Can SmolLM3 3B run on RTX A4000 16GB?

YES — Runs Great

B56Good

○Estimated from fit model

SmolLM3 3B needs ~6.6 GB VRAM. RTX A4000 16GB has 16.0 GB. With Q4_K_M quantization, expect ~42 tok/s.

Runtime: OllamaCapacity: RoomyBandwidth: LowStack: BasicBottleneck: Balanced

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) — 6.6 GB, 42.0 tok/s, Runs well

6.6 GB required16.0 GB available

41% VRAM used

Fit status

Runs well

Decode

42.0 tok/s

TTFT

4610 ms

Safe context

93K

Memory

6.6 GB / 16.0 GB

Memory breakdown

Weights1.8 GB

KV Cache2.0 GB

Runtime1.2 GB

Headroom1.6 GB

See how fast it feels

See how fast it feelsSmolLM3 3B on RTX A4000 16GB
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: 42.0 tok/s decode · 4.6s TTFT (warm) · 105 tok/s prefill

What limits this setup

This setup is broadly balanced for this model.

No major red flags

This recommendation has enough memory headroom and acceptable estimated speed for the selected workload.

Best improvement path

Performance by workload

Workload	Grade	Fit	Decode	TTFT	Context
Chat	C	Runs well	42.0 tok/s	2514 ms	93K
Coding	B	Runs well	42.0 tok/s	4610 ms	93K
Agentic Coding	B	Runs well	42.0 tok/s	6705 ms	93K
Reasoning	B	Runs well	42.0 tok/s	5448 ms	93K
RAG	B	Runs well	42.0 tok/s	8381 ms	93K

Quantization options

How SmolLM3 3B (3B params) fits at each quantization level on RTX A4000 16GB (16.0 GB usable).

Quant	Bits	VRAM	Quality	Fit
Q2_K	2	1.2 GB	Low	C53
Q3_K_S	3	1.5 GB	Low	C54
NVFP4	4	1.7 GB	Medium	C54
Q4_K_M	4	1.8 GB	Medium	C54
Q5_K_M	5	2.2 GB	High	C54
Q6_K	6	2.5 GB	High	C54
Q8_0	8	3.2 GB	Very High	C55
F16Best for your GPU	16	6.1 GB	Maximum	B58