What Hardware Do You Need to Run the Mickai Beta?

To run the Mickai beta you need a capable modern computer, and the surest way to know whether yours qualifies is to open the beta page and let it check for you. The page at mickai.co.uk/beta runs a quick browser-based hardware probe that reads what your machine can offer and tells you on the spot. The two factors that matter most are memory and processing: enough working memory to hold a local model, and either a CPU or a GPU to run it. Exact numbers are best left to the probe, because it measures your actual hardware rather than guessing from a spec sheet.

• Mickai is a SIOS that runs entirely on your own hardware, offline, over loopback only.
• The beta page runs a browser-based capability check before you apply.
• Memory is usually the binding constraint, because a local model has to fit inside it.
• You can choose to run on a CPU or a GPU, and it is never GPU-only.
• If your machine qualifies, you can apply straight from the check.

How does the hardware check work?

When you open mickai.co.uk/beta, the page runs a short capability probe inside your browser. It looks at the signals your system exposes, such as available memory and the kind of processor you have, and it works out whether your machine can comfortably run a local model. Nothing is installed to perform this check, and the reading reflects the computer you are sitting at rather than an average or an assumption.

The result is easy to read. If the probe finds enough headroom, the page invites you to apply. If it finds that your hardware falls short, it says so plainly, so you are never left guessing about compatibility before you commit any time.

Do I need a GPU?

No. A GPU is welcome but not required. Mickai is built so that you can choose to run on a CPU or a GPU, and it is never GPU-only. A modern processor with enough memory behind it can run a local model perfectly well.

What a GPU changes is speed. Where a capable graphics card is present and you choose to use it, responses tend to arrive faster. On a CPU the same work still completes, it simply takes a little longer. The right choice depends on the machine in front of you, which is exactly what the probe helps you understand.

How much memory does a local model need?

Memory is usually the part that decides whether a machine qualifies. A local model has to be loaded into memory to run, so the amount of working memory you have sets the ceiling on what will fit. When there is plenty of headroom, everything runs smoothly. When memory is tight, larger models will not load at all.

Rather than quote a fixed figure that would be wrong for half of readers, we let the on-page probe do the measuring. It weighs your available memory against what a local model needs and gives you an answer grounded in your own hardware, not a generic recommendation.

What does quantisation change?

Quantisation is the technique that lets a large model fit into less memory. It stores the model's numbers more compactly, which shrinks the memory footprint and makes it possible to run on far more machines. The trade is a small reduction in accuracy, which for everyday use is usually hard to notice.

This matters for hardware because a quantised model asks less of your memory than a full-size one. It is one of the reasons a capable everyday computer can run a serious model locally, and it widens the range of machines the beta can welcome.

What if my hardware does not qualify?

If the probe finds that your current machine is not ready, that is useful to know early. Micky Irons, founder of Mickai, has been clear that the beta should run on the hardware people already own wherever possible, so the check exists to be honest rather than to turn anyone away. Hardware moves quickly, and a computer that falls short today may qualify after a memory upgrade or on a newer machine. You are welcome to run the check again whenever your setup changes.

It is worth remembering why the bar exists at all. Everything in Mickai runs on your own hardware, offline, reaching only loopback on your own machine, so the work genuinely happens where you are. That privacy is the point, and it is why the probe tells you plainly what your hardware can do before you apply.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to install anything to check my hardware?

No. The check runs in your browser the moment you open mickai.co.uk/beta. It reads your machine's capability and tells you whether you qualify, all before anything is downloaded or set up.

Can I run the beta on a laptop?

Often, yes. Many modern laptops have enough memory and a capable processor to run a local model, especially a quantised one. The reliable way to be sure is to open the beta page and let the probe assess your specific laptop.

Will my data leave my computer?

No. Mickai is a SIOS that runs on your own hardware, offline, over loopback only. The processing happens on your machine, so your work stays with you rather than travelling to a remote service.

Is a gaming PC required?

No. A gaming PC with a strong GPU will feel fast, but it is not a requirement. A capable everyday computer with sufficient memory can run the beta on its CPU, and the probe will confirm whether yours is ready.

What decides whether I qualify?

Chiefly your memory and your processor. The probe weighs both and returns a clear answer for your machine. Because it measures the real hardware in front of you, that answer is more reliable than any general specification we could publish here.