How much VRAM does Gemma 3 12B need?

Gemma 3 12B (12B parameters) requires approximately 11.6 GB of memory with Q4_K_M quantization.

What is the best quantization for Gemma 3 12B?

The recommended quantization for Gemma 3 12B is Q4_K_M, which balances quality and memory efficiency.

Can it run?

Yes, Intel Arc B580 12GB can run Gemma 3 12B with a C grade (Runs with offload). Expected decode speed: 44.9 tok/s.

CUsable

Runs with offload

Using Q4_K_M in Ollama

Capabilities:

Fit status

Runs with offload

Decode

44.9 tok/s

TTFT

4316 ms

Safe context

17K

Memory

11.6 GB / 12.0 GB

Weights7.3 GB

KV Cache1.9 GB

Runtime1.2 GB

Headroom1.2 GB

Workload	Grade	Fit	Decode	TTFT	Context
Agentic Coding	D	Very compromised (needs ~0.8 GB host RAM)	27.3 tok/s	10318 ms	29K
Chat	C	Tight fit	29.9 tok/s	3532 ms	9K
Coding	C	Runs with offload	44.9 tok/s	4316 ms	17K
RAG	D	Very compromised (needs ~0.8 GB host RAM)	27.3 tok/s	12898 ms	29K
Reasoning	C	Runs with offload	29.9 tok/s	7652 ms

How Gemma 3 12B (12B params) fits at each quantization level on Intel Arc B580 12GB (12.0 GB usable).

Quant	Bits	VRAM	Quality	Fit
Q2_K	2	4.7 GB	Low	D37
Q3_K_S	3	5.9 GB	Low	D39
NVFP4	4

Ollama

ollama run gemma-3-12b

HuggingFace

huggingface-cli download gemma-3-12b

Upgrade options

RX 7600 XT 16GBBudget pick

C22.8 tok/s decode

~$329 MSRP

Intel Arc A770 16GBBest value

C34.4 tok/s decode

~$349 MSRP

RTX 5080 Laptop 16GBBiggest leap

B88.1 tok/s decode

Intel Arc Pro B50 16GBIntel upgrade