Can I Run Qwen 3 8B on NVIDIA L40S?
Autor: Jakub Rusinowski · Ostatnia aktualizacja: 21 lipca 2026
Yes. Qwen 3 8B needs 7 GB at 8K context (5 GB weights + 2 GB KV cache/overhead) at Q4_K_M and the NVIDIA L40S has 48 GB, leaving about 41 GB of headroom, at roughly 109 tok/s (estimated) with room for up to 64K of context.
See what else this hardware can run →
The numbers
| Model | Qwen 3 8B |
| Parameters | 8B |
| Quantization | Q4_K_M |
| VRAM needed (8K context) | 7 GB |
| NVIDIA L40S VRAM | 48 GB |
| Verdict | Runs |
| Max context | 64K |
| Estimated speed | ~109 tok/s |
Qwen 3 8B on the NVIDIA L40S: VRAM by quantization
| Quant | VRAM needed | Fits 48 GB? | Max context | Whole PC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F16 | 18.4 GB | ✓ Yes | 64K | — |
| Q8_0 | 10.7 GB | ✓ Yes | 64K | Build for this |
| Q6_K | 8.7 GB | ✓ Yes | 64K | — |
| Q5_K_M | 7.8 GB | ✓ Yes | 64K | — |
| Q4_K_M | 7 GB | ✓ Yes | 64K | Build for this |
| Q3_K_M | 5.5 GB | ✓ Yes | 64K | — |
| Q2_K | 4.7 GB | ✓ Yes | 64K | — |
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 48 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 L40S: 8K 7 GB · 32K 10.6 GB · 125K 24.6 GB. Every window this model publishes still fits 48 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? Qwen 3 8B on 8 GB of system RAM, CPU only: runs.
Running Qwen 3 8B on this card:
At 2 hrs/day, buying (~$7,499) beats renting at $0.34/hr after about 30.6 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 Qwen 3 sizes on the NVIDIA L40S
- Qwen 3 235B-A22B (MoE) — does not fit (144.3 GB)
- Qwen 3 32B — runs (22.8 GB)
- Qwen 3 30B-A3B (MoE) — runs (20 GB)
- Qwen 3 14B — runs (11.1 GB)
Qwen 3 8B on nearby hardware
- Apple M3 Pro (36 GB) — runs
- Apple M2 Ultra (192 GB) — runs
All Qwen 3 sizes on the NVIDIA L40S | Qwen 3 8B model page | NVIDIA L40S GPU page | VRAM calculator | Check your hardware