Head-to-head · Gemma

Gemma 3n E4B vs Gemma 4 12B

Gemma 3n E4B needs ~5.7 GB at Q4_K_M; Gemma 4 12B needs ~8.7 GB. That ~3 GB gap decides which hardware runs each; they differ on 2 of the 14 devices below.

Spec Gemma 3n E4B Gemma 4 12B

Parameters8B12B

Memory at Q4_K_M~5.7 GB~8.7 GB

Context window32k256k

LMArenanot rankednot ranked

LicensegemmaApache-2.0

Which devices run each

A representative spread across the memory range. Tap a verdict for the full breakdown.

Size at each quantization

Quant Gemma 3n E4B Gemma 4 12B

Q2_K 3.4 GB* 5 GB*

Q3_K_M 3.9 GB* 5.9 GB*

Q4_K_M 4.23 GB 7.12 GB

Q5_K_M 5.7 GB* 8.6 GB*

Q6_K 6.6 GB* 9.8 GB*

Q8_0 6.85 GB 12.67 GB

FP16 13.7 GB 23.83 GB

* derived from bits-per-weight; unstarred sizes are measured GGUF files.

Bottom line

The larger Gemma 4 12B needs ~8.7 GB; Gemma 3n E4B runs on lighter hardware at ~5.7 GB with more headroom and faster responses. Check each against your exact device: what runs Gemma 3n E4B · what runs Gemma 4 12B.

Share on X Share on Reddit

More Gemma comparisons

FAQ

What is the difference in memory between Gemma 3n E4B and Gemma 4 12B?

At Q4_K_M, Gemma 3n E4B needs about 5.7 GB and Gemma 4 12B needs about 8.7 GB, a difference of ~3 GB.

Should I run Gemma 3n E4B or Gemma 4 12B?

Run Gemma 4 12B if your hardware has the ~8.7 GB it needs and you want maximum quality; run Gemma 3n E4B (~5.7 GB) for lighter hardware, faster responses, and more memory headroom.

Full breakdowns: Gemma 3n E4B · Gemma 4 12B · all models × devices.

Sources

Memory figures are estimates at Q4_K_M, validated 2026-08-03. See methodology.