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Llama 3.1 8B Instruct on the RTX 3070

With 8 GB of VRAM, the RTX 3070 runs Llama 3.1 8B Instruct at Q4_K_M entirely on the GPU with an 8K context (about 6.7 GB needed). At Q8_0 it does not fit in VRAM.

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Llama 3.1 8B Instruct

Q4_K_M · 8K context

Compatible

The model needs about 6.7 GB and fits in the 7.7 GB available (1 GB left).

Your hardware
RTX 3070 8 GB · 64 GB RAM
Estimated memory
~6.7 GB estimate
VRAM (usable memory)
7.7 GB
GPU only
Yes
CPU/GPU offload
Not required
Generation speed
57–77 tok/s estimate
Largest context in fast memory
15K tokens
Confidence: low

Based on: memory bandwidth (448 GB/s) and model size

Memory breakdown

~6.7 GB (6.2 GB–7.1 GB) needed · estimate

Fits entirely in VRAM · 1 GB left

  • Model weights4.6 GB
  • KV cache1 GB
  • Runtime overhead0.8 GB
  • Safety margin0.3 GB
Assumptions: context 8K tokens · KV cache f16 · llama.cpp (CUDA) · flash attention on · weights = real file size

EstimateData updated 24 days agoSource: Run LLM Locally engine, Hugging Face config.json + model card

What makes this estimate less reliable

  • no benchmark for this hardware and model yet

Other quantizations on the RTX 3070

Llama 3.1 8B Instruct on RTX 3070 + 64 GB RAM · 8K context
Llama 3.1 8B Instruct Q8_08K~10.2 GB · 7–14 tok/s estimateCPU/GPU offload
Llama 3.1 8B Instruct Q6_K8K~8.3 GB · 19–33 tok/s estimateCPU/GPU offload
Llama 3.1 8B Instruct Q5_K_M8K~7.5 GB · 50–68 tok/s estimateCompatible with limits
Llama 3.1 8B Instruct Q4_K_M8K~6.7 GB · 57–77 tok/s estimateCompatible
Llama 3.1 8B Instruct IQ4_XS8K~6.2 GB · 61–84 tok/s estimateExcellent
Llama 3.1 8B Instruct Q3_K_M8K~5.8 GB · 66–91 tok/s estimateExcellent

Alternatives

GPUs that run Llama 3.1 8B Instruct Q4_K_M entirely in VRAM

Other models that fit the RTX 3070

Where to buy a RTX 3070

Prices and links follow the market you choose.

GeForce RTX 3070

8 GB GDDR6 · 448 GB/s · 220 W

CompatibleRuns Llama 3.1 8B Instruct Q4_K_M entirely in memory

Price not available

Availability unknown

View on amazon.com

Affiliate link

No current offer imported for this market: the link opens a marketplace search.

Frequently asked questions

Can the RTX 3070 run Llama 3.1 8B Instruct?
The model needs about 6.7 GB and fits in the 7.7 GB available (1 GB left).
Which quantization should I use on the RTX 3070?
Q5_K_M is the highest-precision quantization that fits entirely in VRAM at 8K context. ~7.5 GB / 7.7 GB.
What is the largest context on the RTX 3070?
At Q4_K_M, about 15K tokens fit entirely in VRAM with an f16 KV cache. A q8_0 KV cache roughly doubles that.
How fast is Llama 3.1 8B Instruct (RTX 3070)?
We estimate 57–77 tok/s (estimate, confidence low). Based on: memory bandwidth (448 GB/s) and model size.