System requirements
What Abliteration needs from your machine. Windows 10 or 11, or macOS 11 and up. 8 GB of RAM to run a small model, 16 GB to run something interesting.
Short answer
Windows 10 (22H2) or Windows 11, or macOS 11 Big Sur or newer. 8 GB of RAM is the floor and gets you a 3B model on a good day. 16 GB is where the app starts to feel comfortable, with room for a 7B model and something else open. On the Mac side, Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4) is noticeably faster than an Intel Mac at the same job.
Detailed explanation
Windows. 64-bit Windows 10 (build 22H2) or Windows 11 on x64. 8 GB of RAM as a minimum, 16 GB or more for anything past a 3B model. At least 20 GB of free disk for the app itself plus one or two models. An SSD makes first loads much faster than an HDD, especially for the larger files.
macOS. macOS 11 Big Sur or newer on either an Intel Mac or an Apple Silicon Mac. 8 GB of RAM is the floor, 16 GB the practical minimum for 7B models with a few tabs open. 20 GB of free disk, and again SSD makes a real difference on first load.
Apple Silicon vs Intel. The M-series chips have a unified memory architecture, which means the CPU and GPU share the same RAM without the copy step a discrete GPU would need. Combined with the Metal backend the app uses on Apple Silicon, an M1 with 16 GB will comfortably outrun a same-year Intel MacBook Pro on a 7B model. If you already have an Intel Mac, it still works, just start with smaller models. See Slow generation on an older Intel Mac.
Model sizes and RAM in one line. 8 GB RAM lands you around a 3B Q4 model. 16 GB opens up 7B Q4 and 13B Q3. 32 GB brings 13B Q4 or a 30B MoE within reach. 64 GB lets you run a 70B Q4 if you close everything else. Full detail lives in RAM requirements and Understanding your rig.
Why it matters
Local models are bottlenecked by RAM first and CPU second. The requirements above are not guesses, they are the point where the fit-check dialog stops rejecting the smallest useful models. Below the floor, you can install the app, but every model page will be red.
In Abliteration specifically
The first time the app opens, it reads the machine’s actual specs and shows you a “Your rig” popup with a plain-language verdict on what will run. If the machine is above the floor, the popup lists model sizes in green, amber, and red. If the machine is below, the popup says so honestly rather than encouraging a download that will not load.