When you shouldn't buy one.

Don't buy one if…

• You use AI occasionally. A few questions a week is exactly what a cloud subscription is priced for.
• Nothing you'd type is confidential. Privacy and control are the main reasons to go local. Without them, most of the value disappears.
• You need the very best model available. For the hardest reasoning and research, the largest cloud models are still ahead of anything on a desk.
• Your budget is under $2,500. That's where builds worth owning start. Below it, you'd be paying for a compromise.
• Saving money is the main goal. For one or two people, cloud is usually cheaper. Local only wins on cost with steady, heavy use across a team.

Why we tell you this

A machine sold to someone who didn't need it is a bad machine, a wasted few thousand dollars, and eventually a bad review. We'd rather lose the sale than make that one.

The consult is free, and it's the one step where the answer might be “stick with what you have.”

If you're still not sure

The 60-second fit check asks four questions — what you'd use it for, how private the work is, how often you'd use it, and your budget — and gives you a straight answer.