Best GPU for local LLMs: 12GB
12 GB is the entry point for local language models. It runs 7B to 8B models at 8-bit and 14B models at 4-bit. The model list below comes from the same data as our 12 GB tier page. Specs are copied from NVIDIA's and AMD's own product pages.
NVIDIA
GeForce RTX 5070
- Memory: 12 GB GDDR7
- Memory bus: 192-bit
- Power: 250 W total graphics power
The current NVIDIA card at 12 GB, with faster GDDR7 memory than the RTX 3060.
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Specs: NVIDIA product page, checked 2026-10-31.
NVIDIA
GeForce RTX 3060 12GB
- Memory: 12 GB GDDR6
- Memory bus: 192-bit
- Power: 170 W graphics card power
An older, lower-power 12 GB card. Make sure the listing says 12 GB: an 8 GB version also exists. Previous generation, so some listings may be used or renewed.
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Specs: NVIDIA product page, checked 2026-10-31.
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What fits in 12 GB
10 of the 30 language models in our calculator fit comfortably in 12 GB with an 8K-token conversation:
| Model | Best precision | Memory |
|---|---|---|
| Qwen2.5 14B Instruct | 4-bit (Q4_K_M) | 10.6 GB |
| Qwen3 14B | 4-bit (Q4_K_M) | 10.3 GB |
| DeepSeek-R1-0528-Qwen3-8B | 8-bit (Q8_0) | 9.9 GB |
| Llama 3.1 8B Instruct | 8-bit (Q8_0) | 9.6 GB |
| Nemotron 3.5 Bolt E4B | 8-bit (Q8_0) | 8.2 GB |
| Qwen2.5 7B Instruct | 8-bit (Q8_0) | 8.6 GB |
| Mistral 7B Instruct v0.3 | 8-bit (Q8_0) | 8.8 GB |
| Spark-X2.6 4B | 16-bit (FP16/BF16) | 8.5 GB |
| Llama 3.2 3B Instruct | 16-bit (FP16/BF16) | 7.4 GB |
| LFM3 1.7B | 16-bit (FP16/BF16) | 3.6 GB |
Same data and rule as What can I run with 12 GB?: real Hugging Face download sizes plus FP16 KV cache, under 90% of 12 GB. Data checked 2026-10-30.
How to choose
- VRAM decides what fits. Every card here has 12 GB, so all of them hold the same models.
- A wider memory bus usually means faster tokens. Generating text mostly reads the weights from memory, so at the same VRAM a 256-bit card is usually faster than a 128-bit one. See the measured speeds we've collected.
- Check power and your app. Make sure your power supply can handle the card. NVIDIA cards work with nearly every local AI app. On AMD, check your app's support first.
- Renting may be cheaper. For a few hours a month, compare cloud GPU prices before you buy.