Skip to content
localmodel.run

text model · gemma · Windows

Can I run Gemma 3 12B on Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 (12GB)?

Compatibility verdict VRAM threshold engine
Yes, it runsGPU accelerated

Yes. Gemma 3 12B runs on Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 (12GB) at Q4_K_M (~8.9 GB of ~11 GB usable).

Needs ~8.9 GB Device usable ~11 GB

Runs at Q4_K_M using ~8.9 GB of ~11 GB usable.

Q4_K_M needed
~8.9 GB
Usable on device
~11 GB
Device memory
12 GB
Best quant
Q4_K_M

Run it

Install commands Windows

Pick your tool. All three load the same Q4_K_M weights.

Ollama
$ ollama run gemma3:12b
llama.cpp
$ llama-cli -hf bartowski/google_gemma-3-12b-it-GGUF:Q4_K_M
LM Studio
$ lms get bartowski/google_gemma-3-12b-it-GGUF

AMD GPUs run via Vulkan/ROCm at roughly half CUDA throughput. NVIDIA is the smooth path on Windows.

Model gemma
Parameters
12B
Q4_K_M size
7.3 GB
Q8_0 size
12.51 GB
Context
128k
Ollama tag
gemma3:12b
Full Gemma 3 12B requirements →
Device Windows
Memory
12 GB vram
Usable for weights
~11 GB
Best runtime
Ollama (CUDA) / vLLM (Linux)
Best models for Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 (12GB) →

You could also run

Run Gemma 3 12B on other hardware

FAQ

Can Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 (12GB) run Gemma 3 12B?

Yes. Gemma 3 12B runs on Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 (12GB) at Q4_K_M (~8.9 GB of ~11 GB usable).

How much memory does Gemma 3 12B need?

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 (12GB) has room to spare. At Q4_K_M the weights are ~7.3 GB; with KV cache and runtime overhead, budget ~8.9 GB at a 4k context.

What is the best tool to run Gemma 3 12B on Windows?

LM Studio for a simple setup; Ollama (CUDA) for the most speed. AMD GPUs run via Vulkan/ROCm at roughly half CUDA throughput. NVIDIA is the smooth path on Windows.

Sources

Memory figures are estimates. See methodology.