CodeLlama 34B Instruct HF — Hardware Requirements & GPU Compatibility
ChatCodeCodeLlama-34b-Instruct-hf is Meta's 34-billion-parameter instruction-tuned Code Llama model, fine-tuned from the base Code Llama checkpoint for safer, more reliable code-assistant use, as opposed to the plain base and Python-specialized variants in the same family (which also ships in 7B, 13B, and 70B sizes). It is an early, first-generation code model built on the original Llama 2 architecture and predates the later Code Llama 70B release. At 34B parameters, it needs a multi-GPU setup or aggressive quantization for local use. Context length is 16,384 tokens. It is released under the Llama 2 Community License, a custom license that restricts commercial use above 700 million monthly active users, requiring a separate license from Meta, and was published in August 2023.
Usable on a 24 GB GPU
Runs from 16 GB (IQ2_M · 16K)Best on 24 GB (Q4_K_M · ~31 tok/s · 16K)Macs from 18 GB (IQ2_S · ~9 tok/s)
Llama 2 Community
Reference GPU · RTX 4090 24 GB
Estimates, ±20% · how we estimate
Run CodeLlama 34B Instruct HF
One recommended way. Every other method, OS and quant is in the step-by-step guide.Each way opens a step-by-step guide for your OS and quant.
Recommended
ollama run codellama:34b-instruct-q4_K_MQ4_K_M fits fully on the RTX 4090 · 0.2 GB free · 16K context
Download: CodeLlama-34b-Instruct-hf.i1-Q4_K_M.gguf20.22 GBmradermacher
Ways to runOther ways
each opens step-by-stepRun in cloud
Your own private copy · Q4_K_M · 32 GB GPU
- The easiest way to try this model
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Runs on RTX 5090 (32 GB) (8 GB headroom) · Q4_K_M
- Generation speed
- ~56 tok/s
- generation speed
- Cost per 1M output tokens
- $2.48
- per 1M output tokens
How Much VRAM Does CodeLlama 34B Instruct HF Need?
Select a quantization level; the listed hardware adheres to it.
| Quantization | VRAM | +32K | On RTX 4090 (reference) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15.0 GB | — | 2-bit · K-quant — 2-bit quantization with K-quant improvements | Fits: 16K context · ~44 tok/s | |
| 15.5 GB | — | 3-bit small — 3-bit small quantization | Fits: 16K context · ~42 tok/s | |
| 17.1 GB | — | 3-bit medium — 3-bit medium quantization | Fits: 16K context · ~38 tok/s | |
| 17.6 GB | — | 4-bit · legacy — 4-bit legacy quantization | Fits: 16K context · ~37 tok/s | |
| 20.9 GB | — | 4-bit medium — 4-bit medium quantization — most popular sweet spot | Fits: 16K context · ~31 tok/s | |
| 24.8 GB | — | 5-bit medium — 5-bit medium quantization — good quality/size tradeoff | Does not fit: needs 27.6 GB | |
| 28.5 GB | — | 6-bit, very good — 6-bit quantization, very good quality | Does not fit: needs 31.4 GB | |
| 34.5 GB | — | 8-bit, near-lossless — 8-bit quantization, near-lossless | Does not fit: needs 37.3 GB |
Selected Q4_K_M
4-bit medium quantization23.8GBat 16K context
- Weights
- 20.3 GB
- KV cache
- 3.2 GB
- Overhead
- 0.3 GB
Fits RTX 4090 (reference) · 0.2 GB free · ~31 tok/s
≥50 tok/s needs ≥1.61 TB/s · RTX 5090 ~56
Which Hardware Can Run CodeLlama 34B Instruct HF?
Q4_K_M · 20.9 GBCodeLlama 34B Instruct HF (Q4_K_M) requires 20.9 GB of VRAM to load the model weights. For comfortable inference with headroom for KV cache and system overhead, 28+ GB is recommended. Using the full 16K context window can add up to 2.8 GB, bringing total usage to 23.8 GB. 7 GPUs can run it, including NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti. 100 devices with unified memory can run CodeLlama 34B Instruct HF, including Mac Studio (M3 Ultra, 256GB), Mac Studio (M3 Ultra, 512GB), Mac Studio M1 Max (32 GB).
20 GB
Q4_K_M · best fit Q3_K_M (20.0 GB)
1 GPU
RX 7900 XT~28Simulate output on RX 7900 XT32–40 GB
fits · 8.2 GB free · up to 16K ctx
1 GPU · 3 Mac classes · 4 device families
RTX 5090~56Simulate output on RTX 5090M5 Max36 GB~15Simulate output on Mac Studio M5 Max (36 GB)M532 GB~5Simulate output on MacBook Air 13" M5 (32 GB)Orin~6Simulate output on NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin 32GBSnapdragon X Elite (X1E-80-100)~4Simulate output on Snapdragon X Elite Copilot+ PC
By VRAM tier · typical GPUs and Macs at Q4_K_M
How good is CodeLlama 34B Instruct HF?
llmrun Score blends public benchmark boards into one number; 100 = the average open model.
Not enough data yet for an llmrun Score.
A Score needs results on enough independent boards. How the Composite Score is built
Benchmarks
This is the single board showing results for this model; badges show who ran the test.
- LMArena Text
LMArena · Oct 2026Arena
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#175/188 open
Alternatives to CodeLlama 34B Instruct HF
Code Llama family · 4 models →Similar models
6| Model | Score | VRAM | tok/s | Why it is similar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nanbeige4.3 33BNanbeige | — | 23.7 GB | ~32 | same size |
| Sage A1.5InternScience | — | 22 GB | ~151 | same size |
| MiniCPM V 4.7 35B A3BOpenBMB | — | 22.1 GB | ~169 | same size |
| Llm Jp 4.1 32B A3b Thinkingllm-jp | — | 20.1 GB | ~188 | same size |
| Llm Jp 4.1 33B Thinkingllm-jp | — | 22.5 GB | ~35 | same size |
| Agnes 3.0 FlashAgnes-AI | — | 22.1 GB | ~35 | same size |
Specifications
- Publisher
- Meta
- Family
- Code Llama
- Parameters
- 33.7B
- Architecture
- LlamaForCausalLM
- Context Length
- 16,384 tokens
- Vocabulary Size
- 32,000
- Release Date
- 2023-08-24
- License
- Llama 2 Community
Frequently Asked Questions
How much VRAM does CodeLlama 34B Instruct HF need?
CodeLlama 34B Instruct HF requires 20.9 GB of VRAM at Q4_K_M, or 68.2 GB at BF16. Full 16K context adds up to 2.8 GB (23.8 GB total).
VRAM = Weights + KV Cache + Overhead
Weights = 33.7B × 4.8 bits ÷ 8 = 20.2 GB
KV Cache + Overhead ≈ 0.8 GB (at 2K context + ~0.3 GB framework)
Fit ratings and hardware model lists check this model with room for a 16K-token context, which needs a little more memory.
KV Cache + Overhead ≈ 3.6 GB (at full 16K context)
VRAM usage by quantization
Can NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 run CodeLlama 34B Instruct HF?
Yes, at Q5_K_S (23.9 GB) or lower. Higher quantizations like Q5_K_M (24.8 GB) exceed the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090's 24 GB.
What's the best quantization for CodeLlama 34B Instruct HF?
For CodeLlama 34B Instruct HF, Q4_K_M (20.9 GB) offers the best balance of quality and VRAM usage. Q5_K_S (23.9 GB) provides better quality if you have the VRAM. The smallest option is IQ2_XXS at 10.0 GB.
VRAM requirement by quantization
★ Recommended — best balance of quality and VRAM usage.
Can I run CodeLlama 34B Instruct HF on a Mac?
Yes — MacBook Pro 14" M3 Pro (18 GB) and 108 other Macs can run CodeLlama 34B Instruct HF, the smallest at IQ2_S. Apple Silicon uses unified memory, so the model shares RAM with the system. At Q4_K_M you need at least 20.9 GB of usable unified memory (RAM minus macOS overhead), from Mac Studio M1 Max (32 GB).
Can I run CodeLlama 34B Instruct HF locally?
Yes — CodeLlama 34B Instruct HF can run locally on consumer hardware. Popular tools include Ollama, LM Studio, and llama.cpp.
How fast is CodeLlama 34B Instruct HF?
At Q4_K_M, CodeLlama 34B Instruct HF can reach ~229 tok/s on AMD Instinct MI350X. On NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090: ~31 tok/s. Speed depends mainly on GPU memory bandwidth. Real-world results typically within ±20%.
tok/s = (bandwidth GB/s ÷ model GB) × efficiency
Example: NVIDIA B200 → 8000 ÷ 20.95 × 0.65 = ~248 tok/s
Estimated speed at Q4_K_M (20.9 GB)
Real-world results typically within ±20%. Speed depends on batch size, quantization kernel, and software stack.
What's the download size of CodeLlama 34B Instruct HF?
At Q4_K_M, the download is about 20.25 GB. The full-precision BF16 version is 67.49 GB. The smallest option (IQ2_XXS) is 9.28 GB.
Which GPUs can run CodeLlama 34B Instruct HF?
7 consumer GPUs can run CodeLlama 34B Instruct HF at Q4_K_M. Top options include NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090, AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090. 1 GPU has plenty of headroom for comfortable inference.
Which devices can run CodeLlama 34B Instruct HF?
100 devices with unified memory can run CodeLlama 34B Instruct HF at Q4_K_M (20.9 GB), including AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 (Strix Point) Laptop, ASUS Ascent GX10, Beelink GTR9 Pro (Ryzen AI Max+ 395, 128 GB), Framework Desktop (Ryzen AI Max+ 395, 128 GB). Apple Silicon Macs use unified memory shared between CPU and GPU, making them well-suited for local LLM inference.