Small Models Are Evolving Fast: Opus-Level Intelligence on Laptops Next Year?

No-Meringue5867 · reddit · 2026-08-01

A Reddit user visualized the trend of model sizes and benchmark scores over time using models like Opus/Sonnet 5. The data shows that new-generation small models like DeepSeek V4 Flash are extremely smart and can run on setups costing under $50,000.

The author predicts that if the current trend continues, consumer-grade MacBook Air/Pro could smoothly run local LLMs reaching Opus 4.5 levels (pushing AA scores near 40) as early as next year. However, they noted that the trend above a score of 40 might be less reliable due to a lack of sufficient data points in that top tier.

Related event: Open Model Miniaturization Accelerates: Opus-Level AI on Laptops Expected Next Year(2 posts)→

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