Side-by-side comparison for AI agent hardware
| Feature | 🍓 Raspberry Pi 5 | 🖥️ Mac Mini M4 Best Value | 🎮 RTX 4090 Workstation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$120 | $599 - $1,399 | $2,500+ |
| Max Local Model | 4B (very slow) | 27B (usable) / 70B (64GB) | 70B (fast) |
| Inference Speed | ~8 tok/s (4B) | ~42 tok/s (27B) | ~80 tok/s (70B) |
| Power Draw | 3-12W | 5-40W | 150-450W |
| Monthly Electricity | ~$1 | ~$3-5 | ~$20-40 |
| Noise | Silent | Silent | Loud under load |
| Best For | API-only agents, IoT | General purpose, local + cloud | Max local performance |
| 24/7 Suitability | Excellent | Excellent | Good (power/heat) |