Mac Studio M3 Ultra 256GBBudget pick
256 GB Unified (+128)
B
Adds memory headroom for longer context windows and future model growth.101.4 tok/s decode
Adds memory headroom for longer context windows and future model growth.
~$6,999 MSRP
Nous Hermes 1.0 needs ~31.4 GB VRAM. Gaudi 3 128GB has 128.0 GB. With Q4_K_M quantization, expect ~126 tok/s.
Operating mode
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.
Select quantization to explore
Fit status
Runs well
Decode
126.0 tok/s
TTFT
1537 ms
Safe context
16K
Memory
31.4 GB / 128.0 GB
The raw memory story may look fine, but the software ecosystem is still a constraint here.
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.
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.
| Workload | Grade | Fit | Decode | TTFT | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chat | B | Runs well | 126.0 tok/s | 838 ms | 16K |
| Coding | B | Runs well | 126.0 tok/s | 1537 ms | 16K |
| Agentic Coding | B | Runs well | 126.0 tok/s | 2235 ms | 16K |
| Reasoning | B | Runs well | 126.0 tok/s | 1816 ms | 16K |
| RAG | B | Runs well | 126.0 tok/s | 2794 ms | 16K |
How Nous Hermes 1.0 (9B params) fits at each quantization level on Gaudi 3 128GB (128.0 GB usable).
| Quant | Bits | VRAM | Quality | Fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Q2_K | 2 | 3.5 GB | Low | B59 |
Q3_K_S | 3 | 4.4 GB | Low | B59 |
NVFP4 | 4 |
Copy-paste commands to run Nous Hermes 1.0 on your machine.
Run
lms load Nous-Hermes-1.0 && lms server startUpgrade options
Yes, Gaudi 3 128GB can run Nous Hermes 1.0 with a B grade (Runs well). Expected decode speed: 126.0 tok/s.
Nous Hermes 1.0 (9B parameters) requires approximately 31.4 GB of memory with Q4_K_M quantization.
The recommended quantization for Nous Hermes 1.0 is Q4_K_M, which balances quality and memory efficiency.
On Gaudi 3 128GB, Nous Hermes 1.0 achieves approximately 126.0 tokens per second decode speed with a time-to-first-token of 1537ms using Q4_K_M quantization.
For coding workloads, Nous Hermes 1.0 on Gaudi 3 128GB receives a B grade with 126.0 tok/s and 16K context.
On Gaudi 3 128GB, Nous Hermes 1.0 can safely use up to 16K tokens of context. The model's official context limit is 16K, but available memory constrains the safe maximum.
Paste this snippet into any page to show a live fit card.
<iframe src="https://willitrunai.com/embed/nous-hermes-1.0-on-gaudi-3-128gb" width="400" height="180" frameborder="0" style="border:none;border-radius:12px;overflow:hidden;" title="Will It Run AI — fit result"></iframe>
Preview:
5.0 GB |
| Medium |
| B59 |
Q4_K_M | 4 | 5.5 GB | Medium | B59 |
Q5_K_M | 5 | 6.5 GB | High | B59 |
Q6_K | 6 | 7.4 GB | High | B59 |
Q8_0 | 8 | 9.6 GB | Very High | B59 |
F16Best for your GPU | 16 | 18.5 GB | Maximum | B60 |
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.
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.