Would CUDA be a better path than Intel Arc A770 16GB for StarCoder 7B?

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 StarCoder 7B run on Intel Arc A770 16GB?

Q: What should I upgrade first if StarCoder 7B feels slow on Intel Arc A770 16GB?

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.

YES — Tight Fit

A76Great

Estimated from fit model

StarCoder 7B needs ~14.1 GB VRAM. Intel Arc A770 16GB has 16.0 GB. With Q4_K_M quantization, expect ~59 tok/s.

Runtime: llama.cppCapacity: TightBandwidth: MediumStack: 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) — 14.1 GB, 59.0 tok/s, Tight fit

14.1 GB required16.0 GB available

88% VRAM used

Fit status

Tight fit

Decode

59.0 tok/s

TTFT

3280 ms

Safe context

Memory

14.1 GB / 16.0 GB

Memory breakdown

Weights4.3 GB

KV Cache7.3 GB

Runtime0.9 GB

Headroom1.6 GB

See how fast it feels

See how fast it feelsStarCoder 7B on Intel Arc A770 16GB
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: 59.0 tok/s decode · 3.3s TTFT (warm) · 148 tok/s prefill

What limits this setup

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.

Best improvement path

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	A	Runs well	59.0 tok/s	1789 ms	8K
Coding	A	Tight fit	59.0 tok/s	3280 ms	8K
Agentic Coding	F	Too heavy	24.0 tok/s	11755 ms	8K
Reasoning	A	Tight fit	59.0 tok/s	3877 ms	8K
RAG	F	Too heavy	24.0 tok/s	14694 ms	8K

Quantization options

How StarCoder 7B (7B params) fits at each quantization level on Intel Arc A770 16GB (16.0 GB usable).

Quant	Bits	VRAM	Quality	Fit
Q2_K	2	2.7 GB	Low	A70
Q3_K_S	3	3.4 GB	Low	A71
NVFP4	4

Get started

Copy-paste commands to run StarCoder 7B on your machine.

Run

lms load starcoder-7b && lms server start

Your hardware

More models your Intel Arc A770 16GB can run

Model	Params	Grade	Decode	Capabilities
Qwen 3.5 9B	9B	S	49.3 tok/s
Qwen 3 14B	14B	S	31.9 tok/s

Frequently asked questions

Can Intel Arc A770 16GB run StarCoder 7B?

Yes, Intel Arc A770 16GB can run StarCoder 7B with a A grade (Tight fit). Expected decode speed: 59.0 tok/s.

How much VRAM does StarCoder 7B need?

StarCoder 7B (7B parameters) requires approximately 14.1 GB of memory with Q4_K_M quantization.

What is the best quantization for StarCoder 7B?

The recommended quantization for StarCoder 7B is Q4_K_M, which balances quality and memory efficiency.

What speed will StarCoder 7B run at on Intel Arc A770 16GB?

On Intel Arc A770 16GB, StarCoder 7B achieves approximately 59.0 tokens per second decode speed with a time-to-first-token of 3280ms using Q4_K_M quantization.

Can Intel Arc A770 16GB run StarCoder 7B for coding?

For coding workloads, StarCoder 7B on Intel Arc A770 16GB receives a A grade with 59.0 tok/s and 8K context.

What context window can StarCoder 7B use on Intel Arc A770 16GB?

On Intel Arc A770 16GB, StarCoder 7B can safely use up to 8K tokens of context. The model's official context limit is 8K, but available memory constrains the safe maximum.

What should I upgrade first if StarCoder 7B feels slow on Intel Arc A770 16GB?

See all results for Intel Arc A770 16GB See all hardware for StarCoder 7B

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