Best GPU for Local AI Mathematics
Written by Jakub Rusinowski · Last updated October 7, 2026
Ranked for mathematics and quantitative work: Symbolic and numerical problem solving, proofs, and step-by-step quantitative reasoning.
Best overall: Intel Arc B580
12 GB VRAM at 456 GB/s. It runs 79 of the models that qualify for this workload; the strongest is Qwen 3 14B at an estimated 33 tokens/sec.
The picks
| GPU | VRAM | MSRP | Models that fit | Best model it runs | Est. speed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Intel Arc B580 | 12 GB | $249 | 79 | Qwen 3 14B | ~33 tok/s |
| Best value | Intel Arc B570 | 10 GB | $219 | 78 | Qwen 3 14B | ~27.8 tok/s |
| Budget pick | Intel Arc B570 | 10 GB | $219 | 78 | Qwen 3 14B | ~27.8 tok/s |
| Most memory | NVIDIA DGX Spark | 128 GB | $4,699 | 129 | Qwen 3 32B | ~9.6 tok/s |
Full ranking for mathematics and quantitative work
| GPU | Score | VRAM | MSRP | Models fit | Est. speed | Tok/s per watt | Cost per model |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Arc B580 | 69.1 | 12 GB | $249 | 79 | ~33 | 0.17 | $3 |
| NVIDIA RTX 6000 Ada Generation | 68.9 | 48 GB | $6,799 | 119 | ~32 | 0.11 | $57 |
| Intel Arc B570 | 66.6 | 10 GB | $219 | 78 | ~27.8 | 0.19 | $3 |
| AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT | 66.5 | 16 GB | $499 | 89 | ~43.9 | 0.17 | $6 |
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 | 66.2 | 32 GB | $1,999 | 115 | ~57.4 | 0.1 | $17 |
| AMD Radeon RX 9070 | 66.2 | 16 GB | $549 | 89 | ~44.9 | 0.2 | $6 |
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 | 65.8 | 12 GB | $549 | 79 | ~46.9 | 0.19 | $7 |
| NVIDIA L40S | 65.5 | 48 GB | $7,499 | 119 | ~29 | 0.08 | $63 |
| AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT | 64.7 | 16 GB | $599 | 89 | ~44.9 | 0.15 | $7 |
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (10GB) | 63.5 | 10 GB | $699 | 78 | ~52.4 | 0.16 | $9 |
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti | 63.2 | 16 GB | $749 | 89 | ~60.5 | 0.2 | $8 |
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super | 63 | 16 GB | $799 | 89 | ~46.9 | 0.16 | $9 |
How these numbers are calculated
- GPUs are scored on four axes: capability (45%), speed (30%), value (20%) and efficiency (5%), each normalised across the whole ranking.
- Capability means the intrinsic strength of the best model the card can hold — not how many models fit, and not how fast it streams a small one.
- Speed is capped at 40 tok/s: past that, more throughput does not change how the model feels to use.
- Apple Silicon is excluded from this ranking. Those entries price a whole computer and rate a chip's package power, so on price-per-capability and performance-per-watt they would beat every add-in card by construction. Apple hardware is covered on the macOS platform page instead.
- The most concentrated capability weighting in the set: 85% reasoning, no creative weight at all. The quality floor of 70 is the highest anywhere here, because arithmetic and proof errors are silent — a plausible-looking wrong answer is worse than a refusal.
FAQ
What is the best GPU for mathematics and quantitative work?
The Intel Arc B580 — 12 GB of VRAM runs 79 qualifying models, the strongest being Qwen 3.
What is the cheapest GPU that works for mathematics and quantitative work?
The Intel Arc B570 at $219, which runs 78 qualifying models.
How much VRAM do I need for mathematics and quantitative work?
8 GB is the entry point at which a model for this workload will run at all. More memory buys a stronger model, not just a faster one.
What These GPUs Run
- Best models for the Intel Arc B580
- Best models for the Intel Arc B570
- Best models for the NVIDIA DGX Spark
GPU Reviews
- Intel Arc B580 review
- NVIDIA RTX 6000 Ada Generation review
- Intel Arc B570 review
- AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT review