Gemma 3 12B IT vs Gemma 4 26B A4B IT
Side-by-side comparison of VRAM requirements, quantization, context length, and hardware compatibility.
Specifications
| Gemma 3 12B IT | Gemma 4 26B A4B IT | |
|---|---|---|
| Parameters | 12.2B | 26.5B |
| Context | 33K | 262K |
| Architecture | — | Gemma4ForConditionalGeneration |
| License | Gemma Terms | Apache 2.0 |
| Downloads | 3.0M | 12.3M |
| Released | — | — |
VRAM by Quantization: Gemma 3 12B IT vs Gemma 4 26B A4B IT
| Quantization | Bits | Gemma 3 12B IT VRAM | Gemma 4 26B A4B IT VRAM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q2_K | 3.40 | 5.7 GB | 11.9 GB |
| Q3_K_M | 3.90 | 6.5 GB | 13.6 GB |
| Q3_K_S | 3.50 | 5.9 GB | 12.3 GB |
| Q4_0 | 4.00 | 6.7 GB | — |
| Q4_K_M | 4.80 | 8.0 GB | 16.6 GB |
| Q5_K_M | 5.70 | 9.6 GB | 19.6 GB |
| Q6_K | 6.60 | 11.1 GB | 22.5 GB |
| Q8_0 | 8.00 | 13.4 GB | 27.2 GB |
Verdict
Gemma 3 12B IT needs less VRAM at Q4_K_M (8.0 GB vs 16.6 GB), so it fits on smaller GPUs. Gemma 4 26B A4B IT supports a longer context window (262K tokens). Gemma 4 26B A4B IT is the more widely downloaded of the two.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which needs less VRAM, Gemma 3 12B IT or Gemma 4 26B A4B IT?
At Q4_K_M, Gemma 3 12B IT needs 8.0 GB and Gemma 4 26B A4B IT needs 16.6 GB, so Gemma 3 12B IT is the lighter option to run locally.
- Which has a longer context window, Gemma 3 12B IT or Gemma 4 26B A4B IT?
Gemma 3 12B IT supports 32,768 tokens and Gemma 4 26B A4B IT supports 262,144 tokens.
- What is the difference between Gemma 3 12B IT and Gemma 4 26B A4B IT?
Gemma 3 12B IT is a 12.2B model from Google (Gemma family), while Gemma 4 26B A4B IT is a 26.5B model from Google (Gemma family). Compare their VRAM requirements above to see which fits your GPU or Mac.