What is the minimum hardware to run DeepSeek-V2-Lite?

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti (16GB) is the lightest device that runs DeepSeek-V2-Lite, using ~12.2 GB at Q4_K_M of its ~15 GB usable. Anything with less usable memory cannot load it.

How much memory does DeepSeek-V2-Lite need?

At Q4_K_M it needs about 12.2 GB (weights ~10.4 GB + KV cache + overhead at 4k context). At Q8_0 budget ~18.6 GB.

Can I run DeepSeek-V2-Lite on a Mac?

Yes. DeepSeek-V2-Lite runs on Apple Silicon with enough unified memory; the ranked list below shows the lightest Mac that fits.

Can I run DeepSeek-V2-Lite on a phone?

No. DeepSeek-V2-Lite is too large for current phone memory at Q4_K_M; stick to a laptop, desktop GPU, or Mac.

Hardware guide · DeepSeek-V2

What hardware do you need to run DeepSeek-V2-Lite?

DeepSeek-V2-Lite needs about 12.2 GB to run at Q4_K_M, so the lightest hardware that runs it is Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti (16GB). 17 of 40 devices tested can run it.

Needs (Q4_K_M): ~12.2 GB
Devices that run it: 17
Too small: 23
Lightest that runs it: ~15 GB

Recommended Q4_K_M

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti (16GB) Yes

Runs at Q4_K_M using ~12.2 GB of ~15 GB usable.

What kind of hardware runs DeepSeek-V2-Lite

Of the 17 devices that run it, here is the split by hardware class.

7 discrete GPUs 9 Macs 1 laptop

Hardware that runs DeepSeek-V2-Lite

Ranked by usable memory, lightest first. Prices are approximate street prices for the device itself (a GPU is the card alone; a Mac is the whole machine). Tok/s is a bandwidth estimate; see methodology.

Compatible devices 17 total

See the full DeepSeek-V2-Lite memory breakdown, or compare it against other models.

Sources

Memory at Q4_K_M (12.2 GB = 10.4 GB weights + KV cache + overhead), validated 2026-08-03. See methodology.

What hardware do you need to run DeepSeek-V2-Lite?

What kind of hardware runs DeepSeek-V2-Lite

Hardware that runs DeepSeek-V2-Lite

Too small for DeepSeek-V2-Lite

Sources