Can I Run StarCoder 2 3B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti?
Written by Jakub Rusinowski · Last updated September 29, 2026
Yes. StarCoder 2 3B needs 2.9 GB at 8K context (1.8 GB weights + 1.1 GB KV cache/overhead) at Q4_K_M and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti has 12 GB, leaving about 9.1 GB of headroom, at roughly 156 tok/s (estimated) with room for up to 16K of context.
See what else this hardware can run →
The numbers
| Model | StarCoder 2 3B |
| Parameters | 3B |
| Quantization | Q4_K_M |
| VRAM needed (8K context) | 2.9 GB |
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti VRAM | 12 GB |
| Verdict | Runs |
| Max context | 16K |
| Estimated speed | ~156 tok/s |
StarCoder 2 3B on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti: VRAM by quantization
| Quant | VRAM needed | Fits 12 GB? | Max context | Whole PC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F16 | 7.1 GB | ✓ Yes | 16K | — |
| Q8_0 | 4.2 GB | ✓ Yes | 16K | — |
| Q6_K | 3.5 GB | ✓ Yes | 16K | — |
| Q5_K_M | 3.2 GB | ✓ Yes | 16K | — |
| Q4_K_M | 2.9 GB | ✓ Yes | 16K | — |
| Q3_K_M | 2.3 GB | ✓ Yes | 16K | — |
| Q2_K | 2 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 12 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 4070 Ti: 8K 2.9 GB · 16K 3.1 GB. Every window this model publishes still fits 12 GB.
What to do next
Nothing to change — run it at Q4_K_M. If you want more capability, check whether the next size up also fits.
No compatible GPU? StarCoder 2 on 8 GB of system RAM, CPU only: runs.
Running StarCoder 2 3B on this card:
At 2 hrs/day, buying (~$799) beats renting at $0.34/hr after about 3.3 years.
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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 StarCoder 2 sizes on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti
- StarCoder 2 15B — runs (10.8 GB)
- StarCoder 2 7B — runs (5.7 GB)
StarCoder 2 3B on nearby hardware
- Intel Arc B570 (10 GB) — runs
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 (16 GB) — runs
All StarCoder 2 sizes on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti | StarCoder 2 3B model page | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti GPU page | VRAM calculator | Check your hardware