📍 Part of the Local LLMs in 2026 guide
❌ No — not enough VRAM without CPU offloading
Gemma 2 27B needs 16 GB VRAM at Q4. The RTX 3060 12GB has 12 GB.
Gemma 2 27B needs 16 GB VRAM at Q4. The RTX 3060 12GB has 12 GB.
● Gemma 2 27B (Google) is a 27B parameter model used for High-quality chat, reasoning, analysis. Best quality under 24GB at Q4 — punches above its weight.
VRAM Requirements
| Quantization | VRAM Needed | RTX 3060 12GB |
|---|---|---|
| Q4_K_M (recommended) | 16 GB | ❌ |
| Q8_0 (high quality) | 28 GB | ❌ |
Why It Won’t Fit
Gemma 2 27B needs 16 GB VRAM at Q4 quantization, but the RTX 3060 12GB only has 12 GB. You’re 4 GB short.
Options: You can run it with CPU offloading (expect ~12 tok/s — very slow), or upgrade to a GPU with 16+ GB VRAM.
About the RTX 3060 12GB
Pros: 12GB VRAM at budget price, runs most 7-8B models comfortably
Cons: Older architecture, slower than Ada-gen cards
Price: ~$300 — Check current price on Amazon →