# ChatGPT Desktop 63 Hacker News commenters recommended ChatGPT Desktop and 88 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 8 of 13 months; owners who said how long report a median of 0.2 years (3 owners). **Verdict:** Recommended for a native desktop app that handles chats, Codex coding sessions and computer use in one place. Critics report slowness, hangs and high memory use. ## Why people recommend it - Controls computer and browser for tasks (4 comments): "nobody still understands the utility of just having a ChatGPT desktop app being able to basically drive your computer" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50045989)) "the codex desktop app is very powerful for development + testing given it can easily control the computer" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48559650)) "It can UI test web apps if that's part of your job, but it can also just use the browser for tasks." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49283129)) - Built-in browser and inline previews (3 comments): "Latex rendering, inline images, inline browser showing what it's clicking on, being able to view a spreadsheet and then select a region to reference in the conversation" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49283936)) "native built-in browser integration, links, etc which the (Mac) desktop apps like ChatGPT or Claude offer" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49507654)) "in-app browser with feedback you can do that's native to its elements lika a network inspector" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49294872)) - Good for non-coding research tasks (4 comments): "I've had it research flights by checking different dates automatically and compiling the results for me." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49283302)) "Codex in ChatGPT Desktop + 5.6Sol is my daily driver for non-coding things, and it's great." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49505267)) "ChatGPT Desktop is much better in this regard, I feel the output is concise, clear" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49394200)) - Remote control from phone app (2 comments): "one advantage is that you can control it remotely via the chatgpt mobile app" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49287174)) "Mobile remote connection works, pushed the PR earlier today." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48149775)) ## What people warn about - Security and access control concerns (6 comments): ""computer use" features, which is absolutely a big no-no at our company, can be enabled with a single click, and we cannot configure that" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49284136)) "it's possible to remotely access the file system (!) of computers ever having started a "Work" chat in the ChatGPT desktop app" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50315324)) "run a proprietary gui based LLM solution that Sam Altman gets to keylog AND have full remote code execution on their system" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49284117)) - Slow, hangs and heavy memory use (5 comments): "My biggest gripe is now anytime I open a new session it hangs and I see the beachball spinner (mac) for a while before I can actually use the app again." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49289930)) "It does feel slower than it used to be. Fast mode seems useless now - burns through tokens without a noticeable speed gain for me now." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49233310)) "I can't get codex app, new chatgpt or chatgpt classic to work without hanging on even a moderately sized chat." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49532879)) - Bloated, unconventional app design (2 comments): "it downloads multiple gigabytes of random things and doesn't follow any design conventions nor standards" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49285303)) "Their apps are bare bones, somewhat flaky, and overall not that impressive from a UX point of view." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46867531)) - Buggy on Windows and Mac (2 comments): "Is it just me or is codex on windows slow and buggy for general work tasks?" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50139663)) "The Mac desktop ChatGPT app had weird issues like not being able to see the model being used by a chat inside a project" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48859247)) ## Alternatives hackers recommend - [Claude](https://hackerapproved.com/p/claude.md): 5175 recommend - [Google Gemini](https://hackerapproved.com/p/gemini.md): 2195 recommend - [ChatGPT](https://hackerapproved.com/p/chatgpt.md): 2186 recommend - [Grok](https://hackerapproved.com/p/grok.md): 727 recommend - [Microsoft Copilot](https://hackerapproved.com/p/microsoft-copilot.md): 139 recommend ## Cite as Hacker Approved, "ChatGPT Desktop", https://hackerapproved.com/p/chatgpt-desktop/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).