hand and say so. Scores and verdicts are set before affiliate considerations.

## Tools
- [Can I run it? calculator](https://vettedconsumer.com/can-i-run-it/): model size × quantization × context → memory math + hardware that fits, including your own machine
- [Cost calculator](https://vettedconsumer.com/cost-calculator/): buy hardware vs rent cloud GPUs vs use an API — break-even math for your usage
- [Quant picker](https://vettedconsumer.com/quant-picker/): which GGUF quant to download for your machine, with file size and context budget
- [Hardware finder](https://vettedconsumer.com/hardware-finder/): answer 4 questions, get 3 honest hardware picks
- [Latest open models](https://vettedconsumer.com/latest-models/): every lab's newest open-weights releases, auto-updated daily (raw feed: /models-feed.json)
- [Master hardware chart](https://vettedconsumer.com/all-hardware/): all tracked machines in one sortable table
- [Used GPU price index](https://vettedconsumer.com/gpu-price-index/): typical used prices, recorded monthly (raw data: /gpu-price-history.json)

## About this site
- [Methodology](https://vettedconsumer.com/methodology/): how we research, weight sources, and score hardware
- [Corrections](https://vettedconsumer.com/corrections/): public, dated log of fixes
- [Disclosure](https://vettedconsumer.com/disclosure/): affiliate and referral relationships

## Guides: how local LLMs work
- [Ollama vs LM Studio vs llama.cpp: Which Local LLM Runtime Should You Actually Use?](https://vettedconsumer.com/ollama-vs-lm-studio-vs-llama-cpp-which-local-llm-runtime-should-you-actually-use/): They're not really rivals — Ollama and LM Studio are friendly wrappers around the llama.cpp engine. Here's which to pick: LM Studio for begi
- [Mixture-of-Experts (MoE), Explained: Why “Active Parameters” Decide What Runs on Your Machine](https://vettedconsumer.com/mixture-of-experts-moe-explained-why-active-parameters-decide-what-runs-on-your-machine/): How does a 671B model run on a desktop while a 70B dense model chokes? The answer is Mixture-of-Experts — and the one number that actually p
- [GGUF vs GPTQ vs AWQ: The Plain-English Guide to LLM Quantization (and Which One to Pick)](https://vettedconsumer.com/gguf-vs-gptq-vs-awq-the-plain-english-guide-to-llm-quantization-and-which-one-to-pick/): GGUF, GPTQ, AWQ, Q4_K_M, NF4 — the quantization alphabet soup, explained for people who just want to fit a bigger model in the VRAM they hav

## Unified-memory machines
- [Your Local AI Model Folder Is a Mess: Taming a Multi-Terabyte Model Hoard on Apple Silicon](https://vettedconsumer.com/your-local-ai-model-folder-is-a-mess-taming-a-multi-terabyte-model-hoard-on-apple-silicon/): Run local LLMs long enough and you drown in models — multi-quant variants, image and video weights, RAG datasets, all scattered across drive
- [Mac Studio M3 Ultra vs DGX Spark for Local LLMs: What Owners of Both Measured](https://vettedconsumer.com/mac-studio-m3-ultra-vs-dgx-spark-for-local-llms-what-owners-of-both-measured/): Same ~$10K, opposite strengths. An owner ran Qwen 397B on both: Mac Studio M3 Ultra ~30-40 tok/s on 800GB/s bandwidth; dual DGX Spark ~27-28
- [Strix Halo vs DGX Spark: Running 70B Locally, According to People Who Own Both](https://vettedconsumer.com/strix-halo-vs-dgx-spark-running-70b-locally-according-to-people-who-own-both/): Same 128GB unified memory — so which actually runs a 70B model better? Owners who benchmarked both find token generation is a tie; the DGX S
- [Mac Studio M3 Ultra: The Local-AI Workhorse — Buy Now or Wait for M5?](https://vettedconsumer.com/mac-studio-m3-ultra-the-local-ai-workhorse-buy-now-or-wait-for-m5/): Up to 512GB of fast unified memory makes the Mac Studio M3 Ultra the turnkey way to run huge local models. Real r/LocalLLaMA owner takes — a
- [Is the RTX Spark a 'Marketing Trap'? The Skeptic's Case (and What Owners Say)](https://vettedconsumer.com/is-the-rtx-spark-a-marketing-trap-the-skeptics-case-and-what-owners-say/): Digital Spaceport argues the RTX Spark is more hype than substance for local AI. We pair that with real DGX Spark owner reports from r/Local
- [Framework Desktop Buyer's Guide: The Repairable Strix Halo Box That Runs 70B Models](https://vettedconsumer.com/framework-desktop-buyers-guide-the-repairable-strix-halo-box-that-runs-70b-models/): AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395, 128GB unified memory, fully repairable. Who the Framework Desktop is actually for — with real owner cost-math and cav
- [GMKtec EVO-X2 Guide: The Sub-$1,500 Mini PC That Runs 70B Models Locally](https://vettedconsumer.com/gmktec-evo-x2-guide-the-sub-1-500-mini-pc-that-runs-70b-models-locally/): AMD's Strix Halo in a mini PC with up to 128GB unified memory — the first sub-$1,500 box that runs 70B local models. Who it's for, and the o
- [A Top Reviewer Put the Mac Studio M4 Max to the Test — Here's Who Should Actually Buy It](https://vettedconsumer.com/a-top-reviewer-put-the-mac-studio-m4-max-to-the-test-heres-who-should-actually-buy-it/): Creator Karl Conrad reviewed Apple's most powerful desktop. The honest verdict: a compact powerhouse for pros — and overkill for nearly ever
- [NVIDIA's RTX Spark Puts DGX-Class AI Silicon in a Laptop — Should You Wait?](https://vettedconsumer.com/nvidias-rtx-spark-puts-dgx-class-ai-silicon-in-a-laptop-should-you-wait/): NVIDIA's new RTX Spark chip brings DGX-class AI performance to laptops like the Surface Laptop Ultra. Here's what it means if you're decidin
- [The NVIDIA DGX Spark, According to the People Who Own One](https://vettedconsumer.com/the-nvidia-dgx-spark-according-to-the-people-who-own-one/)

## GPUs for local AI
- [RX 9060 XT 16GB Buyer's Guide: The Budget Value Champ (Buy the 16GB)](https://vettedconsumer.com/rx-9060-xt-16gb-buyers-guide-the-budget-value-champ-buy-the-16gb/): 16GB of VRAM for ~$349 makes the RX 9060 XT the budget value king — even for local AI. Real r/radeon owner takes on where it wins, and the p
- [RTX 5090 vs RTX Pro 6000 for AI: A Benchmark Deep-Dive (and Why VRAM Wins)](https://vettedconsumer.com/rtx-5090-vs-rtx-pro-6000-for-ai-a-benchmark-deep-dive-and-why-vram-wins/): A developer ran the RTX 5090, a 1,000W Lightning 5090, and the 96GB RTX Pro 6000 through real AI workloads. The surprising takeaway for buye

## AI mini PCs & servers
- [Panther Lake's First Mini PC: Wendell Tests the MSI Cubi NUC AI+ (and What Owners Think)](https://vettedconsumer.com/panther-lakes-first-mini-pc-wendell-tests-the-msi-cubi-nuc-ai-and-what-owners-think/): Level1Techs put Intel's new Core Ultra 9 386H Panther Lake in the MSI Cubi NUC AI+ through its paces. Our buyer's summary + real Reddit sent
- [Mac mini M4 Buyer's Guide: Is Apple's $599 Mini the Best-Value Mac?](https://vettedconsumer.com/mac-mini-m4-buyers-guide-is-apples-599-mini-the-best-value-mac/): At $599, the redesigned Mac mini M4 might be the best-value Mac ever. Here's who should buy the M4, who needs the M4 Pro, and the one spec t

## Edge AI
- [NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano Super: The $249 Way Into Edge AI](https://vettedconsumer.com/nvidia-jetson-orin-nano-super-the-249-way-into-edge-ai/): NVIDIA's $249 Jetson Orin Nano Super packs 67 TOPS for edge AI and robotics. Who it's perfect for, and why it's a learning board — not a 70B

## More coverage
- [Why Everything Got More Expensive: The Memory Crisis, Explained (via Dave2D)](https://vettedconsumer.com/why-everything-got-more-expensive-the-memory-crisis-explained-via-dave2d/)
- [Intel Arc B580: The Best Budget GPU — If You Tick One Box](https://vettedconsumer.com/intel-arc-b580-the-best-budget-gpu-if-you-tick-one-box/)
- [AMD's RX 9070 GRE: Reviewers and Reddit Agree — Skip It](https://vettedconsumer.com/amds-rx-9070-gre-reviewers-and-reddit-agree-skip-it/)
- [RTX 5070 Ti: The Same Chip as the 5080 for Less — Here's the Catch](https://vettedconsumer.com/rtx-5070-ti-the-same-chip-as-the-5080-for-less-heres-the-catch/)
- [RTX 5080 Buyer's Guide: Who Should Buy It (and Who Needs the 5090)](https://vettedconsumer.com/rtx-5080-buyers-guide-who-should-buy-it-and-who-needs-the-5090/)
- [Framework 12 vs the Cheap MacBook: When Repairability Loses to Value](https://vettedconsumer.com/framework-12-vs-the-cheap-macbook-when-repairability-loses-to-value/)
- [Snapdragon X2 Elite: Qualcomm's Second Try Is the One That Counts](https://vettedconsumer.com/snapdragon-x2-elite-qualcomms-second-try-is-the-one-that-counts/)
- [Surface Laptop 7 Buyer's Guide: The Snapdragon X Elite Laptop, Honestly](https://vettedconsumer.com/surface-laptop-7-buyers-guide-the-snapdragon-x-elite-laptop-honestly/)
- [ASUS ROG Ally X20: The OLED Handheld Fans Wanted — With Two Catches](https://vettedconsumer.com/asus-rog-ally-x20-the-oled-handheld-fans-wanted-with-two-catches/)
- [Intel Built a Chip Just for Handhelds — First Look at the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+](https://vettedconsumer.com/intel-built-a-chip-just-for-handhelds-first-look-at-the-msi-claw-8-ex-ai/)