#Which model would be best for openclaw as default local model?

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fathom beacon
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can use GLM 4.7 flash Q8 or minimax 2.5 at Q4_K_M . Which would be best for openclaw and why? or any other recommended model?

floral foxBOT
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nova perchBOT
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I can’t give a confident “GLM wins” / “MiniMax wins” here because (a) both of those names/quant variants shift quickly, and (b) for OpenClaw the #1 differentiator isn’t raw IQ — it’s tool/function-calling reliability (strict JSON, correct args, recovers when a tool errors, doesn’t stall).

That said, here’s the practical framework + what I’d generally expect from your two options:

What matters most for an OpenClaw default model

  1. Structured output / tool calls: can it emit valid JSON every time when asked (no extra prose, no trailing commas, no “here’s the JSON:” wrapper)?
  2. Instruction following under pressure: when the agent is juggling steps + tool results, does it stay on task?
  3. Latency: slow models feel way worse in agent loops than in chat.
  4. Context handling: does it keep state across multiple tool results without “forgetting” constraints.

GLM 4.7 Flash Q8 vs MiniMax 2.5 Q4_K_M (rule of thumb)

  • Quantization matters: all else equal, Q8 tends to be noticeably more stable than Q4 for instruction-following and formatting (especially JSON/tool calls). If you have the VRAM/RAM headroom, that alone can make the Q8 option a safer “default”.
  • Speed vs stability trade: Q4_K_M is usually attractive for speed/fit, but it’s also where you more often see “almost-valid JSON” and little instruction slips that break tool calling.

So if you’re forced to pick one local default without benchmarking: I’d start with the Q8 model if it runs comfortably on your hardware, and only drop to Q4 if you need the speed/fit.

The 10-minute test that will answer this for your setup

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Run both models through the same 3 prompts and see which one succeeds 3/3 times:

  1. Strict JSON test
    “Return ONLY valid JSON with keys … (no markdown, no comments).”

  2. Tool-call simulation (even without real tools)
    “Produce a function call object matching this schema …” (then validate it)

  3. Recovery test
    Give it a fake tool error and see if it corrects the arguments cleanly without spiraling.

Whichever model is boringly consistent wins as your OpenClaw default.

“Any other recommended model?”

Local models that feel great in chat often still struggle with OpenClaw-style tool use, so I’d rather not rattle off a list that’ll be outdated tomorrow. The best place to get current “this one actually works with tools” reports is: