Smaller alternatives
Models that need less memory than Granite 4.2 30B and score about as well or better.
Granite 4.2 30B
IBM · 29.3B · Dense
Granite 4.2 30B is a 29.3B model from IBM with a 128K-token context. At Q4_K_M with an 8K context it needs about 19.1 GB; 25 GB leaves room for longer chats.
Quantization options
| Quant | Bits | Memory | Quality | On your hardware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q2_K | 3.16 | — | Noticeably worse | … |
| Q3_K_M | 4 | — | Some loss | … |
| Q4_K_M | 4.89 | — | Good | … |
| Q5_K_M | 5.7 | — | Good | … |
| Q6_K | 6.56 | — | Near original | … |
| Q8_0 | 8.5 | — | Near original | … |
| F16 | 16 | — | Original | … |
Memory by context length
At Q4_K_M. The context cache grows with every token the model keeps in mind.
| Context | Context cache | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 4K | 1 GB | 18.1 GB |
| 8K | 2 GB | 19.1 GB |
| 32K | 8 GB | 25.1 GB |
| 128K | 32 GB | 49.1 GB |
Next steps
Compare it with
Scored models of a similar size, side by side on your device.
Least hardware that runs it well
Desktop devices with the least memory that give Granite 4.2 30B grade A or S at Q4_K_M.
Can I run Granite 4.2 30B locally?
Can I run Granite 4.2 30B locally?
Yes, if your GPU or Mac has about 19.1 GB free for it at Q4_K_M. Open this page on that computer to see the grade for your exact hardware, then start it with llama.cpp, Ollama or LM Studio.
How much memory does Granite 4.2 30B need?
About 19.1 GB at Q4_K_M with an 8K context and 31.3 GB at Q8_0. Lower quantizations fit smaller cards with some loss in quality; longer contexts add to the total.