Llama 4 Scout 17B 16E Instruct vs Llama Guard 3 8B
Side-by-side comparison of VRAM requirements, quantization, context length, and hardware compatibility.
Specifications
| Llama 4 Scout 17B 16E Instruct | Llama Guard 3 8B | |
|---|---|---|
| Parameters | 108.6B | 8.0B |
| Context | — | — |
| Architecture | — | — |
| License | Other | Llama 3.1 Community |
| Downloads | 460.7K | 53.9K |
| Released | — | Oct 2024 |
VRAM by Quantization: Llama 4 Scout 17B 16E Instruct vs Llama Guard 3 8B
| Quantization | Bits | Llama 4 Scout 17B 16E Instruct VRAM | Llama Guard 3 8B VRAM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q2_K | 3.40 | 50.8 GB | 3.8 GB |
| Q3_K_M | 3.90 | — | 4.3 GB |
| Q3_K_S | 3.50 | 52.3 GB | 3.9 GB |
| Q4_0 | 4.00 | — | 4.4 GB |
| Q4_K_M | 4.80 | — | 5.3 GB |
| Q5_K_M | 5.70 | — | 6.3 GB |
| Q6_K | 6.60 | — | 7.3 GB |
| Q8_0 | 8.00 | 119.5 GB | 8.8 GB |
Verdict
Llama Guard 3 8B needs less VRAM at Q2_K (3.8 GB vs 50.8 GB), so it fits on smaller GPUs. Llama 4 Scout 17B 16E Instruct is the more widely downloaded of the two.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which needs less VRAM, Llama 4 Scout 17B 16E Instruct or Llama Guard 3 8B?
At Q2_K, Llama 4 Scout 17B 16E Instruct needs 50.8 GB and Llama Guard 3 8B needs 3.8 GB, so Llama Guard 3 8B is the lighter option to run locally.
- What is the difference between Llama 4 Scout 17B 16E Instruct and Llama Guard 3 8B?
Llama 4 Scout 17B 16E Instruct is a 108.6B model from Meta (Llama family), while Llama Guard 3 8B is a 8.0B model from Meta (Llama family). Compare their VRAM requirements above to see which fits your GPU or Mac.