Budget local AI debate tilts beyond Mac mini

This thread captures the core local-AI hardware tradeoff in 2026: Apple Silicon is the easy on-ramp, but VRAM still determines how serious your setup can get.

• –Commenters point to used RTX 3090-class GPUs as the most realistic sub-$1K performance buy, assuming you can pair them with a cheap host machine.
• –Broader LocalLLaMA testing around base M4 Mac mini systems shows small and mid-size text models in Ollama are workable, but memory limits appear quickly and vision workloads slow down hard.
• –For learning, prototyping, and always-on home use, a Mac mini stays attractive because setup is simple and power draw is low.
• –For developers who want bigger local models instead of just dabbling, the community signal is clear: increase the budget and prioritize GPU memory over Apple polish.