Field Guide · Week of 17 August 2026
Phi-4 Mini
Microsoft · United States · Microsoft
The model we put on an 8 GB machine. It will not write a novel. It will draft and explain.
- Where it runs
- Runs on your computer
- Memory
- 8 GB
- Size
- 3.8B dense
- License
- MIT
Why it is on this week’s list
Honest about what 8 GB can do. We will not sell you a 27B on this box.
Use it when
An older laptop, a first practice install, a student machine.
Skip it when
You have 16 GB. Step up.