AI Hardware Calculator
Size your local infrastructure.
Size your local AI infrastructure correctly
This calculator gives you a practical first recommendation for local AI infrastructure in Germany and Europe. Instead of generic estimates, it reflects your real usage profile: concurrent users, latency target, data sensitivity, and document-heavy workloads. The output includes a hardware tier, platform direction, and budget range for an actionable starting point.
For regulated environments (legal, healthcare, finance, industrial operations), this helps you start on-prem AI in a controlled, GDPR-aligned way without overbuying hardware too early. It is not a final architecture audit, but it significantly reduces sizing mistakes during planning.
Select Use CaseSelect the primary tasks your team performs on a daily basis.
What will you primarily use the local AI for?
FAQ about the AI Hardware Calculator
How accurate is the recommendation?
It is a strong first sizing estimate based on your inputs. Before purchase, validate with an architecture review and realistic workload tests.
Is this suitable for GDPR-sensitive data?
Yes, the calculator is designed for local/on-prem deployment scenarios. Production setups still require proper access control, logging, and security policies.
Do I need multiple GPUs immediately?
Not always. Many teams start with a smaller setup and scale when concurrency or latency requirements increase.
Can I combine cloud and on-prem?
Yes. A hybrid approach is often effective: sensitive workflows on-prem, non-critical workloads optionally in the cloud.
How we calculate
VRAM = model weights (at chosen quantization) + KV cache × context length × concurrent users. A 7B model at Q4 uses ~4 GB; longer contexts add 0.5–16 GB per user.
Speed: each quantization level scales relative to Q4 — Q5 ≈ 92%, Q8 ≈ 78%, FP16 ≈ 62% of Q4 speed for LLMs. Video models scale inversely (higher precision = more seconds per clip).
Energy = TDP (W) × usage hours × 30 days ÷ 1,000 × electricity rate. The rate comes from your selected country.
TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) = hardware cost ÷ 3-year depreciation + annual energy cost.