Head-to-head · Qwen2.5-Coder
Qwen2.5 Coder 3B vs Qwen2.5 Coder 7B
Qwen2.5 Coder 3B needs ~3 GB at Q4_K_M; Qwen2.5 Coder 7B needs ~5.8 GB. That ~2.8 GB gap decides which hardware runs each; they differ on 3 of the 14 devices below.
Which devices run each
A representative spread across the memory range. Tap a verdict for the full breakdown.
Size at each quantization
* derived from bits-per-weight; unstarred sizes are measured GGUF files.
Bottom line
The larger Qwen2.5 Coder 7B needs ~5.8 GB; Qwen2.5 Coder 3B runs on lighter hardware at ~3 GB with more headroom and faster responses. Check each against your exact device: what runs Qwen2.5 Coder 3B · what runs Qwen2.5 Coder 7B.
More Qwen2.5-Coder comparisons
- Qwen2.5 Coder 0.5B vs Qwen2.5 Coder 3B
- Qwen2.5 Coder 0.5B vs Qwen2.5 Coder 7B
- Qwen2.5 Coder 1.5B vs Qwen2.5 Coder 3B
- Qwen2.5 Coder 1.5B vs Qwen2.5 Coder 7B
- Qwen2.5 Coder 3B vs Qwen2.5 Coder 14B
- Qwen2.5 Coder 3B vs Qwen2.5 Coder 32B
- Qwen2.5 Coder 7B vs Qwen2.5 Coder 14B
- Qwen2.5 Coder 7B vs Qwen2.5 Coder 32B
FAQ
What is the difference in memory between Qwen2.5 Coder 3B and Qwen2.5 Coder 7B?
At Q4_K_M, Qwen2.5 Coder 3B needs about 3 GB and Qwen2.5 Coder 7B needs about 5.8 GB, a difference of ~2.8 GB.
Should I run Qwen2.5 Coder 3B or Qwen2.5 Coder 7B?
Run Qwen2.5 Coder 7B if your hardware has the ~5.8 GB it needs and you want maximum quality; run Qwen2.5 Coder 3B (~3 GB) for lighter hardware, faster responses, and more memory headroom.
Full breakdowns: Qwen2.5 Coder 3B · Qwen2.5 Coder 7B · all models × devices.
Sources
Memory figures are estimates at Q4_K_M, validated 2026-08-03. See methodology.