Can the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB (used) run Gemma 2 9B IT?
Fits comfortably at Q4_K_M.
Gemma 2 9B IT is 9.24B parameters. At Q4_K_M the weights are about 5.2 GiB; with the 1.5 GiB runtime reserve that is 6.7 GiB against the card's 12GB, leaving about 5.3 GiB for context.
All three quants
12GB card| Quant | Weights | With reserve | Verdict | Headroom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q4_K_Mthe everyday quant | 5.2 GiB | 6.7 GiB | Fits comfortably | 5.3 GiB |
| Q8_0near-lossless | 9.1 GiB | 10.6 GiB | Fits, tight on context | 1.4 GiB |
| FP16full weights | 17.2 GiB | 18.7 GiB | Only with CPU offload | short 6.7 GiB |
Verdict rules: fits comfortably when weights plus reserve sit within 85% of VRAM; tight when they fit with little left for context; CPU offload when they exceed VRAM by up to 2x (runs, slowly, with layers in system RAM); no beyond that. The KV cache per token depends on the model's architecture and is not modelled here.
The numbers for this pairing
At Q4_K_M the weights take about 5.2 GiB; with the 1.5 GiB we set aside for the runtime that is 6.7 of the card's 12 GB, leaving about 5.3 GB for the context cache.
The highest-quality version that fits entirely in memory is Q8_0.
The cheapest card on our list that runs it comfortably at Q4 is the Arc B570 at about $260, against about $455 for this card.
At about $455, this card costs roughly $38 per GB of VRAM.
Running it at its full 170 W board power for 4 hours a day would use about 20 kWh a month, about $3.75 at the US average residential rate of 18.4 cents per kWh (2026-05); real use sits below that ceiling.
Prices are the lowest current listings our tracker saw on Oct 7, 2026, since averages include premium variants; launch prices are marked where we have no listing.
Good match. Get the card.
The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB (used) clears Gemma 2 9B IT at Q4_K_M and at Q8_0. Live listings below; this page was rebuilt 2026-10-07.
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About the model
Gemma 2 9B IT by Google: 8,192-token native context, text, released 2024 under the Gemma Terms of Use. Model card →