Can SmolLM3 3B run on NVIDIA L40 48GB?

YES — Runs Great

C52Usable

Estimated from fit model

SmolLM3 3B needs ~9.5 GB VRAM. NVIDIA L40 48GB has 48.0 GB. With Q4_K_M quantization, expect ~48 tok/s.

Runtime: llama.cppCapacity: RoomyBandwidth: HighStack: StandardBottleneck: Balanced

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) — 9.5 GB, 48.0 tok/s, Runs well

9.5 GB required48.0 GB available

20% VRAM used

Fit status

Runs well

Decode

48.0 tok/s

TTFT

4033 ms

Safe context

128K

Memory

9.5 GB / 48.0 GB

Memory breakdown

Weights1.8 GB

KV Cache2.0 GB

Runtime0.9 GB

Headroom4.8 GB

See how fast it feels

See how fast it feelsSmolLM3 3B on NVIDIA L40 48GB
1st promptCold start — includes initialization
>Solve: If a train travels at 60 mph for 2.5 hours, how far does it go?
Let me work through this step by step.

Given information:
  - Speed = 60 mph (miles per hour)
  - Time  = 2.5 hours

Formula: Distance = Speed x Time

Calculation:
  Distance = 60 mph x 2.5 h
           = 150 miles

The train travels 150 miles.

Double-check: at 60 mph the train covers 60 miles each hour. In half an hour it covers 30 miles. So in 2.5 hours: 60 + 60 + 30 = 150 miles. Confirmed.
2nd promptWarm — model ready, no init overhead
>What if the train stops for 20 minutes halfway?
The stop doesn't change the total distance covered while moving, but it affects total trip time.

Breakdown:
  - First half: 1.25 hours at 60 mph = 75 miles
  - Stop: 20 minutes (no distance)
  - Second half: 1.25 hours at 60 mph = 75 miles

Total distance: 150 miles (same)
Total time: 2.5 h + 0.33 h = 2.83 hours
Average speed: 150 / 2.83 = 53 mph

The distance stays the same but average speed drops to 53 mph because of the stop.
Estimated: 48.0 tok/s decode · 4.0s TTFT (warm) · 120 tok/s prefill

What limits this setup

This setup is broadly balanced for this model.

No major red flags

This recommendation has enough memory headroom and acceptable estimated speed for the selected workload.

Best improvement path

Performance by workload

Workload	Grade	Fit	Decode	TTFT	Context
Chat	C	Runs well	48.0 tok/s	2200 ms	128K
Coding	C	Runs well	48.0 tok/s	4033 ms	128K
Agentic Coding	C	Runs well	48.0 tok/s	5867 ms	128K
Reasoning	C	Runs well	48.0 tok/s	4767 ms	128K
RAG	C	Runs well	48.0 tok/s	7333 ms	128K

Quantization options

How SmolLM3 3B (3B params) fits at each quantization level on NVIDIA L40 48GB (48.0 GB usable).

Quant	Bits	VRAM	Quality	Fit
Q2_K	2	1.2 GB	Low	C49
Q3_K_S	3	1.5 GB	Low	C49
NVFP4	4

Get started

Copy-paste commands to run SmolLM3 3B on your machine.

Run

lms load SmolLM3-3B && lms server start

Upgrade options

Hardware that runs SmolLM3 3B well

MacBook Pro M4 Max 96GBBudget pick

96 GB Unified (+48)

Adds memory headroom for longer context windows and future model growth.42 tok/s decode

Adds memory headroom for longer context windows and future model growth.

~$2,499 MSRP

MacBook Pro M2 Max 96GBBest value

96 GB Unified (+48)

Adds memory headroom for longer context windows and future model growth.42 tok/s decode

Adds memory headroom for longer context windows and future model growth.

~$3,199 MSRP

Frequently asked questions

Can NVIDIA L40 48GB run SmolLM3 3B?

Yes, NVIDIA L40 48GB can run SmolLM3 3B with a C grade (Runs well). Expected decode speed: 48.0 tok/s.

How much VRAM does SmolLM3 3B need?

SmolLM3 3B (3B parameters) requires approximately 9.5 GB of memory with Q4_K_M quantization.

What is the best quantization for SmolLM3 3B?

The recommended quantization for SmolLM3 3B is Q4_K_M, which balances quality and memory efficiency.

What speed will SmolLM3 3B run at on NVIDIA L40 48GB?

On NVIDIA L40 48GB, SmolLM3 3B achieves approximately 48.0 tokens per second decode speed with a time-to-first-token of 4033ms using Q4_K_M quantization.

Can NVIDIA L40 48GB run SmolLM3 3B for coding?

For coding workloads, SmolLM3 3B on NVIDIA L40 48GB receives a C grade with 48.0 tok/s and 128K context.

What context window can SmolLM3 3B use on NVIDIA L40 48GB?

On NVIDIA L40 48GB, SmolLM3 3B can safely use up to 128K tokens of context. The model's official context limit is 128K, but available memory constrains the safe maximum.

See all results for NVIDIA L40 48GB See all hardware for SmolLM3 3B

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