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URL: https://willitrunai.com/can-run/gemma-3-4b-on-gaudi-3-128gb


Can Gemma 3 4B run on Gaudi 3 128GB?

YES — Runs Great

B65Good
Estimated from fit model

Gemma 3 4B needs ~18.2 GB VRAM. Gaudi 3 128GB has 128.0 GB. With Q4_K_M quantization, expect ~56 tok/s.

Runtime: llama.cppCapacity: RoomyBandwidth: HighStack: StandardBottleneck: Balanced
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Operating mode

Choose the run profile you care about

Interactive favors responsiveness, while light API and scale-out lean harder on serving readiness. The fit stays the same, but the recommendation lens changes.

Current mode

Balanced

Balanced for general local use. Keeps the ranking neutral across personal and serving workflows.

Capabilities:

Select quantization to explore

Q4_K_M (Medium quality) — 18.2 GB, 56.0 tok/s, Runs well
18.2 GB required128.0 GB available
14% VRAM used

Fit status

Runs well

Decode

56.0 tok/s

TTFT

3457 ms

Safe context

128K

Memory

18.2 GB / 128.0 GB

Memory breakdown

Weights2.4 GB
KV Cache2.1 GB
Runtime0.9 GB
Headroom12.8 GB

See how fast it feels

See how fast it feelsGemma 3 4B on Gaudi 3 128GB
1st promptCold start — includes initialization
>Solve: If a train travels at 60 mph for 2.5 hours, how far does it go?
Let me work through this step by step. Given information: - Speed = 60 mph (miles per hour) - Time = 2.5 hours Formula: Distance = Speed x Time Calculation: Distance = 60 mph x 2.5 h = 150 miles The train travels 150 miles. Double-check: at 60 mph the train covers 60 miles each hour. In half an hour it covers 30 miles. So in 2.5 hours: 60 + 60 + 30 = 150 miles. Confirmed.
2nd promptWarm — model ready, no init overhead
>What if the train stops for 20 minutes halfway?
The stop doesn't change the total distance covered while moving, but it affects total trip time. Breakdown: - First half: 1.25 hours at 60 mph = 75 miles - Stop: 20 minutes (no distance) - Second half: 1.25 hours at 60 mph = 75 miles Total distance: 150 miles (same) Total time: 2.5 h + 0.33 h = 2.83 hours Average speed: 150 / 2.83 = 53 mph The distance stays the same but average speed drops to 53 mph because of the stop.
Estimated: 56.0 tok/s decode · 3.5s TTFT (warm) · 140 tok/s prefill

What limits this setup

The raw memory story may look fine, but the software ecosystem is still a constraint here.

Runtime ecosystem is narrower than CUDA

Intel GPUs can look attractive on memory per dollar, but local AI tooling, kernels, and model coverage are still broader and easier on CUDA today.

Best improvement path

Prefer CUDA if you want the path of least resistance

If your goal is maximum runtime coverage, easier troubleshooting, and better support for new local AI releases, CUDA is usually still the safer upgrade path.

Performance by workload

WorkloadGradeFitDecodeTTFTContext
ChatBRuns well56.0 tok/s1886 ms128K
CodingBRuns well56.0 tok/s3457 ms128K
Agentic CodingBRuns well56.0 tok/s5029 ms128K
ReasoningBRuns well56.0 tok/s4086 ms128K
RAGBRuns well56.0 tok/s6286 ms128K

Quantization options

How Gemma 3 4B (4B params) fits at each quantization level on Gaudi 3 128GB (128.0 GB usable).

QuantBitsVRAMQualityFit
Q2_K
2
1.6 GB
LowB59
Q3_K_S
3
2.0 GB
LowB59
NVFP4
4

Get started

Copy-paste commands to run Gemma 3 4B on your machine.

Run

ollama run gemma3:4b

Upgrade options

Hardware that runs Gemma 3 4B well

Mac Studio M3 Ultra 256GBBudget pick
256 GB Unified (+128)
B
Adds memory headroom for longer context windows and future model growth.56 tok/s decode

Adds memory headroom for longer context windows and future model growth.

~$6,999 MSRP

Frequently asked questions

See all results for Gaudi 3 128GBSee all hardware for Gemma 3 4B
2.2 GB
Medium
B59
Q4_K_M
4
2.4 GB
MediumB59
Q5_K_M
5
2.9 GB
HighB59
Q6_K
6
3.3 GB
HighB59
Q8_0
8
4.3 GB
Very HighB59
F16Best for your GPU
16
8.2 GB
MaximumB60