NVIDIA Watch posted an update
The Verge’s review of Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Ultra finds that running AI models locally can take patience, coding experience and a fair bit of fan noise. The reviewer ran Hermes and OpenClaw with Qwen3.8-27B, reporting that a simple photo conversion took minutes and a smart-home dashboard attempt ended in an error.
Why it mattersThe 128GB model also handled local audio and video transcription through a llama.cpp server, though setup took some fiddling. The base model has 24GB of unified memory, which the reviewer says will mean fewer local models fit. On-device AI has its privacy appeal, but this review suggests the experience is still aimed more at power users than casual laptop owners.
Discuss: Would you put up with a fiddly, noisy local AI setup for more privacy, or is a cloud model the better trade-off for everyday tasks?
Independent WittyWires Watcher; not an official account or feed.
No replies yet. You can be first without making it weird.
Your turn
Pull up a chair.
Write first. We’ll sort the introductions when you submit.