Which laptop to buy for running AI at home

How much memory you need to use AI on a laptop, why you often cannot add more later, and what else to check before you buy.

Text drafted with artificial intelligence. The topic, the angle and the final review are Ibrahin's. How AI is used here

What I would look at first

These go to Amazon. If you buy, Ibrahin earns a commission and you pay the same price.

If you use AI in the browserLaptop with 16 GB of memoryView on Amazonpaid link

If you want AI without internetCopilot+ PC laptop with 32 GBView on Amazonpaid link

For the backup, outside the laptop1 TB external SSDView on Amazonpaid link

Searches built with this guide’s criteria; no model has been tested. How it is decided

What has happened

Manufacturers now sell laptops “with AI”, and Microsoft has its own label, Copilot+ PC, with official minimums: 16 GB of memory, an AI chip (what they call an NPU) of more than 40 TOPS (a measure of how many AI operations it does per second) and 256 GB of storage. At the same time, programs like Ollama let you run AI models inside your own computer, without internet. This is what each source says about memory, and what this guide adds:

Memory you need, and where each figure comes from

What you’re going to do

Memory

Browser, email and documentsWindows 11’s official minimum is 4 GB. In my opinion, 8 GB lets you work comfortably; the difference from 4 GB shows most with lots of tabs open8 GB

A laptop with the Copilot+ PC labelThe official minimum. Microsoft also requires an AI chip of more than 40 TOPS and 256 GB of storage16 GB

Ollama’s example model on your computerWhat Ollama recommends. 8 GB of free memory on the graphics card (what they call VRAM), or a Mac’s unified memory. With less, Ollama can use the computer’s normal memory, but it may be slower8 GB free

Bigger models on your computerThis guide’s own suggestion, not Ollama’s. The bigger the model, the more memory it needs: if that’s what you’re after, aim for 32 GB32 GB

The Windows 11 and Copilot+ PC minimums come from Microsoft. The 8 GB recommendation, from Ollama’s documentation. The 32 GB row is this guide’s own guidance.

And the detail that changes everything: on many current laptops the memory is soldered to the board. You choose it on the day you buy, and neither you nor a repair shop can upgrade it later. Some laptops already use memory that can be swapped: LPCAMM2 modules. Micron, which makes them, presented them in 2024 as the first low-power memory that can be upgraded. If the listing doesn’t say the memory can be upgraded, assume it’s soldered.

Why it matters to you

Because storage can almost always be expanded with an external drive, and memory can’t. If you fall short, the laptop becomes awkward when you combine a browser, documents, a video call and an AI tool, and there’s no fix. On the other hand, the “AI” label on the listing guarantees nothing on its own: what you’ll use every day is the screen, the keyboard, the battery and the memory.

What you can do

1. Decide whether you’ll use AI in the browser or on the computer

If you use ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini on the web, the laptop only has to run the browser well: it doesn’t need to be a Copilot+ PC. If you want to run models locally, the demands on memory, storage and cooling go up a lot. And bear in mind that Ollama’s page on the hardware it uses talks about the graphics processor (the part that draws the picture), not the AI chip in Copilot+ PCs. What that label does bring, according to Microsoft: some Windows AI features, such as real-time translation in Live Captions, run on the device itself and don’t need internet.

Laptop with 16 GB of memoryView on Amazonpaid link

Copilot+ PC laptop with 32 GBView on Amazonpaid link

2. Spend on memory before storage

If you’re torn between putting the money into more storage or more memory, put it into memory. The internal disk isn’t a backup either: if the laptop is lost or fails, it goes with it. For that, a copy outside the laptop.

1 TB external SSDView on Amazonpaid link

3. Ask what the “AI features” do

What they do, whether they work offline, what data they process and whether they can be turned off. For cloud AI, a good connection and a smooth browser add more than a built-in feature you won’t use.

4. Try the screen, the keyboard and the camera

If you read for hours, an uncomfortable screen matters more than a small difference in power. Look at size, brightness, reflections and how the keyboard feels. For video calls, more camera megapixels don’t guarantee a good picture.

5. Check battery, ports and repairs

Advertised battery life depends on brightness and what you do: look for independent tests. List the connections you really use and ask how much a battery replacement costs and whether parts and updates are available in your country. In the EU, laptops placed on the market since 28 April 2026 that charge by cable must have a USB-C port and be able to charge through it.

The recommendation

If you use AI in the browser, choose a comfortable, repairable laptop with 16 GB of memory, a good screen and long support, whether or not it carries the AI label. If you want AI without internet, go for 32 GB. Either way, keep the spec sheet of the exact configuration, check the warranty and returns, and don’t overpay for an AI label you won’t use.

Sources

Windows 11 specifications and system requirements, including Copilot+ PCs — Microsoft
Copilot+ PCs: which AI features work without internet — Microsoft
Quickstart — Ollama
Hardware support — Ollama
Micron first to market with LPDDR5X-based LPCAMM2 memory — Micron
One common charging solution for all — European Commission

Review

Responsible for publication: Ibrahin. Date: 2026-09-02. Last checked: 2026-10-18. Requirements and features taken from the official Microsoft and Ollama pages. The 32 GB row and the opinion on 8 GB are this guide’s own.