Asiden is deliberately light on requirements. There is one thing you genuinely need, and after that it is a question of how much you want your own machine to do.
1. The one hard requirement
Asiden is built exclusively for Windows 11. There is no Windows 10 build, and no macOS, Linux, iOS or Android version.
That is the requirement. There is no minimum CPU we will turn you away for and no card we refuse to install on — the app runs, and what changes with your hardware is which local model you can comfortably run.
2. How your GPU changes things
Asiden’s local mode runs a language model on your own PC. Those models come in different sizes, and the size a machine can handle is decided mostly by VRAM — the memory on your graphics card. It is the same principle as texture quality in a game: a bigger card lets you turn the settings up.
As a rough guide, and not a spec sheet:
- Modest or no discrete GPU — smaller local models run, but replies are slower and simpler. Perfectly usable for casual conversation.
- A mid-range gaming card — mid-sized models run smoothly. This is where local Asiden starts to feel genuinely fluent.
- A high-VRAM card — the largest local models you can run at home, with fast, detailed replies and responsive screen vision.
You choose the model in the app, so you can try a larger one and step back down if your machine finds it heavy. Nothing about that choice is permanent, and none of it affects privacy — every local model, large or small, keeps the conversation on your PC.
3. If you have no capable GPU
You can still use Asiden properly. A Plus or Premium plan runs chat and vision through premium cloud models instead of your graphics card, so a thin laptop gets the same conversational quality as a gaming tower.
Worth being clear about the trade: cloud requests are processed off your machine, which is the one thing local mode avoids. The app tells you when a request is going to the cloud, and you can switch back to local at any time. The detail is in the Privacy Notice.
4. Disk space
The installer is around 3.5 GB. Leave additional room for the local model you choose and for the memories your companion builds over time — memory files are small, but models are not. An SSD makes startup and model loading noticeably quicker.
5. Common questions
Will Asiden run on Windows 10?
No. Windows 11 only.
Is there a Mac or Linux version?
No, and none is planned at present.
Does it need an internet connection?
Only to download and install, and to use optional cloud features. Local conversations work offline.
Does an AMD or Intel card work?
Local model support is set out in the app, which tells you what your machine can run.
Will it slow down my games?
Running a local model uses your GPU, so a demanding game and a large local model compete for the same card. Choosing a smaller model, or using a cloud plan while you play, avoids that.
Ten dollars, once.
Asiden is a one-off $10 during early access, and local conversations are unlimited after that. Purchases and plans are handled inside the app once it is installed.