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Head-to-head · Qwen3

Qwen3 4B vs Qwen3 32B

Qwen3 4B needs ~3.8 GB at Q4_K_M; Qwen3 32B needs ~22 GB. That ~18.2 GB gap decides which hardware runs each; they differ on 9 of the 14 devices below.

Spec Qwen3 4B Qwen3 32B
Parameters4B32B
Memory at Q4_K_M~3.8 GB~22 GB
Context window32k32k
LMArenanot rankedElo 1347
LicenseApache-2.0Apache-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 Qwen3 4B Qwen3 32B
Q2_K 1.7 GB* 13.4 GB*
Q3_K_M 2 GB* 15.6 GB*
Q4_K_M 2.5 GB 19.8 GB
Q5_K_M 2.9 GB* 22.8 GB*
Q6_K 3.3 GB* 26.2 GB*
Q8_0 4.28 GB 34.8 GB
FP16 8 GB* 66 GB

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

Bottom line

The larger Qwen3 32B needs ~22 GB; Qwen3 4B runs on lighter hardware at ~3.8 GB with more headroom and faster responses. Check each against your exact device: what runs Qwen3 4B · what runs Qwen3 32B.

More Qwen3 comparisons

FAQ

What is the difference in memory between Qwen3 4B and Qwen3 32B?

At Q4_K_M, Qwen3 4B needs about 3.8 GB and Qwen3 32B needs about 22 GB, a difference of ~18.2 GB.

Should I run Qwen3 4B or Qwen3 32B?

Run Qwen3 32B if your hardware has the ~22 GB it needs and you want maximum quality; run Qwen3 4B (~3.8 GB) for lighter hardware, faster responses, and more memory headroom.

Full breakdowns: Qwen3 4B · Qwen3 32B · all models × devices.

Sources

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