diff --git a/src-tauri/src/commands/hardware.rs b/src-tauri/src/commands/hardware.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f91d98a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src-tauri/src/commands/hardware.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+use serde::Serialize;
+
+use kon_core::hardware::{self, Os};
+use kon_core::recommendation;
+
+#[derive(Serialize)]
+pub struct SystemInfo {
+    pub ram_mb: u64,
+    pub cpu_brand: String,
+    pub cpu_cores: usize,
+    pub os: String,
+    pub gpu: Option<String>,
+}
+
+#[derive(Serialize)]
+pub struct ModelRecommendation {
+    pub id: String,
+    pub display_name: &'static str,
+    pub disk_size_mb: u64,
+    pub ram_required_mb: u64,
+    pub description: &'static str,
+    pub score: f64,
+    pub reason: String,
+    pub is_downloaded: bool,
+}
+
+/// Probe system hardware and return a summary.
+#[tauri::command]
+pub fn probe_system() -> Result<SystemInfo, String> {
+    let profile = hardware::probe_system();
+    Ok(SystemInfo {
+        ram_mb: profile.ram.0,
+        cpu_brand: profile.cpu.brand,
+        cpu_cores: profile.cpu.core_count,
+        os: match profile.os {
+            Os::Windows => "Windows",
+            Os::Linux => "Linux",
+            Os::MacOs => "macOS",
+            Os::Ios => "iOS",
+            Os::Android => "Android",
+        }
+        .to_string(),
+        gpu: profile.gpu.map(|g| format!("{:?}", g.vendor)),
+    })
+}
+
+/// Rank models for the current system and return recommendations.
+#[tauri::command]
+pub fn rank_models() -> Result<Vec<ModelRecommendation>, String> {
+    let profile = hardware::probe_system();
+    let ranked = recommendation::rank_recommendations(&profile);
+
+    Ok(ranked
+        .into_iter()
+        .map(|scored| {
+            let downloaded = kon_transcription::is_downloaded(&scored.entry.id);
+            ModelRecommendation {
+                id: scored.entry.id.as_str().to_string(),
+                display_name: scored.entry.display_name,
+                disk_size_mb: scored.entry.disk_size.0,
+                ram_required_mb: scored.entry.ram_required.0,
+                description: scored.entry.description,
+                score: scored.score,
+                reason: scored.reason,
+                is_downloaded: downloaded,
+            }
+        })
+        .collect())
+}
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/commands/mod.rs b/src-tauri/src/commands/mod.rs
index 84316e2..91b362a 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/commands/mod.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/commands/mod.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 pub mod audio;
 pub mod clipboard;
+pub mod hardware;
 pub mod llm;
 pub mod models;
 pub mod transcription;
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
index 28d6603..6ab4dea 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@ pub fn run() {
             commands::windows::open_viewer_window,
             // Clipboard
             commands::clipboard::copy_to_clipboard,
+            // Hardware
+            commands::hardware::probe_system,
+            commands::hardware::rank_models,
             // LLM stubs
             commands::llm::download_llm_model,
             commands::llm::check_llm_model,
diff --git a/src/lib/pages/FirstRunPage.svelte b/src/lib/pages/FirstRunPage.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..55aab82
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/pages/FirstRunPage.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1,170 @@
+<script>
+  import { invoke } from "@tauri-apps/api/core";
+  import { listen } from "@tauri-apps/api/event";
+  import { page, settings } from "$lib/stores/page.svelte.js";
+  import UnicodeSpinner from "$lib/components/UnicodeSpinner.svelte";
+
+  let systemInfo = $state(null);
+  let models = $state([]);
+  let probing = $state(true);
+  let downloading = $state(false);
+  let downloadProgress = $state(0);
+  let downloadingModel = $state("");
+  let error = $state("");
+  let ready = $state(false);
+
+  async function probe() {
+    try {
+      systemInfo = await invoke("probe_system");
+      models = await invoke("rank_models");
+      probing = false;
+    } catch (e) {
+      error = `Hardware probe failed: ${e}`;
+      probing = false;
+    }
+  }
+
+  async function downloadAndGo(modelId) {
+    downloading = true;
+    downloadingModel = modelId;
+    downloadProgress = 0;
+
+    const unlisten = await listen("model-download-progress", (event) => {
+      downloadProgress = event.payload.percent;
+    });
+
+    const unlistenParakeet = await listen("parakeet-download-progress", (event) => {
+      downloadProgress = event.payload.percent;
+    });
+
+    try {
+      if (modelId.startsWith("whisper-")) {
+        const sizeMap = {
+          "whisper-tiny-en": "tiny",
+          "whisper-base-en": "base",
+          "whisper-small-en": "small",
+          "whisper-medium-en": "medium",
+        };
+        await invoke("download_model", { size: sizeMap[modelId] || modelId });
+        await invoke("load_model", { size: sizeMap[modelId] || modelId });
+        settings.engine = "whisper";
+        settings.modelSize = (sizeMap[modelId] || modelId).charAt(0).toUpperCase() + (sizeMap[modelId] || modelId).slice(1);
+      } else if (modelId.startsWith("parakeet-")) {
+        await invoke("download_parakeet_model", { name: "ctc-int8" });
+        await invoke("load_parakeet_model", { name: "ctc-int8" });
+        settings.engine = "parakeet";
+      }
+
+      ready = true;
+      setTimeout(() => {
+        page.current = "dictation";
+      }, 1500);
+    } catch (e) {
+      error = `Download failed: ${e}`;
+      downloading = false;
+    } finally {
+      unlisten();
+      unlistenParakeet();
+    }
+  }
+
+  function skipSetup() {
+    page.current = "dictation";
+  }
+
+  // Start probing on mount
+  probe();
+</script>
+
+<div class="flex flex-col items-center justify-center h-full px-8 py-12 max-w-xl mx-auto">
+  {#if probing}
+    <div class="text-center">
+      <UnicodeSpinner type="dots" speed={80} classes="text-2xl text-accent" />
+      <h2 class="text-xl font-medium text-text mt-4">Setting up Kon</h2>
+      <p class="text-sm text-text-secondary mt-2">Detecting your hardware...</p>
+    </div>
+
+  {:else if ready}
+    <div class="text-center">
+      <span class="text-4xl">&#3559;</span>
+      <h2 class="text-xl font-medium text-text mt-4">Ready to go</h2>
+      <p class="text-sm text-text-secondary mt-2">Starting Kon...</p>
+    </div>
+
+  {:else if downloading}
+    <div class="text-center w-full">
+      <h2 class="text-xl font-medium text-text">Downloading model</h2>
+      <p class="text-sm text-text-secondary mt-2">{downloadingModel}</p>
+      <div class="w-full bg-bg-input rounded-full h-2 mt-6">
+        <div
+          class="bg-accent h-2 rounded-full transition-all duration-300"
+          style="width: {downloadProgress}%"
+        ></div>
+      </div>
+      <p class="text-xs text-text-tertiary mt-2">{downloadProgress}%</p>
+    </div>
+
+  {:else}
+    <div class="w-full">
+      <h2 class="text-2xl font-medium text-text text-center">Welcome to Kon</h2>
+      <p class="text-sm text-text-secondary text-center mt-2">Think out loud</p>
+
+      {#if error}
+        <div class="mt-4 p-3 rounded-lg bg-red-500/10 text-red-400 text-sm">{error}</div>
+      {/if}
+
+      {#if systemInfo}
+        <div class="mt-8 p-4 rounded-lg bg-bg-input border border-border">
+          <h3 class="text-xs font-medium text-text-tertiary uppercase tracking-wider mb-3">Your system</h3>
+          <div class="grid grid-cols-2 gap-2 text-sm">
+            <span class="text-text-secondary">RAM</span>
+            <span class="text-text">{Math.round(systemInfo.ram_mb / 1024)} GB</span>
+            <span class="text-text-secondary">CPU</span>
+            <span class="text-text truncate" title={systemInfo.cpu_brand}>{systemInfo.cpu_brand}</span>
+            <span class="text-text-secondary">Cores</span>
+            <span class="text-text">{systemInfo.cpu_cores}</span>
+            <span class="text-text-secondary">OS</span>
+            <span class="text-text">{systemInfo.os}</span>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      {/if}
+
+      {#if models.length > 0}
+        <div class="mt-6">
+          <h3 class="text-xs font-medium text-text-tertiary uppercase tracking-wider mb-3">Recommended models</h3>
+          <div class="space-y-2">
+            {#each models as model, i}
+              <button
+                class="w-full text-left p-3 rounded-lg border transition-colors
+                  {i === 0 ? 'border-accent bg-accent/5 hover:bg-accent/10' : 'border-border bg-bg-input hover:bg-hover'}"
+                onclick={() => downloadAndGo(model.id)}
+                disabled={model.is_downloaded}
+              >
+                <div class="flex items-center justify-between">
+                  <div>
+                    <span class="text-sm font-medium text-text">{model.display_name}</span>
+                    {#if i === 0}
+                      <span class="ml-2 text-[10px] px-1.5 py-0.5 rounded-full bg-accent/15 text-accent font-medium">Recommended</span>
+                    {/if}
+                    {#if model.is_downloaded}
+                      <span class="ml-2 text-[10px] px-1.5 py-0.5 rounded-full bg-green-500/15 text-green-400 font-medium">Downloaded</span>
+                    {/if}
+                  </div>
+                  <span class="text-xs text-text-tertiary">{model.disk_size_mb} MB</span>
+                </div>
+                <p class="text-xs text-text-secondary mt-1">{model.description}</p>
+              </button>
+            {/each}
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      {/if}
+
+      <button
+        class="mt-6 text-xs text-text-tertiary hover:text-text-secondary underline"
+        onclick={skipSetup}
+      >
+        Skip setup — I'll configure later
+      </button>
+    </div>
+  {/if}
+</div>
diff --git a/src/routes/+layout.svelte b/src/routes/+layout.svelte
index 588eb67..853c9e9 100644
--- a/src/routes/+layout.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/+layout.svelte
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 <script>
   import "../app.css";
-  import { onDestroy } from "svelte";
+  import { onMount, onDestroy } from "svelte";
+  import { invoke } from "@tauri-apps/api/core";
   import Sidebar from "$lib/Sidebar.svelte";
   import TaskSidebar from "$lib/components/TaskSidebar.svelte";
   import Titlebar from "$lib/components/Titlebar.svelte";
@@ -66,6 +67,19 @@
     document.documentElement.style.setProperty("--font-size-transcript", `${settings.fontSize}px`);
   });
 
+  // First-run detection: check if any models are downloaded
+  onMount(async () => {
+    try {
+      const whisper = await invoke("list_models");
+      const parakeet = await invoke("list_parakeet_models");
+      if (whisper.length === 0 && parakeet.length === 0) {
+        page.current = "first-run";
+      }
+    } catch {
+      // If commands fail, skip first-run check
+    }
+  });
+
   onDestroy(() => {
     if (registeredHotkey) {
       import("@tauri-apps/plugin-global-shortcut")
@@ -87,11 +101,13 @@
 <div class="flex flex-col h-screen w-screen overflow-hidden grain">
   <Titlebar />
   <div class="flex flex-1 min-h-0">
-    <Sidebar />
+    {#if page.current !== "first-run"}
+      <Sidebar />
+    {/if}
     <div class="flex-1 overflow-hidden bg-bg">
       {@render children()}
     </div>
-    {#if page.taskSidebarOpen}
+    {#if page.taskSidebarOpen && page.current !== "first-run"}
       <TaskSidebar />
     {/if}
   </div>
diff --git a/src/routes/+page.svelte b/src/routes/+page.svelte
index deb8022..cffb4b7 100644
--- a/src/routes/+page.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/+page.svelte
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
   import TasksPage from "$lib/pages/TasksPage.svelte";
   import HistoryPage from "$lib/pages/HistoryPage.svelte";
   import SettingsPage from "$lib/pages/SettingsPage.svelte";
+  import FirstRunPage from "$lib/pages/FirstRunPage.svelte";
 
   // Redirect legacy "profiles" page to settings
   $effect(() => {
@@ -13,7 +14,9 @@
 </script>
 
 <div class="h-full overflow-hidden">
-  {#if page.current === "dictation"}
+  {#if page.current === "first-run"}
+    <FirstRunPage />
+  {:else if page.current === "dictation"}
     <DictationPage />
   {:else if page.current === "files"}
     <FilesPage />