DeepSeek R1 vs DeepSeek R1 Zero
Side-by-side comparison of VRAM requirements, quantization, context length, and hardware compatibility.
Specifications
| DeepSeek R1 | DeepSeek R1 Zero | |
|---|---|---|
| Parameters | 684.5B | 684.5B |
| Context | 164K | 164K |
| Architecture | DeepseekV3ForCausalLM | DeepseekV3ForCausalLM |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Downloads | 5.7M | 8.8K |
| Released | Mar 2025 | Mar 2025 |
VRAM by Quantization: DeepSeek R1 vs DeepSeek R1 Zero
| Quantization | Bits | DeepSeek R1 VRAM | DeepSeek R1 Zero VRAM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q2_K | 3.40 | 294.8 GB | 294.8 GB |
| Q3_K_M | 3.90 | 337.6 GB | 337.6 GB |
| Q3_K_S | 3.50 | 303.4 GB | 303.4 GB |
| Q4_0 | 4.00 | 346.1 GB | 346.1 GB |
| Q4_K_M | 4.80 | 414.6 GB | 414.6 GB |
| Q5_K_M | 5.70 | 491.6 GB | 491.6 GB |
| Q6_K | 6.60 | 568.6 GB | 568.6 GB |
| Q8_0 | 8.00 | 688.4 GB | 688.4 GB |
Verdict
DeepSeek R1 is the more widely downloaded of the two.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which needs less VRAM, DeepSeek R1 or DeepSeek R1 Zero?
At Q4_K_M, DeepSeek R1 needs 414.6 GB and DeepSeek R1 Zero needs 414.6 GB, so DeepSeek R1 is the lighter option to run locally.
- Which has a longer context window, DeepSeek R1 or DeepSeek R1 Zero?
DeepSeek R1 supports 163,840 tokens and DeepSeek R1 Zero supports 163,840 tokens.
- What is the difference between DeepSeek R1 and DeepSeek R1 Zero?
DeepSeek R1 is a 684.5B model from DeepSeek (DeepSeek R1 family), while DeepSeek R1 Zero is a 684.5B model from DeepSeek (DeepSeek R1 family). Compare their VRAM requirements above to see which fits your GPU or Mac.