how-to
How to Load a Model in LM Studio: GUI, CLI and API
Load a model in LM Studio with Cmd/Ctrl+L, lms load, or the REST API. Set GPU offload and context length, and…
LM Studio Guide — Local LLM Desktop Runners, GGUF Quantization Profiles & Apple Metal GPU Acceleration
Local LLM Desktop Runners, GGUF Quantization Profiles & Apple Metal GPU Acceleration
LM Studio Guide
Independent · 2026
Independent · 2026
comparisons
LMStudio vs Ollama (2026): Which One Should You Run?
LMStudio vs Ollama: Ollama for servers, containers and shipped code; LM Studio for desktop model testing. Licenses, APIs and defaults compared.
Read the article →Latest guides
models
Best Local LLM for 16GB RAM in 2026: What Actually Fits
Qwen3.5-9B is the best local LLM for 16GB RAM, Gemma 4 12B the runner-up. KV cache math, fit checks, and when…
inference
How Much VRAM for a 7B Model? Quantization and Context
Size a 7B model using documented memory figures for BF16, INT8 and INT4. Account for KV cache, context length…
comparisons
LM Studio vs Ollama for Local LLMs: How to Actually Choose
A practical comparison of LM Studio and Ollama for local LLMs: licensing limits, OpenAI API coverage, and the…
model-formats
GGUF vs Safetensors: Differences and LM Studio Support
Compare GGUF and Safetensors for inference, training, quantization and LM Studio support, including when MLX …
hardware
LM Studio System Requirements: Windows, Mac, Linux, GPU
See the minimum specs per OS (Apple Silicon with macOS 14+, an x64 AVX2 CPU on Windows, Ubuntu 20.04+ on Linu…
Start here
Running a language model on your own machine comes down to three decisions in order: whether the hardware can hold the model, whether the model exists in a format LM Studio can open, and which quantization of it to run. These cover all three.
VRAM & GGUF Sizer
Estimate the memory a model needs before downloading it. Runs in your browser.
System requirements
The hard platform floors, and how to size a machine to the model you want.
Quantization levels
What Q4_K_M actually costs you against Q8_0, and how to choose between them.
GGUF vs safetensors
Why a model will not load, and how to find a build that will.
Serving models from a home server instead of a desktop? Read the headless and Unraid options.