Gemma 3 27B needs about 16.40 GB at Q4_K_M with 8K context.
Gemma 3 27B is the larger Gemma 3 multimodal instruct model, under the Gemma license, and the download is gated. Created March. Architecture numbers come from Unsloth.
The parameter count includes the vision tower. Attention alternates sliding layers of 1,024 tokens with a full layer every 6th block, and context scales to 131,072. Head width matches hidden size divided by the 32 query heads.
Q4_K_M at 8,192 tokens is 16.40 GB. The smallest listed GPU that still leaves 10 percent free is GeForce RTX 3090 24GB, with 7.60 GB left. The 12B Gemma 3 page is the one where the stated head width disagrees with that division.
Gemma 4 is a later Apache 2.0 family.
Which GPUs fit
| GPU | Memory | Status | Headroom |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVIDIA A100 80GB80 GB · No CPU offload | 80 GB | Fits+26.87 GB | +26.87 GB |
| NVIDIA H100 SXM 80GB80 GB · No CPU offload | 80 GB | Fits+26.87 GB | +26.87 GB |
| GeForce RTX 3060 12GB12 GB · Won't fit | 12 GB | 41.13 GB short | Won't fit |
| GeForce RTX 3070 8GB8 GB · Won't fit | 8 GB | 45.13 GB short | Won't fit |
| GeForce RTX 3080 10GB10 GB · Won't fit | 10 GB | 43.13 GB short | Won't fit |
| GeForce RTX 3090 24GB24 GB · CPU offload | 24 GB | 29.13 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 4060 8GB8 GB · Won't fit | 8 GB | 45.13 GB short | Won't fit |
| GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 37.13 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 4070 12GB12 GB · Won't fit | 12 GB | 41.13 GB short | Won't fit |
| GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 37.13 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 4080 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 37.13 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 4090 24GB24 GB · CPU offload | 24 GB | 29.13 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 37.13 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 5070 12GB12 GB · Won't fit | 12 GB | 41.13 GB short | Won't fit |
| GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 37.13 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 5080 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 37.13 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 5090 32GB32 GB · CPU offload | 32 GB | 21.13 GB short | CPU offload |
| Radeon RX 7900 XTX 24GB24 GB · CPU offload | 24 GB | 29.13 GB short | CPU offload |
| Radeon RX 9070 XT 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 37.13 GB short | CPU offload |
| Apple M5 Max 48GB unified48 GB · 36.00 GB usable · CPU offload | 48 GB | 17.13 GB short | CPU offload |
| GPU | Memory | Status | Headroom |
|---|---|---|---|
| GeForce RTX 5090 32GB32 GB · Tight fit | 32 GB | Tight fit+2.82 GB | +2.82 GB |
| NVIDIA A100 80GB80 GB · No CPU offload | 80 GB | Fits+50.82 GB | +50.82 GB |
| NVIDIA H100 SXM 80GB80 GB · No CPU offload | 80 GB | Fits+50.82 GB | +50.82 GB |
| Apple M5 Max 48GB unified48 GB · 36.00 GB usable · No CPU offload | 48 GB | Fits+6.82 GB | +6.82 GB |
| GeForce RTX 3060 12GB12 GB · CPU offload | 12 GB | 17.18 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 3070 8GB8 GB · CPU offload | 8 GB | 21.18 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 3080 10GB10 GB · CPU offload | 10 GB | 19.18 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 3090 24GB24 GB · CPU offload | 24 GB | 5.18 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 4060 8GB8 GB · CPU offload | 8 GB | 21.18 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 13.18 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 4070 12GB12 GB · CPU offload | 12 GB | 17.18 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 13.18 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 4080 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 13.18 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 4090 24GB24 GB · CPU offload | 24 GB | 5.18 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 13.18 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 5070 12GB12 GB · CPU offload | 12 GB | 17.18 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 13.18 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 5080 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 13.18 GB short | CPU offload |
| Radeon RX 7900 XTX 24GB24 GB · CPU offload | 24 GB | 5.18 GB short | CPU offload |
| Radeon RX 9070 XT 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 13.18 GB short | CPU offload |
| GPU | Memory | Status | Headroom |
|---|---|---|---|
| GeForce RTX 3090 24GB24 GB · Tight fit | 24 GB | Tight fit+1.01 GB | +1.01 GB |
| GeForce RTX 4090 24GB24 GB · Tight fit | 24 GB | Tight fit+1.01 GB | +1.01 GB |
| GeForce RTX 5090 32GB32 GB · No CPU offload | 32 GB | Fits+9.01 GB | +9.01 GB |
| Radeon RX 7900 XTX 24GB24 GB · Tight fit | 24 GB | Tight fit+1.01 GB | +1.01 GB |
| NVIDIA A100 80GB80 GB · No CPU offload | 80 GB | Fits+57.01 GB | +57.01 GB |
| NVIDIA H100 SXM 80GB80 GB · No CPU offload | 80 GB | Fits+57.01 GB | +57.01 GB |
| Apple M5 Max 48GB unified48 GB · 36.00 GB usable · No CPU offload | 48 GB | Fits+13.01 GB | +13.01 GB |
| GeForce RTX 3060 12GB12 GB · CPU offload | 12 GB | 10.99 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 3070 8GB8 GB · CPU offload | 8 GB | 14.99 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 3080 10GB10 GB · CPU offload | 10 GB | 12.99 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 4060 8GB8 GB · CPU offload | 8 GB | 14.99 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 6.99 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 4070 12GB12 GB · CPU offload | 12 GB | 10.99 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 6.99 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 4080 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 6.99 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 6.99 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 5070 12GB12 GB · CPU offload | 12 GB | 10.99 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 6.99 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 5080 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 6.99 GB short | CPU offload |
| Radeon RX 9070 XT 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 6.99 GB short | CPU offload |
| GPU | Memory | Status | Headroom |
|---|---|---|---|
| GeForce RTX 3090 24GB24 GB · No CPU offload | 24 GB | Fits+4.40 GB | +4.40 GB |
| GeForce RTX 4090 24GB24 GB · No CPU offload | 24 GB | Fits+4.40 GB | +4.40 GB |
| GeForce RTX 5090 32GB32 GB · No CPU offload | 32 GB | Fits+12.40 GB | +12.40 GB |
| Radeon RX 7900 XTX 24GB24 GB · No CPU offload | 24 GB | Fits+4.40 GB | +4.40 GB |
| NVIDIA A100 80GB80 GB · No CPU offload | 80 GB | Fits+60.40 GB | +60.40 GB |
| NVIDIA H100 SXM 80GB80 GB · No CPU offload | 80 GB | Fits+60.40 GB | +60.40 GB |
| Apple M5 Max 48GB unified48 GB · 36.00 GB usable · No CPU offload | 48 GB | Fits+16.40 GB | +16.40 GB |
| GeForce RTX 3060 12GB12 GB · CPU offload | 12 GB | 7.60 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 3070 8GB8 GB · CPU offload | 8 GB | 11.60 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 3080 10GB10 GB · CPU offload | 10 GB | 9.60 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 4060 8GB8 GB · CPU offload | 8 GB | 11.60 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 3.60 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 4070 12GB12 GB · CPU offload | 12 GB | 7.60 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 3.60 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 4080 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 3.60 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 3.60 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 5070 12GB12 GB · CPU offload | 12 GB | 7.60 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 3.60 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 5080 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 3.60 GB short | CPU offload |
| Radeon RX 9070 XT 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 3.60 GB short | CPU offload |
| GPU | Memory | Status | Headroom |
|---|---|---|---|
| GeForce RTX 3090 24GB24 GB · No CPU offload | 24 GB | Fits+7.60 GB | +7.60 GB |
| GeForce RTX 4090 24GB24 GB · No CPU offload | 24 GB | Fits+7.60 GB | +7.60 GB |
| GeForce RTX 5090 32GB32 GB · No CPU offload | 32 GB | Fits+15.60 GB | +15.60 GB |
| Radeon RX 7900 XTX 24GB24 GB · No CPU offload | 24 GB | Fits+7.60 GB | +7.60 GB |
| NVIDIA A100 80GB80 GB · No CPU offload | 80 GB | Fits+63.60 GB | +63.60 GB |
| NVIDIA H100 SXM 80GB80 GB · No CPU offload | 80 GB | Fits+63.60 GB | +63.60 GB |
| Apple M5 Max 48GB unified48 GB · 36.00 GB usable · No CPU offload | 48 GB | Fits+19.60 GB | +19.60 GB |
| GeForce RTX 3060 12GB12 GB · CPU offload | 12 GB | 4.40 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 3070 8GB8 GB · CPU offload | 8 GB | 8.40 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 3080 10GB10 GB · CPU offload | 10 GB | 6.40 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 4060 8GB8 GB · CPU offload | 8 GB | 8.40 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 0.40 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 4070 12GB12 GB · CPU offload | 12 GB | 4.40 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 0.40 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 4080 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 0.40 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 0.40 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 5070 12GB12 GB · CPU offload | 12 GB | 4.40 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 0.40 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 5080 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 0.40 GB short | CPU offload |
| Radeon RX 9070 XT 16GB16 GB · CPU offload | 16 GB | 0.40 GB short | CPU offload |
| GPU | Memory | Status | Headroom |
|---|---|---|---|
| GeForce RTX 3090 24GB24 GB · No CPU offload | 24 GB | Fits+10.99 GB | +10.99 GB |
| GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16GB16 GB · No CPU offload | 16 GB | Fits+2.99 GB | +2.99 GB |
| GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super 16GB16 GB · No CPU offload | 16 GB | Fits+2.99 GB | +2.99 GB |
| GeForce RTX 4080 16GB16 GB · No CPU offload | 16 GB | Fits+2.99 GB | +2.99 GB |
| GeForce RTX 4090 24GB24 GB · No CPU offload | 24 GB | Fits+10.99 GB | +10.99 GB |
| GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB16 GB · No CPU offload | 16 GB | Fits+2.99 GB | +2.99 GB |
| GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16GB16 GB · No CPU offload | 16 GB | Fits+2.99 GB | +2.99 GB |
| GeForce RTX 5080 16GB16 GB · No CPU offload | 16 GB | Fits+2.99 GB | +2.99 GB |
| GeForce RTX 5090 32GB32 GB · No CPU offload | 32 GB | Fits+18.99 GB | +18.99 GB |
| Radeon RX 7900 XTX 24GB24 GB · No CPU offload | 24 GB | Fits+10.99 GB | +10.99 GB |
| Radeon RX 9070 XT 16GB16 GB · No CPU offload | 16 GB | Fits+2.99 GB | +2.99 GB |
| NVIDIA A100 80GB80 GB · No CPU offload | 80 GB | Fits+66.99 GB | +66.99 GB |
| NVIDIA H100 SXM 80GB80 GB · No CPU offload | 80 GB | Fits+66.99 GB | +66.99 GB |
| Apple M5 Max 48GB unified48 GB · 36.00 GB usable · No CPU offload | 48 GB | Fits+22.99 GB | +22.99 GB |
| GeForce RTX 3060 12GB12 GB · CPU offload | 12 GB | 1.01 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 3070 8GB8 GB · CPU offload | 8 GB | 5.01 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 3080 10GB10 GB · CPU offload | 10 GB | 3.01 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 4060 8GB8 GB · CPU offload | 8 GB | 5.01 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 4070 12GB12 GB · CPU offload | 12 GB | 1.01 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 5070 12GB12 GB · CPU offload | 12 GB | 1.01 GB short | CPU offload |
| GPU | Memory | Status | Headroom |
|---|---|---|---|
| GeForce RTX 3060 12GB12 GB · No CPU offload | 12 GB | Fits+1.59 GB | +1.59 GB |
| GeForce RTX 3090 24GB24 GB · No CPU offload | 24 GB | Fits+13.59 GB | +13.59 GB |
| GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16GB16 GB · No CPU offload | 16 GB | Fits+5.59 GB | +5.59 GB |
| GeForce RTX 4070 12GB12 GB · No CPU offload | 12 GB | Fits+1.59 GB | +1.59 GB |
| GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super 16GB16 GB · No CPU offload | 16 GB | Fits+5.59 GB | +5.59 GB |
| GeForce RTX 4080 16GB16 GB · No CPU offload | 16 GB | Fits+5.59 GB | +5.59 GB |
| GeForce RTX 4090 24GB24 GB · No CPU offload | 24 GB | Fits+13.59 GB | +13.59 GB |
| GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB16 GB · No CPU offload | 16 GB | Fits+5.59 GB | +5.59 GB |
| GeForce RTX 5070 12GB12 GB · No CPU offload | 12 GB | Fits+1.59 GB | +1.59 GB |
| GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16GB16 GB · No CPU offload | 16 GB | Fits+5.59 GB | +5.59 GB |
| GeForce RTX 5080 16GB16 GB · No CPU offload | 16 GB | Fits+5.59 GB | +5.59 GB |
| GeForce RTX 5090 32GB32 GB · No CPU offload | 32 GB | Fits+21.59 GB | +21.59 GB |
| Radeon RX 7900 XTX 24GB24 GB · No CPU offload | 24 GB | Fits+13.59 GB | +13.59 GB |
| Radeon RX 9070 XT 16GB16 GB · No CPU offload | 16 GB | Fits+5.59 GB | +5.59 GB |
| NVIDIA A100 80GB80 GB · No CPU offload | 80 GB | Fits+69.59 GB | +69.59 GB |
| NVIDIA H100 SXM 80GB80 GB · No CPU offload | 80 GB | Fits+69.59 GB | +69.59 GB |
| Apple M5 Max 48GB unified48 GB · 36.00 GB usable · No CPU offload | 48 GB | Fits+25.59 GB | +25.59 GB |
| GeForce RTX 3070 8GB8 GB · CPU offload | 8 GB | 2.41 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 3080 10GB10 GB · CPU offload | 10 GB | 0.41 GB short | CPU offload |
| GeForce RTX 4060 8GB8 GB · CPU offload | 8 GB | 2.41 GB short | CPU offload |
VRAM by quantization
Totals at 8,192 tokens. Q4_K_M is the usual balance of size and quality. FP16 weights are the parameter count times 2 bytes. The FP16 column in the table is the full estimate: weights, cache, and 1 GB.
| Quantization | Bits | Weights | Cache | Overhead | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FP16/BF16Bits 16 · Cache 1.03 · Overhead 1.00 | 16 | 51.10 | 1.03 | 1.00 | 53.13 |
| Q8_0Bits 8.5 · Cache 1.03 · Overhead 1.00 | 8.5 | 27.15 | 1.03 | 1.00 | 29.18 |
| Q6_KBits 6.5625 · Cache 1.03 · Overhead 1.00 | 6.5625 | 20.96 | 1.03 | 1.00 | 22.99 |
| Q5_K_MBits 5.5 · Cache 1.03 · Overhead 1.00 | 5.5 | 17.56 | 1.03 | 1.00 | 19.60 |
| Q4_K_MBits 4.5 · Cache 1.03 · Overhead 1.00 | 4.5 | 14.37 | 1.03 | 1.00 | 16.40 |
| Q3_K_MBits 3.4375 · Cache 1.03 · Overhead 1.00 | 3.4375 | 10.98 | 1.03 | 1.00 | 13.01 |
| Q2_KBits 2.625 · Cache 1.03 · Overhead 1.00 | 2.625 | 8.38 | 1.03 | 1.00 | 10.41 |
Context length
Q4_K_M total as the context changes. Cache is the part that grows.
| Context tokens | Cache GB | Q4_K_M total | FP16 total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2048FP16 total 52.66 | 0.56 | 15.93 | 52.66 |
| 8192FP16 total 53.13 | 1.03 | 16.40 | 53.13 |
| 32768FP16 total 55.00 | 2.91 | 18.28 | 55.00 |
| 131072FP16 total 62.50 | 10.41 | 25.78 | 62.50 |
Gemma 3 27B hardware notes
- Unified memory counts 75 percent of the listed pool as usable. Discrete cards use the full listed memory. The memory column still shows the listed figure.
- Last updated 2025-03-21.
- Weights, cache, and the 1 GB overhead are estimates. How this is calculated.
- Architecture numbers come from unsloth/gemma-3-27b-it because the official download is gated. The parameter count is the official Hugging Face record.
Gemma 3 27B VRAM FAQ
How much VRAM does Gemma 3 27B need at Q4_K_M?
16.40 GB at 8,192 tokens. Weights are 14.37 GB, the cache is 1.03 GB, and overhead is 1 GB.
Does a 24 GB GPU fit Gemma 3 27B at Q4_K_M?
GeForce RTX 3090 24GB is Fits, 7.60 GB left. The quant table uses 8,192 tokens, the smaller of 8,192 and the configured maximum of 131,072.
What context length is configured for Gemma 3 27B?
The configured context length is 131,072 tokens. The quant table uses 8,192 tokens, the smaller of 8,192 and the configured maximum of 131,072.
Which source supplies the parameter count for Gemma 3 27B?
27.43B parameters, from the Hugging Face model record for google/gemma-3-27b-it. Architecture numbers come from the public copy at unsloth/gemma-3-27b-it, because the official download is gated. The parameter count is the official record.
Related models
| Model | Q4_K_M GB |
|---|---|
| Gemma 4 | 18.48 |
| gpt-oss-20b | 12.15 |
| Llama 3 8B | 6.21 |
| Llama 3.1 8B | 6.21 |