Granite 3.1 MoE 3B Q8 VRAM Requirement and Ollama Model Size

Granite 3.1 MoE 3B Q8 needs 10GB minimum VRAM, 20GB optimal VRAM, and 32GB+ system RAM for a safer Ollama run. Popular Ollama model family: Granite 3.1 MoE. Caveat: Estimated values are placeholders unless marked measured..

Hardware Snapshot

Family Granite 3.1 MoE
Scenario reasoning
License scope open-source
Quantization Q8
VRAM minimum 10GB
VRAM optimal 20GB
Best local GPU RTX 3090 24GB
Cloud fallback A6000 48GB
Updated 2026-02-24
Data status Estimated baseline (pending measurement)
Ollama source Library reference (verified: 2026-02-24)
Ollama tag granite3.1-moe:3b
Category reasoning

Benchmark Anchors

Hardware Expected tok/s
RTX 3090 24GB 25.9
RTX 4090 24GB 35
A100 80GB 62.2

Quick Answers

How much VRAM does Granite 3.1 MoE 3B Q8 need?
Granite 3.1 MoE 3B Q8 needs about 10GB minimum VRAM and 20GB optimal VRAM for a safer local run target.
Can Granite 3.1 MoE 3B Q8 run on an RTX 3090 24GB?
Yes. Granite 3.1 MoE 3B Q8 fits comfortably on an RTX 3090 24GB target with 20GB optimal VRAM.
What is the Ollama command for Granite 3.1 MoE 3B Q8?
Use ollama run granite3.1-moe:3b. Check the Ollama tag granite3.1-moe:3b before running.
What is the approximate Ollama model size for Granite 3.1 MoE 3B Q8?
Granite 3.1 MoE 3B Q8 uses the granite3.1-moe:3b Ollama tag. Treat the Q8 3 profile as smaller than the runtime VRAM budget; use 10GB minimum VRAM and 20GB optimal VRAM as the safer sizing numbers.
How much system RAM does Granite 3.1 MoE 3B Q8 need in Ollama?
Plan for at least 32GB system RAM alongside 10GB minimum VRAM and 20GB optimal VRAM. More RAM helps if layers spill to CPU or if you run multiple models.
What is the RAM vs VRAM requirement for Granite 3.1 MoE 3B Q8?
Granite 3.1 MoE 3B Q8 should be sized by GPU VRAM first: 10GB minimum and 20GB optimal. System RAM should be at least 32GB so Ollama has room for CPU-side layers, context, and the surrounding app process.
What is Granite 3.1 MoE 3B Q8 VRAM usage on an RTX 3090?
Granite 3.1 MoE 3B Q8 is comfortable for an RTX 3090 24GB target. The page estimates 10GB minimum and 20GB optimal VRAM, with spill risk marked as moderate at long context.
Which LocalVRAM profiles share the granite3.1-moe:3b Ollama tag?
LocalVRAM tracks these profiles for the same Ollama tag or model family: Granite 3.1 MoE 3B Q8 (Q8, 10GB min/20GB optimal); Granite 3.1 MoE 3B Q4 (Q4, 4GB min/14GB optimal); Granite 3.1 MoE 3B Q5 (Q5, 6GB min/16GB optimal); Granite 3.1 MoE 3B FP16 (FP16, 16GB min/28GB optimal). Use the table on this page to compare quantization and VRAM targets before choosing a run command.
Is Granite 3.1 MoE 3B Q8 benchmark data measured or estimated?
Granite 3.1 MoE 3B Q8 currently uses estimated baseline anchors on this page. Verified benchmark data will replace the estimate after a local hardware run is available.

Ollama Model Size and RAM Notes

Ollama tag granite3.1-moe:3b
Run command ollama run granite3.1-moe:3b
Model size guidance Q8 quantization, 3 profile; size runtime by VRAM, not download size alone
Runtime VRAM target 10GB minimum, 20GB optimal
System RAM planning 32GB or more when running this tag locally with Ollama

Download size alone is not a safe runtime budget. Runtime memory also includes KV cache, context length, and GPU layer placement.

Ollama RAM vs VRAM Requirements

GPU VRAM usage estimate 10GB minimum / 20GB optimal
System RAM requirement 32GB or more for Ollama runtime headroom
RTX 3090 24GB fit Comfortable
CPU spill risk Moderate at long context
Context warning Longer context increases KV cache memory, so real VRAM usage can exceed short-prompt estimates.

For Ollama, VRAM is the first fit check. System RAM matters when layers spill to CPU, when context grows, or when the local app stack runs beside the model.

Available Tag Variants and VRAM Targets

Profile Quantization VRAM target Ollama tag
Granite 3.1 MoE 3B Q8 Q8 10GB min / 20GB optimal granite3.1-moe:3b
Granite 3.1 MoE 3B Q4 Q4 4GB min / 14GB optimal granite3.1-moe:3b
Granite 3.1 MoE 3B Q5 Q5 6GB min / 16GB optimal granite3.1-moe:3b
Granite 3.1 MoE 3B FP16 FP16 16GB min / 28GB optimal granite3.1-moe:3b

Ollama library tags often group multiple quantization choices under one model family. LocalVRAM separates them into VRAM profiles so you can pick the right local target.

Real Hardware Benchmark (RTX 3090)

Real benchmark data not available yet for this tag. Estimated anchors are shown above.

Performance Curve

Reference anchors are baseline estimates. Measured RTX 3090 data is overlaid when available.

Best Hardware for Granite 3.1 MoE 3B Q8

Local vs Cloud Cost Hint

Mode 40h / month 120h / month
Local power only (3090 baseline) $2.24 $6.72
A6000 48GB $30.4 $91.2

Related Model Profiles

ollama run granite3.1-moe:3b More reasoning models More 4b-class models Benchmark changelog Submit your test result Check local GPU upgrade

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This page currently uses estimated benchmark baselines. Measured data will replace it after validation.