Choosing a Local Model#

The most expensive mistake in local LLM adoption is running a 70B model for a task that a 3B model handles at 20x the speed for equivalent quality. The second most expensive mistake is running a 3B model on a task that requires 32B-level reasoning and getting garbage output.

Matching model size to task complexity is the core skill. This guide provides a framework grounded in empirical benchmarks, not marketing claims.