Can I Run Gemma 3 12B Instruct on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (10GB)?
Written by Jakub Rusinowski · Last updated July 12, 2026
Not at Q4_K_M — that needs 11.1 GB at 8K context and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (10GB) has 10 GB. Drop to Q3_K_M and it fits in 9 GB, with up to 8K of context.
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The numbers
| Model | Gemma 3 12B Instruct |
| Parameters | 12B |
| Quantization | Q4_K_M |
| VRAM needed (8K context) | 11.1 GB |
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (10GB) VRAM | 10 GB |
| Verdict | Runs at a lower quant |
| Fits at | Q3_K_M (9 GB) |
| Max context | 8K |
Gemma 3 12B Instruct on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (10GB): VRAM by quantization
| Quant | VRAM needed | Fits 10 GB? | Max context | Whole PC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F16 | 27.9 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q8_0 | 16.6 GB | ✗ No | — | Build for this |
| Q6_K | 13.7 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q5_K_M | 12.4 GB | ✗ No | — | Build for this |
| Q4_K_M | 11.1 GB | ✗ No | — | Build for this |
| Q3_K_M | 9 GB | ✓ Yes | 8K | — |
| Q2_K | 7.8 GB | ✓ Yes | 8K | — |
Assumes an 8K-token context with an f16 KV cache. A longer window needs more; a quantized KV cache needs less. “Max context” is the largest window that still fits in 10 GB. Figures are estimates from parameter count, quantization and memory bandwidth — the analyzer lets you tune KV-cache quant and context.
Context costs VRAM too. At Q4_K_M on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (10GB): 8K 11.1 GB ✗ · 32K 20.4 GB ✗ · 128K 57.4 GB ✗. Past 8K it no longer fits 10 GB — a q8_0 KV cache buys roughly half of that back, which the calculator will price for you.
What to do next
Quantize to Q3_K_M. That is the cheapest fix — it costs some quality but no money.
No compatible GPU? Gemma 3 12B Instruct on 16 GB of system RAM, CPU only: runs, but it is tight.
Running Gemma 3 12B Instruct on this card:
Gemma 3 12B Instruct needs ~11 GB but this GPU has 10 GB. Rent a RTX 4090 (24 GB)-class GPU by the hour instead of buying one:
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Cloud rates verified 2026-07 — estimates, and marketplace prices vary. Buying price is GPU MSRP only, not a full PC.
Other Gemma 3 sizes on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (10GB)
- Gemma 3 27B Instruct — does not fit (25.4 GB)
- Gemma 3 4B Instruct — runs (4.4 GB)
- Gemma 3 1B Instruct — runs (2 GB)
Gemma 3 12B Instruct on nearby hardware
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 (12 GB) — runs
All Gemma 3 sizes on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (10GB) | Gemma 3 12B Instruct model page | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (10GB) GPU page | VRAM calculator | Check your hardware