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Bitpute

How much VRAM does WizardLM 70B v1.0 need?

By Bitpute · Published 12 July 2026 · Updated 24 July 2026 · How we estimate · Sources · Editorial policy · Version history · Report an error · Figures re-checked against the calculation engine on every build

WizardLM 70B v1.0 needs about 41.7 GB of VRAM at Q4_K_M, or 72.4 GB at Q8_0 and 135.7 GB at FP16. No consumer card holds it at Q4_K_M. The smallest fit in our set is the RTX A6000 (48 GB). Weights plus runtime overhead; with only 4K of context the cache stays small.

Weights-plus-runtime footprint across the six most common quantizations. KV cache is context-dependent and comes on top. The 4K window is short, so weights dominate the budget; size it precisely in the GPU Memory Calculator.

Parameters69B
Context4K
VendorWizardLM
LicenseResearch / non-commercial
Released2023

Can your GPU run WizardLM 70B v1.0?

Pick your card — the answer below is computed by the same engine that produces every figure on this page.

Yes — recommended
Estimated VRAM41.7 GB
GPU VRAM80 GB
Headroom34.3 GB

A100 80GB runs WizardLM 70B v1.0 at Q4_K_M with 34.3 GB to spare; comfortable at this size, where most cards cannot hold the weights at all.

Weights plus runtime overhead. KV cache is not included — it depends on context length and this model’s published architecture.

Why
Weights (Q4_K_M)39.0 GB
Runtime overhead2.7 GB
Estimated total41.7 GB
Usable VRAM (95% of 80 GB)76.0 GB

Across every GPU we track

Estimates, not guarantees: real usage moves with runtime, driver, batch size and context. Size a specific context window in the GPU Memory Calculator.

How was this number calculated? Every figure here comes from Bitpute’s documented calculation methodology — parameters, precision, quantization, runtime overhead and usable VRAM, each formula written out in full.

Memory by quantization

QuantWeights+ runtime overhead
FP16128.5 GB135.7 GB
Q8_068.3 GB72.4 GB
Q6_K52.7 GB56.1 GB
Q5_K_M45.7 GB48.7 GB
Q4_K_M39.0 GB41.7 GB
Q4_036.1 GB38.7 GB

Overhead = 0.75 GB + 5% of weights (CUDA context, buffers). Add KV cache on top. With only 4K of context, weights dominate the budget.

Which quantization should you actually run?

For WizardLM 70B v1.0, the single-GPU entry point is Q4_K_M (41.7 GB) on RTX A6000, with room for everyday context lengths. Higher quality (Q6_K 56.1 GB, FP16 135.7 GB) needs A100 80GB or multiple GPUs — for occasional use, renting is usually cheaper than buying.

Single-GPU fit at Q4_K_M (41.7 GB + KV)

RTX 3060 12GBRTX 4060 Ti 16GBRTX 4070 Ti SUPERRTX 3090RTX 4090RTX 5090A100 40GBRTX A6000L40SA100 80GBH100 80GBH200 141GB

Size it exactly →Rent a GPU for it →

Where the memory goes

Memory budget for WizardLM 70B v1.0 on a RTX A6000Stacked bar. Weights 39.0 GB, runtime overhead 2.7 GB, KV cache at 8K context 0.5 GB, against 45.6 GB usable on a RTX A6000.Memory budget for WizardLM 70B v1.0 on a RTX A600045.6 GB usable of 48 GBWeights (Q4_K_M) — 39.0 GBRuntime overhead — 2.7 GBKV cache @ 8K — 0.5 GBHeadroom — 3.4 GB

Weights and overhead are exact for Q4_K_M. The KV bar is a generic 32-layer transformer at 8K; at this scale the weights dominate, but long context still adds gigabytes — size it in the calculator is for.

Deciding how much headroom to buy at this tier? RTX A6000 vs A100 80GB compares them on bandwidth, power and which models each one holds.

Common questions

How much VRAM does WizardLM 70B v1.0 need?

WizardLM 70B v1.0 needs about 41.7 GB of VRAM at Q4_K_M, 72.4 GB at Q8_0, or 135.7 GB at FP16. That is weights plus about 0.75 GB of runtime overhead and 5% of weight size; KV cache is additional and depends on context length.

What GPU can run WizardLM 70B v1.0?

At Q4_K_M the smallest card in our set that fits is the RTX A6000 (48 GB usable at 95%). At FP16 no single GPU in our set is sufficient.

Can WizardLM 70B v1.0 run on 24 GB?

Not at Q4_K_M: it needs about 41.7 GB, more than the ~22.8 GB usable on a 24 GB card. Use a larger card, multiple GPUs, or offload.

More in the WizardLM family

WizardLM 7B v1.0WizardLM 13B v1.2