Can You Run DeepSeek V4 Flash (304B MoE)? VRAM Requirements
DeepSeek V4 Flash (304B MoE) has 304B total parameters (MoE, 15B active per token). Running it at Q4_K_M (GGUF) with 16K context takes roughly 187 GB of memory (173 GB weights + 0.8 GB KV cache + runtime overhead). The minimum viable hardware is about Mac M3 Ultra 512GB. All numbers are planning estimates, verified 2026-09-05.
⚠ Some architecture details of this model are estimated — treat results as ballpark figures.
VRAM by quantization (16K context)
| Quantization | Weights | Total needed | Minimum hardware |
|---|---|---|---|
| FP16 / BF16 | 566 GB | 612 GB | 4× B200 192GB |
| FP8 | 283 GB | 307 GB | Mac M3 Ultra 512GB |
| Q8_0 (GGUF) | 300 GB | 325 GB | Mac M3 Ultra 512GB |
| Q6_K (GGUF) | 232 GB | 251 GB | Mac M3 Ultra 512GB |
| Q5_K_M (GGUF) | 201 GB | 218 GB | Mac M3 Ultra 512GB |
| MXFP4 | 150 GB | 163 GB | AMD MI300X 192GB |
| NVFP4 | 150 GB | 163 GB | AMD MI300X 192GB |
| Q4_K_M (GGUF)recommended | 173 GB | 187 GB | Mac M3 Ultra 512GB |
| Q3_K_M (GGUF) | 133 GB | 144 GB | AMD MI300X 192GB |
| Q2_K (GGUF) | 99.1 GB | 108 GB | Mac 128GB unified |
How context length changes memory (Q4_K_M (GGUF))
| Context | KV cache | Total needed |
|---|---|---|
| 4K | 0.2 GB | 187 GB |
| 16K | 0.8 GB | 187 GB |
| 64K | 3.0 GB | 190 GB |
| 128K | 6.0 GB | 193 GB |
| 256K | 12.1 GB | 199 GB |
| 1M | 46.1 GB | 233 GB |
KV cache grows linearly with context; FP8 KV cache halves it again (try it in the calculator below).
Customize the estimate
LLM VRAM Calculator — Can I Run It?
Estimate how much GPU memory (VRAM) you need to run open-weight LLMs like Kimi K3, DeepSeek R1, Qwen3, or Llama locally. Pick a model, quantization, and context length — the calculator adds up weights, KV cache, and runtime overhead, then shows which GPUs or Macs can fit it. Runs entirely in your browser: no upload, no signup.
304B total params · 15B active (MoE) · max 1M context · specs partially estimated
Recommended balance · ~0.61 bytes/param
Estimated memory needed
193 GB
Architecture details for this model are estimated — treat results as a ballpark.
Will it fit?
Assumes ~92% of device memory is usable. Multi-GPU counts are for tensor/pipeline parallel serving (vLLM, SGLang); Apple Silicon uses unified memory via llama.cpp or MLX.
FAQ
How much VRAM does DeepSeek V4 Flash (304B MoE) need?
About 187 GB at the recommended Q4_K_M (GGUF) quantization with 16K context: 173 GB for weights, 0.8 GB for KV cache, plus runtime overhead. Longer context grows the KV cache.
What is the minimum hardware for DeepSeek V4 Flash (304B MoE)?
Roughly Mac M3 Ultra 512GB, assuming 92% of device memory is usable. Lower-end setups can try more aggressive quantization (Q3/Q2) at a noticeable quality cost.
Can I run DeepSeek V4 Flash (304B MoE) on a Mac?
Yes. At Q4_K_M (GGUF) with 16K context it needs about 187 GB, which fits the unified memory of a Mac M3 Ultra 512GB via llama.cpp or MLX.
Which quantization should I use for DeepSeek V4 Flash (304B MoE)?
Q4_K_M is the recommended balance of size and quality; with headroom, Q6_K or Q8_0 reduce quality loss further.