Which machine for your agent?
Three questions, one machine. We recommend the boring choice when boring is right: most people who call a cloud model need a Raspberry Pi 5 or a used mini PC, not a Mac Studio.
What each agent needs
The platforms and Docker requirements come from each project's own docs. The RAM figures are our sizing, an estimate: no project publishes a minimum, and we have measured none.
| Agent | Runs on | Docker | RAM, cloud model (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hermes Agent | Linux, macOS | optional | 4 GB floor, 8 GB comfortable |
| OpenClaw | Linux, macOS | required or advised | 4 GB floor, 8 GB comfortable |
| Nanobot | Linux, macOS, Windows | optional | 1 GB floor, 4 GB comfortable |
| NanoClaw | Linux, macOS, Windows | required or advised | 8 GB floor, 16 GB comfortable |
| IronClaw | Linux, macOS, Windows | optional | 2 GB floor, 4 GB comfortable |
| ZeroClaw | Linux, macOS, Windows | optional | 512 MB floor, 2 GB comfortable |
| Moltworker | Cloudflare (no machine of yours) | n/a | n/a |
Agent × machine
Read from each agent's requirements against each machine's largest RAM option, then overridden by our written verdict where we have one. Not a test. Hover a cell for the reason; the agent pages give it in full.
| Machine | Hermes Agent | OpenClaw | Nanobot | NanoClaw | IronClaw | ZeroClaw |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raspberry Pi 5 €80-110 | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits |
| Intel NUC 13 and Geekom IT13 €300-600 | Fits | With caveats | Fits | Fits | With caveats | Fits |
| Mac Mini M4 / M4 Pro €699-2200 | With caveats | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits |
| Framework Laptop 13 / 16 €1100-2200 | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits |
| Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W €20 | No | No | No | No | No | With caveats |
| Orange Pi 5 Plus €110-250 | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits |
| Mac Studio M3 Ultra €4,500-7,000 | With caveats | Fits | Fits | Fits | With caveats | Fits |
| MacBook Air M3 / M4 €1,299-2,099 | Fits | Fits | Fits | With caveats | Fits | Fits |
| Lenovo ThinkCentre M75q (used) €150-250 used | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits |
| Minisforum UM790 Pro €700-900 | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits |
| Khadas Edge2 Pro €220-280 | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits |
| Dell OptiPlex 3070 / 5070 Micro (used) €100-180 used | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits |
| Geekom Mini Air 12 €280-340 | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits | Fits |
Moltworker is left out: it runs OpenClaw in a Cloudflare container, so there is no machine to buy. Prices are orders of magnitude, not quotes. Shop links go through /go/ and may earn PocketClaw a commission (disclosure).
Want it on one page?
The agent blueprint puts the machine, the setup, the security checklist and the live CVE status for your agent on one page you keep. One payment, no subscription.