Hardware Recommendations for Running Local LLMs and Coding Assistants on Mac
By
threeturn
7mo ago· 15 min readenOpinion
100/100
Golden Brown
Bagelometer↗
Slow-proofed and worth the wait. Worth its weight in flour.
Score100TypeopinionSentimentpositive
Summary
The article is a response to a Hacker News question about using open LLMs and coding assistants locally. The author provides specific hardware recommendations for Mac users, advising against fanless models like MacBook Air and Mac mini due to heat concerns when running intensive coding tasks. They recommend MacBook Pro and Mac Studio instead, and suggest using TG Pro software to improve fan control for better thermal management.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledIf you're going to get a MacBook, get the Pro, it has a built-in fan, you don't want the heat just sitting there on the MacBook Air.
Same with the Mac mini, get the studio instead, it has a fan, the Mini does not.
I don't know about you but I wouldn't want my brand new laptop / desktop to be heating up the entire time I'm coding with 0 cool off.
If you go the Mac route, I recommend getting TG Pro, the default fan settings on the Mac are awful they don't kick in soon enough, TG Pro lets you make it a little more 'sensitive' to those temperature shifts.
If you're going to get a MacBook, get the Pro, it has a built-in fan, you don't want the heat just sitting there on the MacBook Air. Same with the Mac mini, get the studio instead, it has a fan, the Mini does not. I don't know about you but I wouldn't wan
