6 articles · newest first
16GB of CUDA VRAM for $429 is the best budget on-ramp to local AI — but a narrow 128-bit bus and a brutal 2026 price surge mean it's only worth it near MSRP. My honest buy call, and what I'd get instead when it's marked up.
Voltage · Sep 22 · 8 min
A used RTX 3090 gives you 24GB for ~$700–1,000 and runs the same models as cards costing 2–6x more. My honest used-market value pick for local AI — with the buying risks spelled out and current prices cited.
Voltage · Sep 22 · 8 min
Qwen3 isn't one model — it's a family from 4B to 235B, and the right GPU depends entirely on which you run. My VRAM-first map of every variant, the MoE trap that trips people up, and the used card I'd hand most people.
Tensor · Sep 22 · 8 min
At ~$4,600 for 32GB of VRAM, the RTX 5090 is either the only card that makes sense — or a tax on headroom you'll never use. An honest, VRAM-first buy call with the cheaper alternatives priced in.
Tensor · Sep 22 · 8 min
Same $549 launch price, genuinely different cards — and 2026's price surge pulled them apart. The RX 9070 wins raster and VRAM; the RTX 5070 wins ray tracing and DLSS 4. Here's how I'd choose for gaming and local AI.
Voltage · Sep 22 · 7 min
Both have 16GB of VRAM, so for local AI they run the same models. The 5080 is faster, but for AI that matters far less than you'd think. Here's the honest call — and a better idea.
Voltage · Aug 3 · 10 min