Would CUDA be a better path than Intel Data Center GPU Max 1550 128GB for Kimi K2.6?

Often yes, if your goal is the easiest setup and the widest runtime support. Intel can offer attractive memory capacity, but CUDA still tends to win on tooling maturity, guides, kernels, and model coverage for local AI.

Can Kimi K2.6 run on Intel Data Center GPU Max 1550 128GB?

Q: What should I upgrade first if Kimi K2.6 feels slow on Intel Data Center GPU Max 1550 128GB?

Add more VRAM headroom. The first useful upgrade is more dedicated VRAM so you can fit the model without shrinking context or dropping to a much lower quant.

NO — Won't Fit

F0Won't run

Estimated from fit model

Kimi K2.6 needs ~632.0 GB but Intel Data Center GPU Max 1550 128GB only has 128.0 GB. Try a smaller quantization or lighter model.

Runtime: TransformersCapacity: No fitBandwidth: HighStack: StandardBottleneck: Memory capacity

Operating mode

Choose the run profile you care about

Interactive favors responsiveness, while light API and scale-out lean harder on serving readiness. The fit stays the same, but the recommendation lens changes.

Current mode

Balanced

Balanced for general local use. Keeps the ranking neutral across personal and serving workflows.

Capabilities:

Select quantization to explore

Q4_K_M (Medium quality) — 632.0 GB, exceeds 128.0 GB available

632.0 GB required128.0 GB available

494% VRAM needed

504.0 GB over capacity — needs offload or smaller quantization

Fit status

Too heavy

Decode

2.0 tok/s

TTFT

96800 ms

Safe context

Memory

632.0 GB / 128.0 GB

Offload

80%

Memory breakdown

Weights610.0 GB

KV Cache7.4 GB

Runtime1.8 GB

Headroom12.8 GB

See how fast it feels

With memory offload — actual speed may be lower

See how fast it feelsKimi K2.6 on Intel Data Center GPU Max 1550 128GB
1st promptCold start — includes initialization
>Write a Python function to sort a list
Here's a Python function that sorts a list using quicksort:

def quicksort(arr):
    if len(arr) <= 1:
        return arr
    pivot = arr[len(arr) // 2]
    left   = [x for x in arr if x < pivot]
    middle = [x for x in arr if x == pivot]
    right  = [x for x in arr if x > pivot]
    return quicksort(left) + middle + quicksort(right)

# Example usage
numbers = [3, 6, 8, 10, 1, 2, 1]
print(quicksort(numbers))  # [1, 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 10]

The algorithm picks a pivot, partitions the list into smaller, equal, and larger elements, then recursively sorts each partition and concatenates the results.
2nd promptWarm — model ready, no init overhead
>Now add type hints and a docstring
def quicksort(arr: list[int]) -> list[int]:
    """Sort a list using the quicksort algorithm.

    Args:
        arr: List of integers to sort.

    Returns:
        A new sorted list.
    """
    if len(arr) <= 1:
        return arr
    pivot = arr[len(arr) // 2]
    left   = [x for x in arr if x < pivot]
    middle = [x for x in arr if x == pivot]
    right  = [x for x in arr if x > pivot]
    return quicksort(left) + middle + quicksort(right)

Added type hints for the input and return type, plus a Google-style docstring.
Estimated: 2.0 tok/s decode · 96.8s TTFT (warm) · 5 tok/s prefill

What limits this setup

Usable VRAM is the main blocker for this model.

Not enough usable memory

The model needs 632.0 GB, but this setup only exposes 128.0 GB of usable VRAM.

Runtime ecosystem is narrower than CUDA

Intel GPUs can look attractive on memory per dollar, but local AI tooling, kernels, and model coverage are still broader and easier on CUDA today.

Best improvement path

Add more VRAM headroom

The first useful upgrade is more dedicated VRAM so you can fit the model without shrinking context or dropping to a much lower quant.

Prefer CUDA if you want the path of least resistance

If your goal is maximum runtime coverage, easier troubleshooting, and better support for new local AI releases, CUDA is usually still the safer upgrade path.

Performance by workload

Workload	Grade	Fit	Decode	TTFT	Context
Chat	F	Too heavy	2.0 tok/s	52800 ms	4K
Coding	F	Too heavy	2.0 tok/s	96800 ms	4K
Agentic Coding	F	Too heavy	2.0 tok/s	140800 ms	4K
Reasoning	F	Too heavy	2.0 tok/s	114400 ms	4K
RAG	F	Too heavy	2.0 tok/s	176000 ms	4K

Inference speed

Kimi K2.6 inference speed — tokens per second by GPU & Mac

Estimated decode speed (tokens/sec) for Kimi K2.6 at Q4_K_M across popular GPUs and Apple Silicon, including multi-GPU rigs, using the fastest local runtime per device. Fastest is RTX 5090 32GB at ~2 tok/s. Speed is memory-bandwidth bound, so cards that fit the whole model in VRAM run far faster than ones that offload to system RAM.

GPU / Mac	Memory	Quant	Speed (tok/s)	Fits?
RTX 5090 32GB	32 GB	Q4_K_M	2.0	Too big
RTX 4090 24GB	24 GB	Q4_K_M	2.0	Too big
RTX 4080 Super 16GB	16 GB	Q4_K_M	2.0

Quantization options

How Kimi K2.6 (1000B params) fits at each quantization level on Intel Data Center GPU Max 1550 128GB (128.0 GB usable).

Quant	Bits	VRAM	Quality	Fit
Q2_K	2	390.0 GB	Low	F0
Q3_K_S	3	490.0 GB	Low	F0
NVFP4	4

Frequently asked questions

Can Intel Data Center GPU Max 1550 128GB run Kimi K2.6?

No, Kimi K2.6 requires more memory than Intel Data Center GPU Max 1550 128GB provides.

How much VRAM does Kimi K2.6 need?

Kimi K2.6 (1000B parameters) requires approximately 632.0 GB of memory with Q4_K_M quantization.

What is the best quantization for Kimi K2.6?

The recommended quantization for Kimi K2.6 is Q4_K_M, which balances quality and memory efficiency.

What speed will Kimi K2.6 run at on Intel Data Center GPU Max 1550 128GB?

On Intel Data Center GPU Max 1550 128GB, Kimi K2.6 achieves approximately 2.0 tokens per second decode speed with a time-to-first-token of 96800ms using Q4_K_M quantization.

Can Intel Data Center GPU Max 1550 128GB run Kimi K2.6 for coding?

For coding workloads, Kimi K2.6 on Intel Data Center GPU Max 1550 128GB receives a F grade with 2.0 tok/s and 4K context.

What context window can Kimi K2.6 use on Intel Data Center GPU Max 1550 128GB?

On Intel Data Center GPU Max 1550 128GB, Kimi K2.6 can safely use up to 4K tokens of context. The model's official context limit is 256K, but available memory constrains the safe maximum.

What should I upgrade first if Kimi K2.6 feels slow on Intel Data Center GPU Max 1550 128GB?

See all results for Intel Data Center GPU Max 1550 128GB See all hardware for Kimi K2.6

Embed this result▼

Paste this snippet into any page to show a live fit card.

<iframe src="https://willitrunai.com/embed/kimi-k2-6-on-max-1550-128gb" width="400" height="180" frameborder="0" style="border:none;border-radius:12px;overflow:hidden;" title="Will It Run AI — fit result"></iframe>

Preview: