How much VRAM does gemma 3 4b it need?

gemma 3 4b it (4B parameters) requires approximately 4.8 GB of memory with Q4_K_M quantization.

What is the best quantization for gemma 3 4b it?

The recommended quantization for gemma 3 4b it is Q4_K_M, which balances quality and memory efficiency.

Can it run?

No, gemma 3 4b it requires more memory than RTX 3050 Ti Laptop 4GB provides.

FWon't run

Too heavy

Using Q4_K_M in Ollama

Capabilities:

Fit status

Too heavy

Decode

56.7 tok/s

TTFT

3417 ms

Safe context

13K

Memory

4.8 GB / 4.0 GB

Weights2.4 GB

KV Cache0.8 GB

Runtime1.2 GB

Headroom0.4 GB

Workload	Grade	Fit	Decode	TTFT	Context
Agentic Coding	F	Too heavy	61.4 tok/s	4588 ms	24K
Chat	F	Too heavy	61.4 tok/s	1721 ms	7K
Coding	F	Too heavy	56.7 tok/s	3417 ms	13K
RAG	F	Too heavy	61.4 tok/s	5735 ms	24K
Reasoning	F	Too heavy	61.4 tok/s	3728 ms	13K

How gemma 3 4b it (4B params) fits at each quantization level on RTX 3050 Ti Laptop 4GB (4.0 GB usable).

Quant	Bits	VRAM	Quality	Fit
Q2_KBest for your GPU	2	1.6 GB	Low	D38
Q3_K_S	3	2.0 GB	Low	C40

Upgrade options

Intel Arc B580 12GBBudget pick

C89.7 tok/s decode

~$249 MSRP

RX 7600 8GBBest value

B68.5 tok/s decode

~$269 MSRP

RTX 2060 Super 8GBNVIDIA upgrade

B106.5 tok/s decode

~$399 MSRP

Intel Arc A580 8GBBiggest leap