AI Speed (TPS) Simulator
Don't understand the benchmarks? Feel them. Adjust the slider to see how fast different AI hardware generates text in real-time.
Don't guess benchmarks — feel the speed of Llama 3, Mixtral, and RTX Hardware.
Select Hardware Profile
Why TPS Matters More Than You Think
When buying hardware for Local AI, benchmarks often throw around numbers like "30 t/s" or "100 t/s." But what does that actually mean for your workflow?
The "Reading Speed" Threshold
The average human reads at roughly 5-8 tokens per second (approx. 200-250 words per minute).
- Under 10 T/s: The AI writes slower than you can read. This feels agonizingly slow (laggy).
- 20-30 T/s: The "Goldilocks" zone. The AI writes slightly faster than you read, creating a smooth, conversational feel.
- 50+ T/s: Instantaneous. Great for coding or summarizing huge docs where you just want the result at the end.
2026 AI Hardware Benchmarks
Understanding Tokens Per Second (TPS) is critical before building a Local AI Rig. Below is the average performance for running Llama-3 8B (Q4_K_M).
| Hardware | VRAM | Avg Speed | Experience |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU Only (Intel/AMD) | N/A | 2 - 6 T/s | Unusable |
| MacBook Air M2/M3 | Unified | 18 - 25 T/s | Smooth Reading |
| NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti | 16GB | 40 - 50 T/s | Fast |
| NVIDIA RTX 4090 | 24GB | 85 - 110 T/s | Instant |
Frequently Asked Questions
For conversational AI, you need at least 15-20 TPS. This matches the average human reading speed. Anything below 10 TPS will feel laggy.
Does RAM affect Token Speed?
Yes. If your model fits in GPU VRAM, it is fast. If it overflows into System RAM, speed drops by 90%.
Check out our Cloud vs Local Savings Calculator
