Llama 3.2 1B — Hardware Requirements & GPU Compatibility
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Llama 3.2 1B is a 1.2B-parameter open language model from Nous Research in the Llama 3 family. It supports a context window of up to 131,072 tokens. At Q4_K_M it needs about 1.11 GB of VRAM — see which GPUs and Macs can run it below.
Runs great on a 24 GB GPU
Runs from 8 GB (Q4_K_M · 128K)Best on 24 GB (Q4_K_M · ~590 tok/s · 128K)Macs from 32 GB (~76 tok/s)
llama3.2
Reference GPU · RTX 4090 24 GB
Estimates, ±20% · how we estimate
Run Llama 3.2 1B
One recommended way. Every other method, OS and quant is in the step-by-step guide.
Recommended
ollama run hf.co/MaziyarPanahi/Llama-3.2-1B-GGUFQ4_K_M fits fully on the RTX 4090 · 22.4 GB free · 16K context
Download: Llama-3.2-1B-Q4_K_M.gguf0.74 GBMaziyarPanahi
Other ways
each opens step-by-stepRun in cloud
Fits on RTX 3060 12GB (10 GB headroom) · Q4_K_M
- Generation speed
- ~211 tok/s
- generation speed
- Cost per 1M output tokens
- $0.13
- per 1M output tokens
How Much VRAM Does Llama 3.2 1B Need?
Select a quantization level; the listed hardware adheres to it.
| Quantization | VRAM | +32K | On RTX 4090 (reference) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.9 GB | 1.9 GB | 2-bit · K-quant — 2-bit quantization with K-quant improvements | Fits: 128K context · ~736 tok/s | |
| 1.0 GB | 2 GB | 3-bit medium — 3-bit medium quantization | Fits: 128K context · ~676 tok/s | |
| 1.1 GB | 2.1 GB | 4-bit medium — 4-bit medium quantization — most popular sweet spot | Fits: 128K context · ~590 tok/s | |
| 1.2 GB | 2.2 GB | 5-bit small — 5-bit small quantization | Fits: 128K context · ~537 tok/s | |
| 1.3 GB | 2.3 GB | 5-bit medium — 5-bit medium quantization — good quality/size tradeoff | Fits: 128K context · ~524 tok/s | |
| 1.4 GB | 2.4 GB | 6-bit, very good — 6-bit quantization, very good quality | Fits: 128K context · ~471 tok/s | |
| 1.6 GB | 2.6 GB | 8-bit, near-lossless — 8-bit quantization, near-lossless | Fits: 128K context · ~410 tok/s | |
| 2.8 GB | 3.9 GB | 16-bit · bfloat — Brain floating point 16 — preferred for training | Fits: 128K context · ~231 tok/s |
Selected Q4_K_M
4-bit medium quantization1.6GBat 16K context
- Weights
- 0.7 GB
- KV cache
- 0.5 GB
- Overhead
- 0.3 GB
Fits RTX 4090 (reference) · 22.4 GB free · ~590 tok/s
≥50 tok/s needs ≥85 GB/s · RTX 5090 ~1049, RTX 3090 Ti ~590
Which Hardware Can Run Llama 3.2 1B?
Q4_K_M · 1.1 GBLlama 3.2 1B (Q4_K_M) requires 1.1 GB of VRAM to load the model weights. For comfortable inference with headroom for KV cache and system overhead, 2+ GB is recommended. Using the full 131K context window can add up to 4.2 GB, bringing total usage to 5.3 GB. 52 GPUs can run it, including NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti. 176 devices with unified memory can run Llama 3.2 1B, including NVIDIA DGX H100, NVIDIA DGX A100 640GB.
≤ 11 GB
≤ 11 GB tier →fits · 6.4 GB free · up to 128K ctx
16 GPUs · 1 Mac class · 2 device families
RTX 3080~445Simulate output on RTX 3080RTX 2080 Ti~361Simulate output on RTX 2080 TiRTX 3070 Ti~356Simulate output on RTX 3070 TiM3*8 GB~65Simulate output on iMac 24" M3 (8 GB)Orin Nano~60Simulate output on NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano 8GB (Super)iPhone~43Simulate output on iPhone 1720 GB
fits · 18.4 GB free · up to 128K ctx
1 GPU
RX 7900 XT~432Simulate output on RX 7900 XT32–40 GB
fits · 30.4 GB free · up to 128K ctx
1 GPU · 3 Mac classes · 4 device families
RTX 5090~1049Simulate output on RTX 5090M5 Max36 GB~290Simulate output on Mac Studio M5 Max (36 GB)M532 GB~97Simulate output on MacBook Air 13" M5 (32 GB)Orin~120Simulate output on NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin 32GBSnapdragon X Elite (X1E-80-100)~79Simulate output on Snapdragon X Elite Copilot+ PC
By VRAM tier · typical GPUs and Macs at Q4_K_M
Alternatives to Llama 3.2 1B
Llama 3 family · 64 models →Similar models
6| Model | Score | VRAM | tok/s | Why it is similar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MinerU2.5 Pro 2605 1.2Bopendatalab | — | 1.1 GB | ~642 | same size |
| MiniCPM V 4.6 ThinkingOpenBMB | — | 1.5 GB | ~580 | same size |
| MinerU2.5 Pro 2604 1.2Bopendatalab | — | 1.1 GB | ~642 | same size |
| HRM Text 1Bsapientinc | — | 3.1 GB | ~228 | same size |
| LFM2.5 1.2B ThinkingLiquid AI | — | 1.2 GB | ~612 | same size |
| Ilama 3.2 1Bhmellor | — | 3.3 GB | ~231 | same size |
Specifications
- Publisher
- Nous Research
- Family
- Llama 3
- Parameters
- 1.2B
- Architecture
- LlamaForCausalLM
- Context Length
- 131,072 tokens
- Vocabulary Size
- 128,256
- Release Date
- 2024-09-27
- License
- llama3.2
Frequently Asked Questions
How much VRAM does Llama 3.2 1B need?
Llama 3.2 1B requires 1.1 GB of VRAM at Q4_K_M, or 2.8 GB at BF16. Full 131K context adds up to 4.2 GB (5.3 GB total).
VRAM = Weights + KV Cache + Overhead
Weights = 1.2B × 4.8 bits ÷ 8 = 0.7 GB
KV Cache + Overhead ≈ 0.4 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 ≈ 4.6 GB (at full 131K context)
VRAM usage by quantization
What's the best quantization for Llama 3.2 1B?
For Llama 3.2 1B, Q4_K_M (1.1 GB) offers the best balance of quality and VRAM usage. Q5_K_S (1.2 GB) provides better quality if you have the VRAM. The smallest option is Q2_K at 0.9 GB.
VRAM requirement by quantization
★ Recommended — best balance of quality and VRAM usage.
Can I run Llama 3.2 1B on a Mac?
Yes — Mac Mini M1 (8 GB) and 155 other Macs can run Llama 3.2 1B. Apple Silicon uses unified memory, so the model shares RAM with the system. At Q4_K_M you need at least 1.1 GB of usable unified memory (RAM minus macOS overhead).
Can I run Llama 3.2 1B locally?
Yes — Llama 3.2 1B can run locally on consumer hardware. Popular tools include Ollama, LM Studio, and llama.cpp.
How fast is Llama 3.2 1B?
At Q4_K_M, Llama 3.2 1B can reach ~4324 tok/s on AMD Instinct MI350X. On NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090: ~590 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 ÷ 1.11 × 0.65 = ~4685 tok/s
Estimated speed at Q4_K_M (1.1 GB)
Real-world results typically within ±20%. Speed depends on batch size, quantization kernel, and software stack.
What's the download size of Llama 3.2 1B?
At Q4_K_M, the download is about 0.74 GB. The full-precision BF16 version is 2.47 GB. The smallest option (Q2_K) is 0.53 GB.
Which GPUs can run Llama 3.2 1B?
52 consumer GPUs can run Llama 3.2 1B at Q4_K_M. Top options include AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT, AMD Radeon RX 6800, AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT. 52 GPUs have plenty of headroom for comfortable inference.
Which devices can run Llama 3.2 1B?
176 devices with unified memory can run Llama 3.2 1B at Q4_K_M (1.1 GB), including AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 (Strix Point) Laptop, ASUS Ascent GX10, Apple iPhone 17 Pro, Asus ROG Flow Z13 (2025, 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.