Best laptops for local LLMs in the UK
For local LLMs a laptop's GPU memory matters most, and laptop GPUs top out at 24GB (RTX 5090 Laptop). Below are the UK laptops we track with the most VRAM first, then cheapest, checked 2026-10-16.
| Laptop | GPU | TGP | Biggest model (est.) | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTX 5090 24 GB | unknown | Q4: Qwen2.5-Coder 32B Q8: Qwen3 14B | £2,799.99 Box, 2026-10-16 Tracking since 16 Oct 2026 | |
| RTX 5090 24 GB | unknown | Q4: Qwen2.5-Coder 32B Q8: Qwen3 14B | £3,099.00 Laptops Direct, 2026-10-16 Tracking since 16 Oct 2026 | |
| RTX 5090 24 GB | unknown | Q4: Qwen2.5-Coder 32B Q8: Qwen3 14B | £3,129.99 Box, 2026-10-16 Tracking since 16 Oct 2026 | |
| RTX 5080 16 GB | unknown | Q4: Phi-4 14B Q8: Gemma 3 12B | £2,338.56 Alternate (EU), 2026-10-16 Tracking since 16 Oct 2026 | |
| RTX 5080 16 GB | unknown | Q4: Phi-4 14B Q8: Gemma 3 12B | £2,399.99 Scan, 2026-10-16 Tracking since 16 Oct 2026 | |
| RTX 5080 16 GB | unknown | Q4: Phi-4 14B Q8: Gemma 3 12B | £2,499.97 Laptops Direct, 2026-10-16 Tracking since 16 Oct 2026 | |
| RTX 5070 Ti 12 GB | unknown | Q4: Phi-4 14B Q8: Qwen3 8B | £1,799.98 Laptops Direct, 2026-10-16 Tracking since 16 Oct 2026 | |
| RTX 5070 Ti 12 GB | unknown | Q4: Phi-4 14B Q8: Qwen3 8B | £2,179.99 Box, 2026-10-16 Tracking since 16 Oct 2026 | |
| RTX 5070 Ti 12 GB | unknown | Q4: Phi-4 14B Q8: Qwen3 8B | £2,199.98 Scan, 2026-10-16 Tracking since 16 Oct 2026 | |
| RTX 5050 8 GB | unknown | Q4: Qwen3 8B Q8: Qwen3 4B | £899.98 Laptops Direct, 2026-10-16 Tracking since 16 Oct 2026 | |
| RTX 5050 8 GB | unknown | Q4: Qwen3 8B Q8: Qwen3 4B | £939.97 Laptops Direct, 2026-10-16 Tracking since 16 Oct 2026 | |
| RTX 5050 8 GB | unknown | Q4: Qwen3 8B Q8: Qwen3 4B | £949.99 Scan, 2026-10-16 Tracking since 16 Oct 2026 | |
| RTX 5060 8 GB | unknown | Q4: Qwen3 8B Q8: Qwen3 4B | £995.00 Box, 2026-10-16 Tracking since 16 Oct 2026 | |
| RTX 5060 8 GB | unknown | Q4: Qwen3 8B Q8: Qwen3 4B | £999.97 Laptops Direct, 2026-10-16 Tracking since 16 Oct 2026 | |
| RTX 5060 8 GB | unknown | Q4: Qwen3 8B Q8: Qwen3 4B | £999.98 Scan, 2026-10-16 Tracking since 16 Oct 2026 |
FAQ
How much VRAM do I need in a laptop for local LLMs?
8GB runs 7–8B models at Q4; 12GB fits 14B at Q4; 16GB fits 14B at Q8 or ~24B at Q4; 24GB (RTX 5090 Laptop) fits ~32B at Q4. These are our estimates using real GGUF file sizes.
Is a MacBook better for local LLMs?
Macs share system memory with the GPU, so high-memory models can load bigger LLMs, though roughly 70% of memory is usable for the GPU by default and speed differs. We don't track Mac laptop prices yet.
Data: live listings from UK: AWD-IT, Box, Laptops Direct, Novatech, Scan; EU: Alternate, Caseking, Coolblue, LDLC (checked 2026-10-16, hourly price history), NVIDIA/TechPowerUp specs, Hugging Face GGUF sizes. Model fit is an estimate. All GPU deals · All laptops · RAM · SSDs · CPUs · All models