# AI Rig Upgrade**Status:** Active — GPU shopping**Created:** 2026-04-20**Updated:** 2026-04-20**Tags:** `gpu`, `ollama`, `local-ai`, `aurora-r3`, `upgrade`## SummaryUpgrade the Dell Aurora R3 (i7-2600K, 32GB DDR3, Thermaltake 600W) with a used GPU to enable fast local AI inference for OpenClaw, ComBadge, Tricorder, and other AI-enabled projects.**Goal:** 10-20+ tokens/sec on 7B-13B models. Fast enough to iterate on projects without fighting the tool.## Decision Tree### Why GPU (not Mac mini or new build)- Already has a working Linux box — no new machine to manage- OpenClaw is already set up on it- Budget comfort zone: ~$200-250 speculative buy- Keeps everything in one place (no multi-box management overhead)- Enables ComBadge + Tricorder development (both need local AI backend)### Why not Mac mini- Non-upgradeable, expensive ($700-1000+)- Less "hack factor" for this crew- Would still need ZFS storage solution### Why not two-box (ZFS + AI separate)- Split became $300+ before GPU — too expensive- ZFS is nice-to-have, not a burning need (6TB works fine)- Park ZFS for later, focus on AI now## Current System| Component | Detail ||-----------|--------|| **Motherboard** | Dell Aurora R3 (standard ATX, aftermarket mobo in cheap case) || **CPU** | Intel i7-2600K (Sandy Bridge, 6-core @ 3.40GHz) || **RAM** | 32GB DDR3 @ 1600MHz || **PSU** | Thermaltake 600W (new, 2×8-pin PCIe connectors free) || **Current GPU** | Quadro K600 (1GB, display only — to be removed) || **PCIe** | PCIe 2.0 x16 slot (free), no ReBAR support on this platform |## GPU Candidates> Target: used card, 8-pin PCIe power, HDMI or DP output, within $200-250 budget| GPU | VRAM | TDP | Power Conn. | Used Price | Priority ||-----|------|-----|-------------|-----------|----------|| **RTX 3060 12GB** | 12GB | 170W | 1×8-pin | $180-230 | ⭐ Primary target || GTX 1660 Super | 6GB | 125W | 1×8-pin | $100-140 | Budget fallback || RTX 3060 Ti | 8GB | 200W | 1×8-pin | $170-220 | Alternative || RTX 2060 Super | 8GB | 175W | 1×8-pin | $130-170 | Older gen fallback || RTX 2070 | 8GB | 185W | 1×8-pin | $150-200 | If found cheap || RTX 4060 Ti 16GB | 16GB | 160W | 1×8-pin | $330-400 | If budget allows |### Why RTX 3060 12GB- 12GB VRAM — handles 7B Q5 and 13B Q4 models comfortably- 170W TDP — fits within 600W PSU headroom- Single 8-pin — Thermaltake has 2 of these free- PCIe 2.0 compatible — no ReBAR needed- Standard dual-fan or blower — fits in standard case- HDMI + 3×DisplayPort — multiple display options### Avoid- RTX 4070+ (needs 2×8-pin or 12-pin, too power-hungry for 600W)- Cards without 8-pin PCIe connectors- Single-fan thermal designs (will throttle in enclosed case)## eBay Search Terms```RTX 3060 12GBRTX 3060 ti 8GBRTX 2060 superRTX 2070```**Filters:**- Seller rating 50+- Multi-fan or blower style (not single-fan)- "Works" or "tested" in description- Check compatibility with older PCIe generation## Expected PerformanceWith RTX 3060 12GB:| Model | Quantization | Expected Speed ||-------|-------------|---------------|| 7B | Q4 | ~30-40 tok/sec || 7B | Q8 | ~40+ tok/sec || 13B | Q4 | ~15-25 tok/sec || 13B | Q5 | ~10-15 tok/sec |## Next Steps- [x] Confirm hardware: Aurora R3 mobo, i7-2600K, 32GB DDR3, 600W Thermaltake- [x] Remove Quadro K600- [x] Identify PCIe slot and power connectors- [ ] Source RTX 3060 12GB (~$200-230 on eBay)- [ ] Install GPU, install drivers- [ ] Configure Ollama with GPU support- [ ] Test inference speed with reference model- [ ] Verify OpenClaw integration## Related Projects- [[com-badge.md]] — ComBadge wearable (needs local AI)- [[tricorder.md]] — Tricorder handheld (needs local AI)- [[ai-desktop-companion.md]] — StackChan desktop robot- [[zfs-casaos.md]] — ZFS/storage (parked for now, not blocking)## Notes- PCIe 2.0 x16 is bandwidth-limited vs 3.0/4.0, but inference is compute-bound not bandwidth-bound — won't be the bottleneck for these model sizes- No ReBAR support means some newer optimizations won't work, but doesn't block standard inference- 600W PSU calculation: ~95W CPU + ~50W system + 170W GPU = ~315W under full load, plenty of headroom---*Last updated: 2026-04-20 — resolved to RTX 3060 12GB, eBay shopping phase*