What are the best Local LLMs for 8GB VRAM in 2025?

The top performers include Qwen3 8B family, NVIDIA Nemotron Nano 9B, DeepSeek R1 0528 Qwen3 8B, Granit 3.3 Instruct 8B, and Ministral 8B. Qwen3 variants lead in mathematical reasoning, while Nemotron excels in coding tasks. Selection depends on your specific use case and available hardware.

How much VRAM do I actually need for 8B parameter models?

For 7-9B parameter models, 8GB VRAM is the sweet spot. With 4-bit quantization, you need approximately 4GB for model weights + 2-3GB for KV cache at 8K context + 1-2GB for system overhead, totaling 7-9GB, which fits comfortably within 8GB VRAM with performance headroom.

What quantization method is best for 8GB VRAM systems?

4-bit quantization (Q4_K_M) provides the optimal balance for 8GB systems, offering 75% memory reduction compared to FP16 with about 95% performance retention. It's the standard for local LLM deployment in 2025 and enables longer context windows within memory constraints.

Can I run larger models like 13B or 70B models on 8GB VRAM?

13B+ models present significant challenges for 8GB VRAM. You'll face trade-offs like severe context limitations, model offloading to slower system RAM, or aggressive context truncation. For only the most memory-critical scenarios, consider 8B and 13B models with KV cache management strategies.

What are the key differences between Qwen3 and DeepSeek R1 8B models?

Qwen3 8B excels in mathematical and reasoning tasks with exceptional MMLU-Pro scores, while DeepSeek R1 8B demonstrates stronger creative capabilities and innovative design implementation. Qwen3 provides reliable, production-ready output, whereas DeepSeek offers more ambitious creative potential with sophisticated CSS features.

How do benchmarking results translate to real-world performance?

Benchmark scores provide useful initial guidance, but real-world performance depends on your specific use case. Qwen3 family's mathematical superiority translates to better scientific computing, while NVIDIA Nemotron's coding benchmarks predict superior software development performance. Always consider your primary workload when selecting a model.

Best Local LLMs for 8GB VRAM: Complete 2025 Performance Guide

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Published on September 11, 2025

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