Large model, patient user
Ryzen AI Max trades discrete-GPU speed for a much larger unified memory pool. It is the capacity play.
Own the compute01 / Capacity 02 / Throughput 03 / Both
Local AI hardware, chosen by the bottleneck
Memory decides what fits. Bandwidth decides how fast it runs. Price decides whether owning beats renting. This is a short list of genuinely different choices, not a catalog of every box with an “AI” sticker.
Hardware prices checked 2026-07-09 · provider-neutral capacity mathSmaller model, faster tokens
RTX 5090 has only 32GB, but roughly 7× the memory bandwidth. It is the speed-per-dollar play.
Production workstation
RTX PRO 6000 combines 96GB and high bandwidth, at a price that needs sustained use to justify.
The short list
| Hardware | AI-usable memory | Bandwidth | Best fit | Current price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMKtec EVO-X2 (128GB unified) | 96 GB | 256 GB/s | The $/GB winner — runs 70B-class and quantized big-MoE (V4 Flash tier) that no consumer GPU fits | from $2000 |
| NVIDIA RTX 5090 (32GB) | 32 GB | 1.79 TB/s | Bandwidth-per-dollar king for the A3B-MoE and 27-32B dense workhorses | check retailer → |
| NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell (96GB) | 96 GB | 1.79 TB/s | The startup standard — only sub-$10K single card that runs 70B+ comfortably | check retailer → |
Live price · 5% affiliate
GMKtec EVO-X2: the 96GB capacity route
The 128GB configuration can allocate up to 96GB as dedicated graphics memory. That opens quantized 70B–120B models that do not fit on a 32GB consumer card, while remaining a quiet desk-side machine rather than a rented server.
$2000 entry price · in stock
Honest limitation: capacity is not throughput. The Ryzen AI Max memory bus is 256 GB/s; current high-end discrete GPUs are around 1.8 TB/s. A model fitting locally does not mean it will match a cloud GPU's response speed. Every recommendation here keeps those two questions separate.
Hardware links may be affiliate links. Rankings and fit assessments are editorial; commission never changes the capacity math. Full disclosure.