Local AI
Local AI for chat and writing
People ask for a local chatbot when they want drafts, rewrites, and answers that never leave the house. In October 2026 the sweet spot is not a giant 70-billion-parameter model. A well-ranked 26B to 31B model such as Gemma 4 beats last year's much larger downloads, if the computer has room for about a 16–20 GB file.
Chat and writing
Runs wellA step below DeepSeek (July 2026)
The speed pick. Nearly as liked as the best local writer, and much quicker, because only a slice of it wakes up per word.
Mac mini M4 32 GB
Around $1,099 · estimate
Source: Apple M4 Mac mini memory options, 14 Oct 2026
Install guides from the makers
- Ollama's download page · Ollama · Mac, Windows, Linux
- LM Studio's app guide · LM Studio · Mac, Windows, Linux
- AnythingLLM's docs · AnythingLLM · Mac, Windows, Linux
#ad As an Amazon Associate, LocalAIBuddy earns from qualifying purchases. GMKtec, Minisforum, B&H, Adorama, eBay, bol.com, RunPod, Vast.ai, and some ordinary-app links use placeholder referral codes and may pay us. Affiliate disclosure. Prices checked 14 Oct 2026. Apple links on this page are not paid.
Not into local AI? Try these instead
Ordinary apps for writing. The links use a placeholder referral code and may pay us.
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A long-form writing desk for drafts, chapters, and research notes.
Scrivener · #adUlysses
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Ulysses · #adHemingway Editor
An editor that flags long sentences and dense wording.
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Questions people actually ask
Will this feel like ChatGPT?
On a computer with about 32 GB of memory, the comfortable pick ranks near ChatGPT from early 2025 on the public LMArena board. Today's ChatGPT and Claude are still ahead. Smaller computers land closer to ChatGPT from 2024.
Do I need a graphics card?
No. A Mac with unified memory is a fine chat machine. A graphics card is faster, and a 16 GB card runs out of room before a 32 GB Mac does.
Distinct answers
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