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HP has laptop subscriptions now
(hplaptopsubscription.hp.com)
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
32GB is actually considered the bare minimum for most of the common locally run LLM models. Most folks don't run a locally run LLM. They use a cloud service, so they don't need a huge pile of RAM locally. However, more privacy focused or heavy users with cost concerns might choose to run an LLM locally so they're not paying per token. With regards to locally run LLMs, this would be comparable to renting car when you need it vs buying one outright. If you only need a car once a year, renting is clearly the better choice. If you're driving to work everyday then clearly buying the car yourself is a better deal overall.
You are perfectly fine not liking AI, but you're also out-of-touch if you think 32GB is too big for anything. Lots of other use cases need 32GB or more and have nothing to do with AI.
I agree with your frustration with subscription laptops. I hope people don't use it.
It all reads like a giant racket. AI requires 32GB of RAM on your laptop, 32GB of RAM is expensive, so you have to lease, and it's expensive because AI requires RAM to run in the cloud. It's a problem in search of a solution, and it keeps making new problems along the way.
Its only a problem if you want to run AI. If you don't want AI locally or cloud based, then no need to spend the money on the high end 32GB model (for AI purposes) or paying for a cloud subscription. No one is required to get the 32GB model if they don't want it.
Sure, but it has made RAM more expensive for everyone, not just those who want to run LLMs.