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Check My PC or Mac: can it run AI at home?

Find out in about a minute whether your Windows PC or Mac can run private AI with Ollama, and exactly what to upgrade if it can't. Plain words, no downloads.

Last checked Oct 24, 2026 · Built by Blake, AI Pick Vault

Your privacy: everything on this page happens inside your own browser. Nothing is downloaded to your computer, nothing is installed, and nothing you paste is uploaded or saved. Close the tab and it is gone.

1Quick check (one click)

Your choice: Mac. Not on a Mac? Pick Windows PC in step 2.

Press the button and your browser tells us what it is allowed to share: your graphics chip and roughly how much memory you have. This is a first guess, not the final answer.

2Full check (about a minute)

What computer are you using?

Get an exact answer in 4 easy steps. The command only reads your Mac's details. It does not change, install or send anything.

See exactly what the command does
z1='If the paste does not work, select the line above, press Command+C, and paste it on the page.';z2='Done! Go back to the web page and paste.';m=$(sysctl -n hw.memsize);c=$(sysctl -n machdep.cpu.brand_string 2>/dev/null);r=$(sysctl -n hw.optional.arm64 2>/dev/null);p=$(sysctl -n hw.perflevel0.physicalcpu 2>/dev/null);n=$(sysctl -n hw.ncpu);h=$(sysctl -n hw.model);a=$(uname -m);v=$(sw_vers -productVersion);g=$(system_profiler SPDisplaysDataType 2>/dev/null|awk -F': ' '/Total Number of Cores/{print $2;exit}');f=$(df -g / 2>/dev/null|awk 'NR==2{print $4}');j=$(printf '{"apv":1,"os":"mac","cpu":"%s","arch":"%s","arm":"%s","model":"%s","memgb":%s,"pcores":"%s","threads":"%s","gpucores":"%s","macos":"%s","freegb":"%s"}' "$c" "$a" "$r" "$h" "$((${m:-0}/1073741824))" "$p" "$n" "$g" "$v" "$f");printf '%s' "$j"|pbcopy;clear;echo "$j";echo "$z1";printf '\033[32m%s\033[0m\n' "$z2";: '<<< PRESS RETURN TO CONTINUE <<<'

It reads: chip name, memory size, number of processor cores and graphics cores, Mac model, macOS version, and free disk space. Then it formats that as text and copies it.

Step by step

  1. Click Copy command.
  2. Open Terminal: press Command+Space, type Terminal, press Return.
  3. Press Command+V to paste. Press Return.
  4. See Done!? Come back. Click the box below. Press Command+V. Click Check my results.
Having trouble?
  • Nothing happened after pasting? Press Return once.
  • The paste box says it is the command? Go back to Terminal, press Return, wait for Done!, then paste again.
  • Paste on this page did not work? In Terminal, the line starting with {"apv":1 is your result. Select it with the mouse, press Command+C, and paste it here.
  • Older Mac? It still works. Macs from 2020 and later with an Apple chip (M1, M2, M3, M4) are the fast ones for AI.

Get an exact answer in 4 easy steps. The command only reads your PC's details. It does not change, install or send anything.

See exactly what the command does
$z1='If the paste does not work, select the line above, right-click to copy, and paste it on the page.';$z2='Done! Your results are copied. Go back to the web page and paste them in the box.';$c=Get-CimInstance Win32_Processor|Select-Object -First 1;$b=Get-CimInstance Win32_BaseBoard|Select-Object -First 1;$m=@(Get-CimInstance Win32_PhysicalMemory);$a=@(Get-CimInstance Win32_PhysicalMemoryArray|Where-Object{$_.Use -eq 3});$v=@(Get-CimInstance Win32_VideoController);$r=@(Get-ItemProperty 'HKLM:\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Class\{4d36e968-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}\0*' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue|Where-Object{$_.'HardwareInformation.qwMemorySize'}|ForEach-Object{$q=$_.'HardwareInformation.qwMemorySize';if($q -is [array]){$q=[BitConverter]::ToUInt64([byte[]]$q,0)};@{n=$_.DriverDesc;b=[uint64]$q}});$e=Get-CimInstance Win32_SystemEnclosure|Select-Object -First 1;$d=Get-CimInstance Win32_LogicalDisk -Filter "DeviceID='C:'";$j=[ordered]@{apv=1;cpu="$($c.Name)".Trim();cores=$c.NumberOfCores;threads=$c.NumberOfLogicalProcessors;board="$($b.Manufacturer) $($b.Product)".Trim();ram=@($m|ForEach-Object{@{gb=[math]::Round($_.Capacity/1GB);mhz=$_.Speed;t=$_.SMBIOSMemoryType;ff=$_.FormFactor}});slots=($a|Measure-Object MemoryDevices -Sum).Sum;maxgb=[math]::Round(($a|Measure-Object MaxCapacity -Sum).Sum/1MB);gpu=@($v|ForEach-Object{@{n=$_.Name;b=$_.AdapterRAM}});vram=$r;chassis=@($e.ChassisTypes);battery=[bool](Get-CimInstance Win32_Battery);os=(Get-CimInstance Win32_OperatingSystem).Caption;freegb=[math]::Round($d.FreeSpace/1GB)}|ConvertTo-Json -Compress -Depth 4;Set-Clipboard -Value $j;Clear-Host;Write-Host $j;Write-Host $z1;Write-Host $z2 -ForegroundColor Green   # <<< HIT ENTER TO CONTINUE <<<

It reads: processor name and cores, motherboard maker and model, each memory stick's size, speed and type, total memory slots and the board maximum, graphics card name and memory, Windows version, whether it is a laptop, and free space on drive C:. Then it formats that as text and copies it.

Step by step

  1. Click Copy command.
  2. Right-click the Start button. Pick Terminal or PowerShell (the blue window).
  3. Right-click in the blue window. Press Enter.
  4. See Done!? Come back. Click the box below. Press Ctrl+V. Click Check my results.
Having trouble?
  • Windows asks about pasting multiple lines? Click Paste anyway. It is safe.
  • Right-click did not paste? Press Ctrl + V instead.
  • Only an "Admin" choice? That is fine too. You do not need Admin, but it works the same.
  • Nothing happened after pasting? Press Enter once.
  • The paste box says it is the command? Go back to PowerShell, press Enter, wait for Done!, then paste again.
  • Paste on this page did not work? In the PowerShell window, the long line starting with {"apv":1 is your result. Select it with the mouse, right-click to copy, and paste it here.

Not comfortable with PowerShell? Use System Information instead
  1. Press the Windows key, type msinfo32 and press Enter. System Information opens. It only shows information.
  2. On the first page, find Installed Physical Memory (RAM) (for example "16.0 GB") and Processor.
  3. On the left, open Components > Display. Note the Name of each graphics adapter. (Windows often shows graphics memory wrong here; leave the memory box empty if unsure and we will estimate it from the name.)
  4. Fill in the boxes below.

3What would you like AI to help with?

Pick one. Model names are the real names you type into Ollama (for example ollama run qwen3:8b). Sizes are approximate downloads; a model needs roughly its size plus 1 to 2GB of memory to run.

4Your answer

How we decide on a Mac: Apple chip Macs share memory between the processor and graphics, so a model fits "fast" when its size plus about 1.5GB fits in about 72 percent of your memory. Older Intel Macs run AI on the processor only, so it works but is slow. These are rules of thumb, not guarantees.

How we decide: a model fits "fast" when its size plus about 1.5GB fits in your graphics card memory, and "works, slower" when it fits in your regular memory after leaving about 4GB for Windows. These are widely used rules of thumb, not guarantees. Real speed also depends on your processor and memory speed.

Mac memory can't be added later: pick the right Mac

On a Mac with an Apple chip, the memory is built into the chip. You cannot add more later. So if you are buying a Mac for AI, the memory size is the one choice that matters most.

Which Mac for AI

Mac memoryWhat it runsGood for
8GBSmall 3B models (llama3.2:3b)Short letters, simple questions. Basic.
16GB8B models (qwen3:8b), fastGood everyday helper for writing, chat and summaries.
24GB to 32GB14B models (qwen3:14b)Smarter answers, long documents, coding help. The sweet spot.
64GB or more30B models (qwen3:30b)Close to the big online AIs, fully private.

Blake's tip: 24GB is the sweet spot. 16GB is fine for everyday help. Skip 8GB if AI is the goal.

Links search Amazon for each model. Check the memory size (for example "24GB") in the listing before you buy. Prices change, so we do not list them.

Before you buy a graphics card: check your power supply

Windows cannot see your power supply, so we cannot check it for you. It takes two minutes:

  1. Shut down the PC and unplug it.
  2. Remove the side panel (usually two screws at the back).
  3. Find the metal box where the power cord plugs in. Its sticker lists a number with a W, like 500W. That is the wattage.
  4. Look for spare cables labelled PCIe or PCI-E (6+2 pin). Most cards need one.
Graphics cardMinimum power supplyPower cable
RTX 3050 6GB (low profile)300WNone. Powered by the slot. Fits slim office PCs.
RTX 5060 Ti 16GB450WOne 8-pin PCIe cable
RTX 3060 12GB550WOne 8-pin PCIe cable
Used RTX 3090 24GB750WTwo or three 8-pin PCIe cables

Minimums are the card makers' usual recommendations for a typical PC. Slim office PCs (Dell OptiPlex, HP ProDesk, Lenovo ThinkCentre) often have small 180W to 260W power supplies and short cases, so only low-profile cards without a power cable fit.

Rather have Blake look at it?

Send your results and I will take a look and tell you, in plain words, what I would do. Run the full check first so your results are filled in. Your email app opens with everything prefilled; you can read it before sending.

Have Blake check it for me

Prefer a form? Use the contact page and paste your results.

Affiliate note: as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Prices change constantly, so we do not list them. Click through for the current price.

Common questions

Is the Check My PC tool safe?

Yes. Nothing is downloaded or installed. The quick check only reads what your browser already shares. The full check is one read-only Windows PowerShell command that uses Windows' own Get-CimInstance to read your hardware details and copy them to your clipboard. It changes nothing. Everything is worked out inside your browser and nothing is uploaded.

Why can't the website see all my hardware?

Browsers hide most hardware details on purpose, for your privacy. For example, browsers never report more than 8GB of memory. That is why the quick check is only a first guess and the full check asks you to run one command and paste the result.

How much memory do I need to run AI on my own PC?

Roughly, a model needs about its download size plus 1 to 2GB, either in graphics card memory (fast) or in regular memory (slower). 8GB runs small 3B models, 16GB runs 8B models, and 32GB or a 12GB graphics card handles 12B to 14B models comfortably. These are approximations.

I am not comfortable with PowerShell. Is there another way?

Yes. Press the Windows key, type msinfo32 and press Enter. System Information shows your memory, processor and graphics card. Type those numbers into the manual boxes on this page.

Does it work on a Mac?

Yes. Choose Mac at the top of the check. You copy one read-only Terminal command that uses the Mac's own sysctl and system_profiler tools to read the chip, memory and free space, and copies the result. Apple chip Macs (M1 and later) share memory with graphics, so about 70 percent of memory can go to AI: 8GB runs small 3B models, 16GB runs 8B models fast, 24 to 36GB runs 14B models, and 64GB or more runs 30B models. Mac memory cannot be upgraded later. Older Intel Macs work but are slow.

Can you tell me my power supply wattage?

No. Windows cannot read the power supply. Look at the sticker on the side of the power supply inside your PC (unplug first) for a number like 500W. We list the minimum wattage for each suggested graphics card.

Is the Mac check safe?

Yes. Nothing is downloaded or installed. You copy one read-only Terminal command. It uses the Mac's own sysctl, sw_vers, system_profiler and df tools to read the chip, memory and free space, and copies the result. It changes nothing. Everything is worked out inside your browser and nothing is uploaded.

How much memory does my Mac need for AI?

Apple chip Macs (M1 and later) share one pool of memory with graphics, and about 70 percent of it can go to AI. 8GB runs small 3B models, 16GB runs 8B models fast, 24 to 32GB runs 14B models, and 64GB or more runs 30B models. These are approximations.

Can I add more memory to my Mac later?

No. On every Apple chip Mac the memory is part of the chip and cannot be upgraded. If you are buying a Mac for AI, pick the memory size you need at purchase. For most people, 24GB is the sweet spot.

Will AI work on my older Intel Mac?

Yes, but slowly. Intel Macs run AI on the processor only, so expect a few words per second with small models. A Mac with an Apple chip is much faster.

Does Ollama run on a Mac?

Yes. Ollama has a free Mac app from ollama.com. It uses the Apple chip's graphics automatically, with no setup.

Most common upgrade: 32GB RAMCheck price on Amazon
For AI, pick a Mac with 24GBSearch Amazon