Can granite 8b code instruct 4k run on RTX 3050 8GB?

YES — With Offload

C50Usable

Estimated from fit model

granite 8b code instruct 4k needs ~7.8 GB VRAM. RTX 3050 8GB has 8.0 GB. With Q4_K_M quantization, expect ~30 tok/s.

Runtime: OllamaCapacity: OffloadBandwidth: Very lowStack: BasicBottleneck: Memory bandwidth

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) — 7.8 GB, 30.3 tok/s, Runs with offload

7.8 GB required8.0 GB available

98% VRAM used

Fit status

Runs with offload

Decode

30.3 tok/s

TTFT

6390 ms

Safe context

19K

Memory

7.8 GB / 8.0 GB

Memory breakdown

Weights4.9 GB

KV Cache0.9 GB

Runtime1.2 GB

Headroom0.8 GB

See how fast it feels

See how fast it feelsgranite 8b code instruct 4k on RTX 3050 8GB
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: 30.3 tok/s decode · 6.4s TTFT (warm) · 76 tok/s prefill

What limits this setup

This setup is broadly balanced for this model.

Very little memory headroom

You can run the model, but there is not much room left for longer context, bigger batches, extra apps, or future model updates.

Best improvement path

Buy headroom, not only minimum fit

A slightly larger memory tier gives you safer context growth and makes the recommendation more future-proof.

Performance by workload

Workload	Grade	Fit	Decode	TTFT	Context
Chat	C	Tight fit	30.3 tok/s	3486 ms	19K
Coding	C	Runs with offload	30.3 tok/s	6390 ms	19K
Agentic Coding	D	Very compromised (needs ~0.4 GB host RAM)	18.8 tok/s	14985 ms	19K
Reasoning	C	Runs with offload	30.3 tok/s	7552 ms	19K
RAG	D	Very compromised (needs ~0.4 GB host RAM)	18.8 tok/s	18731 ms	19K

Quantization options

How granite 8b code instruct 4k (8B params) fits at each quantization level on RTX 3050 8GB (8.0 GB usable).

Quant	Bits	VRAM	Quality	Fit
Q2_K	2	3.1 GB	Low	C54
Q3_K_S	3	3.9 GB	Low	C53
NVFP4	4	4.5 GB	Medium	C53
Q4_K_MBest for your GPU	4	4.9 GB	Medium	C53
Q5_K_M	5	5.8 GB	High	F0
Q6_K	6	6.6 GB	High	F0
Q8_0	8	8.6 GB	Very High	F0
F16	16	16.4 GB	Maximum	F0

Get started

Copy-paste commands to run granite 8b code instruct 4k on your machine.

Run

lms load hf-ibm-granite--granite-8b-code-instruct-4k-gguf && lms server start

Opções de upgrade

Hardware que roda bem granite 8b code instruct 4k

RTX 3060 12GBOpção econômica

12 GB VRAM (+4)360 GB/s (+136)

Raises estimated decode speed by about 61%.48.7 tok/s decodificação

Raises estimated decode speed by about 61%.

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

~$329 MSRP

RTX 5060 Ti 16GBMelhor custo-benefício

16 GB VRAM (+8)448 GB/s (+224)

Raises estimated decode speed by about 88%.56.9 tok/s decodificação

Raises estimated decode speed by about 88%.

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

~$449 MSRP

RTX 4060 Ti 16GBUpgrade NVIDIA

16 GB VRAM (+8)288 GB/s (+64)

Raises estimated decode speed by about 42%.43.1 tok/s decodificação

Raises estimated decode speed by about 42%.

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

~$499 MSRP

Frequently asked questions

Can RTX 3050 8GB run granite 8b code instruct 4k?

Yes, RTX 3050 8GB can run granite 8b code instruct 4k with a C grade (Runs with offload). Expected decode speed: 30.3 tok/s.

How much VRAM does granite 8b code instruct 4k need?

granite 8b code instruct 4k (8B parameters) requires approximately 7.8 GB of memory with Q4_K_M quantization.

What is the best quantization for granite 8b code instruct 4k?

The recommended quantization for granite 8b code instruct 4k is Q4_K_M, which balances quality and memory efficiency.

What speed will granite 8b code instruct 4k run at on RTX 3050 8GB?

On RTX 3050 8GB, granite 8b code instruct 4k achieves approximately 30.3 tokens per second decode speed with a time-to-first-token of 6390ms using Q4_K_M quantization.

Can RTX 3050 8GB run granite 8b code instruct 4k for coding?

For coding workloads, granite 8b code instruct 4k on RTX 3050 8GB receives a C grade with 30.3 tok/s and 19K context.

What context window can granite 8b code instruct 4k use on RTX 3050 8GB?

On RTX 3050 8GB, granite 8b code instruct 4k can safely use up to 19K tokens of context. The model's official context limit is —, but available memory constrains the safe maximum.

What should I upgrade first if granite 8b code instruct 4k feels slow on RTX 3050 8GB?

Buy headroom, not only minimum fit. A slightly larger memory tier gives you safer context growth and makes the recommendation more future-proof.

See all results for RTX 3050 8GB See all hardware for granite 8b code instruct 4k

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