Launch a GPU session
Once you have credits, open the launcher, choose desktop or SSH-only compute, and select a GPU profile. Desktop mode opens a Linux desktop in the browser; SSH-only mode returns a generated SSH command for a headless GPU shell.
GPU profiles
| Profile | GPUs | Burn rate | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | 1 | 1× | Notebooks, analysis, light viz |
| Medium | 2 | 2× | Multi-GPU experiments, bigger models |
| Large | 4 | 4× | Training, large simulations |
| Max | 8 | 8× | Heavy multi-GPU workloads |
Usage is billed as wall-clock minutes × GPU count, including idle time while the tab is open. A Max session burns 8× faster than a Small one. Pick the smallest profile that fits your workload.
Launching
Choose desktop or SSH-only compute
Choose the browser desktop for graphical work, or enable SSH for a headless shell. Switching an existing session's mode requires a relaunch rather than an in-place conversion.
Pick a GPU profile
The profile picker on the launch page lists Small, Medium, Large, and Max with a burn-rate hint. Pick what your workload needs.
Launch the session
The button triggers a session claim. If enough GPUs are free, the desktop starts immediately. If not, the claim returns a capacity response so you can choose another profile or retry.
Connect using the returned details
Desktop mode streams XFCE into the tab. SSH-only mode displays the exact command to copy,
including its assigned port and the hosted SSH hostname axonconsole.io. See
SSH-only sessions.
Resuming a saved desktop
If you previously detached or your session was paused, the launch page shows a "Your desktop is saved" resume panel. You can re-launch it (with the same GPU profile) or start fresh.
An active detached session can be reconnected from the session card. For SSH-only sessions, copy the currently displayed command again rather than assuming a previous port is still valid.
If GPUs are busy
Claims use short atomic reservations so concurrent users cannot receive the same GPU. When the requested profile cannot run, the current launcher returns an immediate capacity result; it does not maintain a global automatic-start queue.
Billing during a session
While your session is active, the browser sends periodic heartbeats. Each heartbeat deducts elapsed minutes × GPU count from your balance. You see the running timer in the page footer.
When your balance runs out:
- Grace period (~2 hours) — the desktop stays up with billing paused so you can top up.
- Grace expires — the desktop is shut down and GPUs released, but your files are saved.
- Top up and relaunch — your persistent volume is remounted and you continue from where you left off.
Detach vs. End session
| Action | What happens |
|---|---|
| Detach (disconnect button in the control bar) | Returns to the home page. Desktop keeps running. Minutes keep counting. |
| End session (power button in control bar) | Stops the desktop immediately, releases GPUs, stops billing, saves your files. |
| Close an attached viewer tab | Requests session end; use Detach first if it should keep running. |
| Relaunch | Ends the current mode and starts again as desktop or SSH; it is not an in-place conversion. |
Detaching returns you to the launch page but the GPU session remains active and credits continue to tick down. Only End session (or closing the tab) stops the clock.
Next: learn what's waiting for you in the desktop with Your desktop & tools.
Prefer a terminal over a browser? See SSH-only sessions for headless GPU access without the X desktop. Agents can claim SSH sessions autonomously via x402.
Optional guest demos
The hosted UI supports operator-managed, wallet-free demo invites when guest mode is enabled. A demo has a fixed deadline, allowed GPU profiles, sponsor concurrency limits, and ephemeral storage; it cannot deposit, use x402, request SSH, or persist files. This is a hosted/operator feature, not an open self-hosted default or a general free trial.