What Can I Run AI?

Best GPU for running Gemma 3 locally

Which GPU or Mac you need for Google’s Gemma 3 models, from the cheapest card that runs the small one to what it takes for gemma-3-27b-it. All checks are at Q4_K_M, about 4k context.

Cheapest way in: Intel Arc B570 runs gemma-3-4b-it for $219. For gemma-3-27b-it, the cheapest fit we track is Intel Arc Pro B70 32GB at $949.

Cheapest hardware per model

ModelCheapest GPU that fitsCheapest Mac or mini-PC that fits
gemma-3-4b-it~4.0 GB at Q4Intel Arc B570$219 listMac mini M6 16GB$899 Apple list price, M6 12C CPU/12C GPU, 16GB/256GB
gemma-3-12b-it~9.5 GB at Q4Intel Arc B580$249 listMac mini M6 16GB$899 Apple list price, M6 12C CPU/12C GPU, 16GB/256GB
gemma-3-27b-it~20.1 GB at Q4Intel Arc Pro B70 32GB$949 listMac mini M6 32GB$1799 Apple list price, M6 12C CPU/12C GPU, 32GB/1TB

"Fits" means the model needs 90% or less of usable memory at Q4 (how we calculate). Prices are dated snapshots, mostly launch MSRP, so street prices can differ a lot; see each device page for its source.

Every priced machine, cheapest first

Q4 verdict for each Gemma 3 model.FitsTightWon’t fit
HardwarePricegemma-3-4b-itgemma-3-12b-itgemma-3-27b-itCheck price
Intel Arc B57010 GB usable$219FitsTightWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 3050 8GB8 GB usable$249FitsWon’t fitWon’t fitAmazoneBay
Intel Arc B58012 GB usable$249FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
Radeon RX 76008 GB usable$269FitsWon’t fitWon’t fitAmazoneBay
Intel Arc A7508 GB usable$289FitsWon’t fitWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 40608 GB usable$299FitsWon’t fitWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 50608 GB usable$299FitsWon’t fitWon’t fitAmazoneBay
Radeon RX 9060 XT 8GB8 GB usable$299FitsWon’t fitWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 3060 12GB12 GB usable$329FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
Radeon RX 7600 XT16 GB usable$329FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 2060 6GB6 GB usable$349FitsWon’t fitWon’t fitAmazoneBay
Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB16 GB usable$349FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
Intel Arc A770 16GB16 GB usable$349FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8GB8 GB usable$379FitsWon’t fitWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 3060 Ti8 GB usable$399FitsWon’t fitWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 2060 Super8 GB usable$399FitsWon’t fitWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 8GB8 GB usable$399FitsWon’t fitWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB16 GB usable$429FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
Radeon RX 7700 XT12 GB usable$449FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
Radeon RX 6700 XT12 GB usable$479FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 30708 GB usable$499FitsWon’t fitWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16GB16 GB usable$499FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
Radeon RX 7800 XT16 GB usable$499FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 20708 GB usable$499FitsWon’t fitWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 2070 Super8 GB usable$499FitsWon’t fitWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 507012 GB usable$549FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
Radeon RX 6750 XT12 GB usable$549FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
Radeon RX 7900 GRE16 GB usable$549FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
Radeon RX 907016 GB usable$549FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
Radeon RX 680016 GB usable$579FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 407012 GB usable$599FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 4070 Super12 GB usable$599FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 3070 Ti8 GB usable$599FitsWon’t fitWon’t fitAmazoneBay
Radeon RX 9070 XT16 GB usable$599FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
Radeon RX 6800 XT16 GB usable$649FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada 16GB16 GB usable$649FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 3080 10GB10 GB usable$699FitsTightWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 20808 GB usable$699FitsWon’t fitWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 2080 Super8 GB usable$699FitsWon’t fitWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 5070 Ti16 GB usable$749FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
Mac mini M4 16GB12 GB usable$789FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super16 GB usable$799FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 3080 12GB12 GB usable$799FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 4070 Ti12 GB usable$799FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
Radeon RX 7900 XT20 GB usable$899FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
Mac mini M6 16GB12 GB usable$899FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
Intel Arc Pro B70 32GB32 GB usable$949FitsFitsFitsAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 4080 Super16 GB usable$999FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 508016 GB usable$999FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
Radeon RX 7900 XTX24 GB usable$999FitsFitsFitsAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 2080 Ti11 GB usable$999FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
Radeon RX 6900 XT16 GB usable$999FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
NVIDIA RTX A400016 GB usable$1000FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
Radeon RX 6950 XT16 GB usable$1099FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 3080 Ti12 GB usable$1199FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 408016 GB usable$1199FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
NVIDIA RTX 4000 Ada 20GB20 GB usable$1250FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
Mac mini M6 24GB18 GB usable$1299FitsFitsWon’t fitAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 309024 GB usable$1499FitsFitsFitsAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 409024 GB usable$1599FitsFitsFitsAmazoneBay
Mac mini M6 32GB24 GB usable$1799FitsFitsFitsAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 3090 Ti24 GB usable$1999FitsFitsFitsAmazoneBay
GeForce RTX 509032 GB usable$1999FitsFitsFitsAmazoneBay
NVIDIA RTX A500024 GB usable$2250FitsFitsFitsAmazoneBay
MacBook Pro M6 32GB24 GB usable$2399FitsFitsFitsAmazoneBay
NVIDIA Titan RTX24 GB usable$2499FitsFitsFitsAmazoneBay
Mac mini M5 Pro 64GB48 GB usable$3199FitsFitsFitsAmazoneBay
Framework Desktop (Ryzen AI Max+ 395) 128GB96 GB usable$3449FitsFitsFitsAmazoneBay
NVIDIA RTX A600048 GB usable$4649FitsFitsFitsAmazoneBay
MacBook Pro M4 Max 128GB96 GB usable$4999FitsFitsFitsAmazoneBay
NVIDIA DGX Spark 64GB48 GB usable$4999FitsFitsFitsAmazoneBay
MacBook Pro M5 Max 128GB96 GB usable$6699FitsFitsFitsAmazoneBay
NVIDIA RTX 6000 Ada 48GB48 GB usable$6799FitsFitsFitsAmazoneBay
NVIDIA DGX Spark 128GB96 GB usable$6950FitsFitsFitsAmazoneBay
NVIDIA RTX Pro 6000 Blackwell 96GB96 GB usable$8565FitsFitsFitsAmazoneBay
Mac Studio M5 Ultra 256GB192 GB usable$9499FitsFitsFitsAmazoneBay
Mac Studio M5 Ultra 512GB384 GB usable$22299FitsFitsFitsAmazoneBay

We may earn a commission when you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you.

Quick answers

What is the cheapest GPU for running Gemma 3 locally?
Of the devices we track, the Intel Arc B570 ($219) is the cheapest that runs gemma-3-4b-it at Q4.
What hardware do I need for gemma-3-27b-it?
The cheapest fit we track is the Intel Arc Pro B70 32GB at $949. gemma-3-27b-it needs about 20.1 GB at Q4.
How much VRAM does Gemma 3 need?
gemma-3-4b-it needs about 4.0 GB at Q4; gemma-3-27b-it needs about 20.1 GB. These are estimates at Q4_K_M with about 4k context.

Other guides

New models, and what they need to run

One short email a week: fresh open models with their VRAM numbers, plus hardware worth watching.