That’s probably one of the first questions that comes to mind, and it’s a good one.
Here’s what’s going on under the hood: XLlama is built on top of Ollama, which handles the actual model loading and execution. Ollama itself uses a backend called llama.cpp, designed to run models locally on your machine.
So when you ask “what kind of computer do I need,” the real answer is:
It depends on the model you choose.
Lighter models, lighter requirements
Some models are small and efficient. Others are massive and hungry for memory. If you’re just getting started or working on a regular laptop, here’s the rule of thumb:
- If your laptop isn’t older than 5 or 6 years and you have at least 8GB of RAM, you’re good to go for small models
- You don’t need a dedicated GPU to get started. Small models like TinyLLaMA (around 638 MB) or Gemma 3B:1b (around 815 MB) can run on the CPU
- Things might run a bit slower on CPU, but they still work fine for basic use
What happens with bigger models?
Once you go beyond the small ones, like 13B or larger, you’ll start to need more power:
- More RAM (16GB or more recommended)
- Ideally a dedicated GPU with enough VRAM (8GB or more)
- A system that can handle heavier memory loads without slowing down
In short, the bigger the model, the more your system needs to keep up.
So… will it work?
Most likely, yes, especially if you start small. XLlama won’t break anything. If a model is too large, it either won’t load or will run very slowly.
Just save your work first — especially any open Excel files — and give it a try. Better safe than sorry 😉
