What can NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 run for chat?
Build: RTX 4090 + Ryzen 9 7950X + 64GB DDR5
Memory: 24 GB VRAM + 64 GB system RAM
Runner: llama.cpp / Ollama (CUDA)
Runs comfortably175 models
Ranked by fit for chat use case + predicted speed. Click a row for VRAM breakdown.
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 8,192VRAM: 2.4 GBHeadroom: 21.6 GBTTFT: instant1809tok/sEstimated
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 8,192VRAM: 2.4 GBHeadroom: 21.6 GBTTFT: instant
1809
tok/s
Estimated
Weights
0.30 GB
KV cache
0.30 GB
Activations
0.02 GB
Runtime
1.80 GB
Time to first token (prefill, 512-token prompt): ~19 ms (instant)
Quant: Q8_0Context: 8,192VRAM: 6.9 GBHeadroom: 17.1 GBTTFT: instantollama run llama3.2:3b206tok/sEstimated
Quant: Q8_0Context: 8,192VRAM: 6.9 GBHeadroom: 17.1 GBTTFT: instant
ollama run llama3.2:3b206
tok/s
Estimated
Weights
3.40 GB
KV cache
1.50 GB
Activations
0.18 GB
Runtime
1.80 GB
Time to first token (prefill, 512-token prompt): ~93 ms (instant)
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 8,192VRAM: 3.6 GBHeadroom: 20.4 GBTTFT: instant638tok/sEstimated
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 8,192VRAM: 3.6 GBHeadroom: 20.4 GBTTFT: instant
638
tok/s
Estimated
Weights
0.90 GB
KV cache
0.85 GB
Activations
0.05 GB
Runtime
1.80 GB
Time to first token (prefill, 512-token prompt): ~53 ms (instant)
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 8,192VRAM: 11.1 GBHeadroom: 12.9 GBTTFT: fastollama run dolphin3:8b136tok/sEstimated
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 8,192VRAM: 11.1 GBHeadroom: 12.9 GBTTFT: fast
ollama run dolphin3:8b136
tok/s
Estimated
Weights
5.00 GB
KV cache
4.00 GB
Activations
0.26 GB
Runtime
1.80 GB
Time to first token (prefill, 512-token prompt): ~248 ms (fast)
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 2,048VRAM: 2.6 GBHeadroom: 21.4 GBTTFT: instant987tok/sEstimated
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 2,048VRAM: 2.6 GBHeadroom: 21.4 GBTTFT: instant
987
tok/s
Estimated
Weights
0.60 GB
KV cache
0.14 GB
Activations
0.03 GB
Runtime
1.80 GB
Time to first token (prefill, 512-token prompt): ~34 ms (instant)
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 8,192VRAM: 4.0 GBHeadroom: 20.0 GBTTFT: instant543tok/sEstimated
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 8,192VRAM: 4.0 GBHeadroom: 20.0 GBTTFT: instant
543
tok/s
Estimated
Weights
1.10 GB
KV cache
1.00 GB
Activations
0.06 GB
Runtime
1.80 GB
Time to first token (prefill, 512-token prompt): ~62 ms (instant)
Quant: Q5_K_MContext: 8,192VRAM: 10.7 GBHeadroom: 13.3 GBTTFT: fastollama run mistral:7b136tok/sEstimated
Quant: Q5_K_MContext: 8,192VRAM: 10.7 GBHeadroom: 13.3 GBTTFT: fast
ollama run mistral:7b136
tok/s
Estimated
Weights
5.10 GB
KV cache
3.50 GB
Activations
0.26 GB
Runtime
1.80 GB
Time to first token (prefill, 512-token prompt): ~217 ms (fast)
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 8,192VRAM: 18.7 GBHeadroom: 5.3 GBTTFT: instant452tok/sEstimated
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 8,192VRAM: 18.7 GBHeadroom: 5.3 GBTTFT: instant
452
tok/s
Estimated
Weights
8.60 GB
KV cache
7.85 GB
Activations
0.44 GB
Runtime
1.80 GB
Time to first token (prefill, 512-token prompt): ~74 ms (instant)
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 4,096VRAM: 7.6 GBHeadroom: 16.4 GBTTFT: fast155tok/sEstimated
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 4,096VRAM: 7.6 GBHeadroom: 16.4 GBTTFT: fast
155
tok/s
Estimated
Weights
3.90 GB
KV cache
1.75 GB
Activations
0.20 GB
Runtime
1.80 GB
Time to first token (prefill, 512-token prompt): ~217 ms (fast)
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 8,192VRAM: 4.6 GBHeadroom: 19.4 GBTTFT: instantollama run alibayram/kumru:latest452tok/sEstimated
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 8,192VRAM: 4.6 GBHeadroom: 19.4 GBTTFT: instant
ollama run alibayram/kumru:latest452
tok/s
Estimated
Weights
1.50 GB
KV cache
1.20 GB
Activations
0.08 GB
Runtime
1.80 GB
Time to first token (prefill, 512-token prompt): ~74 ms (instant)
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 8,192VRAM: 9.4 GBHeadroom: 14.6 GBTTFT: fast155tok/sEstimated
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 8,192VRAM: 9.4 GBHeadroom: 14.6 GBTTFT: fast
155
tok/s
Estimated
Weights
3.90 GB
KV cache
3.50 GB
Activations
0.20 GB
Runtime
1.80 GB
Time to first token (prefill, 512-token prompt): ~217 ms (fast)
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 2,048VRAM: 2.6 GBHeadroom: 21.4 GBTTFT: instant987tok/sEstimated
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 2,048VRAM: 2.6 GBHeadroom: 21.4 GBTTFT: instant
987
tok/s
Estimated
Weights
0.60 GB
KV cache
0.14 GB
Activations
0.03 GB
Runtime
1.80 GB
Time to first token (prefill, 512-token prompt): ~34 ms (instant)
Runs with tradeoffs73 models
Tight VRAM, partial CPU offload, or context-limited.
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 8,192VRAM: 23.4 GBHeadroom: 0.6 GBTTFT: noticeable- • Tight VRAM fit — only 0.6 GB headroom left for context growth
54tok/sEstimated
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 8,192VRAM: 23.4 GBHeadroom: 0.6 GBTTFT: noticeable
- • Tight VRAM fit — only 0.6 GB headroom left for context growth
54
tok/s
Estimated
Weights
11.00 GB
KV cache
10.00 GB
Activations
0.56 GB
Runtime
1.80 GB
Time to first token (prefill, 512-token prompt): ~620 ms (noticeable)
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 4,096VRAM: 21.7 GBHeadroom: 2.3 GBTTFT: noticeable- • Tight VRAM fit — only 2.3 GB headroom left for context growth
45tok/sEstimated
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 4,096VRAM: 21.7 GBHeadroom: 2.3 GBTTFT: noticeable
- • Tight VRAM fit — only 2.3 GB headroom left for context growth
45
tok/s
Estimated
Weights
13.20 GB
KV cache
6.00 GB
Activations
0.66 GB
Runtime
1.80 GB
Time to first token (prefill, 512-token prompt): ~744 ms (noticeable)
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 2,048VRAM: 21.9 GBHeadroom: 2.1 GBTTFT: noticeable- • Tight VRAM fit — only 2.1 GB headroom left for context growth
ollama run gemma4:26b-moe42tok/sEstimated
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 2,048VRAM: 21.9 GBHeadroom: 2.1 GBTTFT: noticeable
- • Tight VRAM fit — only 2.1 GB headroom left for context growth
ollama run gemma4:26b-moe42
tok/s
Estimated
Weights
16.00 GB
KV cache
3.25 GB
Activations
0.80 GB
Runtime
1.80 GB
Time to first token (prefill, 512-token prompt): ~806 ms (noticeable)
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 2,048VRAM: 22.0 GBHeadroom: 2.0 GBTTFT: noticeable- • Tight VRAM fit — only 2.0 GB headroom left for context growth
ollama run gemma3:27b40tok/sEstimated
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 2,048VRAM: 22.0 GBHeadroom: 2.0 GBTTFT: noticeable
- • Tight VRAM fit — only 2.0 GB headroom left for context growth
ollama run gemma3:27b40
tok/s
Estimated
Weights
16.00 GB
KV cache
3.38 GB
Activations
0.80 GB
Runtime
1.80 GB
Time to first token (prefill, 512-token prompt): ~837 ms (noticeable)
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 8,192VRAM: 20.4 GBHeadroom: 3.6 GBTTFT: noticeable- • Tight VRAM fit — only 3.6 GB headroom left for context growth
ollama run muse-glimmer36tok/sEstimated
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 8,192VRAM: 20.4 GBHeadroom: 3.6 GBTTFT: noticeable
- • Tight VRAM fit — only 3.6 GB headroom left for context growth
ollama run muse-glimmer36
tok/s
Estimated
Weights
17.00 GB
KV cache
0.71 GB
Activations
0.86 GB
Runtime
1.80 GB
Time to first token (prefill, 512-token prompt): ~930 ms (noticeable)
Quant: Q8_0Context: 8,192VRAM: 20.4 GBHeadroom: 3.6 GBTTFT: fast- • Tight VRAM fit — only 3.6 GB headroom left for context growth
ollama run llama3.2-vision:11b56tok/sEstimated
Quant: Q8_0Context: 8,192VRAM: 20.4 GBHeadroom: 3.6 GBTTFT: fast
- • Tight VRAM fit — only 3.6 GB headroom left for context growth
ollama run llama3.2-vision:11b56
tok/s
Estimated
Weights
12.50 GB
KV cache
5.50 GB
Activations
0.63 GB
Runtime
1.80 GB
Time to first token (prefill, 512-token prompt): ~341 ms (fast)
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 2,048VRAM: 29.9 GBHeadroom: 32.5 GBTTFT: noticeable- • Partial CPU offload: ~20% of layers run on CPU
- • CPU is the bottleneck — upgrading RAM bandwidth helps more than VRAM here
6tok/sEstimated
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 2,048VRAM: 29.9 GBHeadroom: 32.5 GBTTFT: noticeable
- • Partial CPU offload: ~20% of layers run on CPU
- • CPU is the bottleneck — upgrading RAM bandwidth helps more than VRAM here
6
tok/s
Estimated
Weights
22.00 GB
KV cache
5.00 GB
Activations
1.10 GB
Runtime
1.80 GB
Time to first token (prefill, 512-token prompt): ~1240 ms (noticeable)
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 8,192VRAM: 36.3 GBHeadroom: 26.1 GBTTFT: noticeable- • Partial CPU offload: ~34% of layers run on CPU
- • CPU is the bottleneck — upgrading RAM bandwidth helps more than VRAM here
5tok/sEstimated
Quant: Q4_K_MContext: 8,192VRAM: 36.3 GBHeadroom: 26.1 GBTTFT: noticeable
- • Partial CPU offload: ~34% of layers run on CPU
- • CPU is the bottleneck — upgrading RAM bandwidth helps more than VRAM here
5
tok/s
Estimated
Weights
17.60 GB
KV cache
16.00 GB
Activations
0.89 GB
Runtime
1.80 GB
Time to first token (prefill, 512-token prompt): ~992 ms (noticeable)
What if you upgraded?
Hypothetical scenarios. We re-ran the compatibility engine for each.
+32 GB system RAM
~$80–150
Doubles your CPU-offload working set. Helps when models don't quite fit in VRAM.
Unlocks: 9 new comfortable, 79 new tradeoff
- • Gemma 3 270M
- • SmolLM2 135M Instruct
- • SmolLM2 360M Instruct
- • VBART Large (Turkish Summarization)
Upgrade to NVIDIA RTX PRO 4500 Blackwell
see current pricing
32 GB VRAM (vs your 24 GB) plus a bandwidth jump from ~1008 GB/s to ~896 GB/s.
Unlocks: 48 new comfortable
- • Qwen 3 30B-A3B
- • Qwen 2.5 Coder 32B Instruct
- • Qwen3.6 27B
- • Qwen 3 32B
Add a second NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090
~$1899
Tensor parallelism splits the model across both cards, effectively doubling VRAM. Bandwidth doesn't double — runs ~1.5× the single-card speed in practice.
Unlocks: 61 new comfortable
- • Qwen 3 30B-A3B
- • Qwen 2.5 Coder 32B Instruct
- • Qwen3.6 27B
- • Qwen 3 32B
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Won't runtop 5 popular models
Need more memory than you have. Shown for orientation.
Even with CPU offload, needs more memory than your VRAM (24 GB) + 60% of system RAM (38 GB) combined.
—
Even with CPU offload, needs more memory than your VRAM (24 GB) + 60% of system RAM (38 GB) combined.
—
Even with CPU offload, needs more memory than your VRAM (24 GB) + 60% of system RAM (38 GB) combined.
—
Even with CPU offload, needs more memory than your VRAM (24 GB) + 60% of system RAM (38 GB) combined.
—
Even with CPU offload, needs more memory than your VRAM (24 GB) + 60% of system RAM (38 GB) combined.
—
Even with CPU offload, needs more memory than your VRAM (24 GB) + 60% of system RAM (38 GB) combined.
—
Even with CPU offload, needs more memory than your VRAM (24 GB) + 60% of system RAM (38 GB) combined.
—
Even with CPU offload, needs more memory than your VRAM (24 GB) + 60% of system RAM (38 GB) combined.
—
Even with CPU offload, needs more memory than your VRAM (24 GB) + 60% of system RAM (38 GB) combined.
—
Even with CPU offload, needs more memory than your VRAM (24 GB) + 60% of system RAM (38 GB) combined.
—
How to read these numbers
Measured here
Measured here - RunLocalAI ran this exact combo on owner hardware with public evidence.Source-backed
Source-backed / community - a reproduced public source supports the speed, but it is not labeled as owner-measured.Extrapolated
Extrapolated - predicted from a measured benchmark on similar-bandwidth hardware.Estimated
Estimated - formula based on VRAM bandwidth and model architecture; not a benchmark row.Want a specific benchmark we don't have? Email Contact support and we'll prioritize it.