FitMyModel

What local AI models run on 16 GB of VRAM?

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5 of 13 ranked open models fit in 16 GB: 2 with 4 GB or more to spare and 3 tight. The best ranked is Gemma 4 26B-A4B (MoE) (16 GB).

ModelLMArenaNeedsFitPages
Gemma 4 26B-A4B (MoE)Google · default tag
 #100 16 GB Tight RTX 5060 Ti 16GB · 24–32 GB GPU tier
Mistral Small 3.2 24BMistral AI · Q4_K_M
 #212 15 GB Tight RTX 5060 Ti 16GB · 16 GB GPU tier
gpt-oss 20BOpenAI · MXFP4 (as shipped)
 #269 14 GB Tight RTX 5060 Ti 16GB · Guide · 16 GB GPU tier
Phi-4 14BMicrosoft · Q4_K_M
 #322 9.1 GB Fits RTX 5060 Ti 16GB · Guide · 8–12 GB GPU tier
Llama 3.1 8BMeta · Q4_K_M
 #345 4.9 GB Fits RTX 5060 Ti 16GB · Guide · 8–12 GB GPU tier

Fit compares the Ollama library download size with 16 GB. "Fits" means 4 GB or more spare and "Tight" means under 4 GB; both bands are our estimate, and tight models need a short context. Ranks from LMArena Text, checked Oct 27, 2026, 2:16 PM CT. No speeds are listed because we have no sourced numbers.

Hardware with 16 GB for the GPU

ABS Cyclone series mesh mini-tower case with RGB fans — illustrated product card

ABS Cyclone Aqua gaming PC (Core i7-14700F, RTX 5060 Ti 16GB, 16GB DDR5, 1TB SSD)

$1,599.99 Newegg · checked Oct 27, 2026, about 12:35 PM CT

Sold by Newegg, seen on the product page. Ships with 16 GB system RAM; plan an upgrade to 32 GB.

Check price at Newegg (opens in a new tab)

Prices: Newegg checked Oct 27, 2026, about 12:35 PM CT; Minisforum checked Oct 27, 2026, 12:40 PM CT. New condition only.

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FAQ

What local AI models run on 16 GB of VRAM?

5 of the 13 leaderboard-ranked open models we track fit in 16 GB: Gemma 4 26B-A4B (MoE) (16 GB), Mistral Small 3.2 24B (15 GB), gpt-oss 20B (14 GB), Phi-4 14B (9.1 GB), Llama 3.1 8B (4.9 GB). Sizes are Ollama library downloads; Gemma 4 26B-A4B (MoE), Mistral Small 3.2 24B, gpt-oss 20B are tight (under 4 GB spare, our estimate).

What is the best-ranked local model for 16 GB?

Gemma 4 26B-A4B (MoE), #100 overall on LMArena Text (checked Oct 27, 2026, 2:16 PM CT), needs 16 GB.

What is the largest model that fits in 16 GB?

Gemma 4 26B-A4B (MoE) at 16 GB (default tag). The runtime and context need roughly 1–4 GB more, which is our estimate.

Does 16 GB of unified memory count as 16 GB of VRAM?

No. On a Ryzen AI Max+ 395 system AMD says the GPU can use up to 48 GB of a 64 GB system and up to 96 GB of a 128 GB system, so use the GPU share when you read this page.