Can I Run Mistral NeMo 12B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070?
Written by Jakub Rusinowski · Last updated July 12, 2026
Not at Q4_K_M — that needs 9.4 GB at 8K context and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 has 8 GB. Drop to Q3_K_M and it fits in 7.3 GB, with up to 8K of context.
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The numbers
| Model | Mistral NeMo 12B |
| Parameters | 12B |
| Quantization | Q4_K_M |
| VRAM needed (8K context) | 9.4 GB |
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 VRAM | 8 GB |
| Verdict | Runs at a lower quant |
| Fits at | Q3_K_M (7.3 GB) |
| Max context | 8K |
Mistral NeMo 12B on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070: VRAM by quantization
| Quant | VRAM needed | Fits 8 GB? | Max context | Whole PC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F16 | 26.1 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q8_0 | 14.9 GB | ✗ No | — | Build for this |
| Q6_K | 12 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q5_K_M | 10.6 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q4_K_M | 9.4 GB | ✗ No | — | Build for this |
| Q3_K_M | 7.3 GB | ✓ Yes | 8K | — |
| Q2_K | 6.1 GB | ✓ Yes | 16K | — |
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 8 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 3070: 8K 9.4 GB ✗ · 32K 13.4 GB ✗ · 128K 29.5 GB ✗. Past 8K it no longer fits 8 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? Mistral NeMo 12B on 8 GB of system RAM, CPU only: runs, but it is tight.
Running Mistral NeMo 12B on this card:
Mistral NeMo 12B needs ~9 GB but this GPU has 8 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 Mistral Family sizes on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070
- Mistral Small 3 (24B) — does not fit (17.2 GB)
Mistral NeMo 12B on nearby hardware
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (10GB) (10 GB) — runs
All Mistral Family sizes on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 | Mistral NeMo 12B model page | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 GPU page | VRAM calculator | Check your hardware