Open models that run on a 16GB computer
thecontinuitylayer.com/open/models/16gbChecked 6 November 2026. US dollars. No affiliate links.
11 open models in our catalog fit a 16GB computer: Gemma 4, Llama 3, DeepSeek R1, Qwen3.5, Dolphin (community) and 3 more. 7 of them carry a permissive license (Apache 2.0 or MIT), 11 run with one Ollama command, 4 read images. Each figure comes from the maker's page or model card, checked 6 November 2026.
16GB: a 16gb mac or laptop, a 12–16gb graphics card. A model that fits a smaller machine fits this one too, so the list runs from the smallest up. Want to filter by license, who set the behavior, or images? Use the model finder.
Gemma 4 E2B
Fits 8GBGoogle DeepMind · 2B effective parameters
Phones, old laptops, quick private chat
- License
- Apache 2.0
- License rules
- None beyond keeping the notices
- Behavior
- Maker's own tuning
- Reads
- Text, Image, Audio
- Context
- 128K
- Download
- 2.9GB at 4-bit (Google's figure)
ollama run gemma4:e2b
Source · checked 6 November 2026 · Gemma 4 graded
Gemma 4 E4B
Fits 8GBGoogle DeepMind · 4B effective parameters
The best first model for an 8GB machine
- License
- Apache 2.0
- License rules
- None beyond keeping the notices
- Behavior
- Maker's own tuning
- Reads
- Text, Image, Audio
- Context
- 128K
- Download
- 4.5GB at 4-bit (Google's figure)
ollama run gemma4:e4b
Source · checked 6 November 2026 · Gemma 4 graded
Llama 3.2 3B
Fits 8GBMeta · 3B parameters
Very old or very small machines
- License
- Llama 3.2 Community License
- License rules
- Acceptable Use Policy; very large services (700M+ monthly users) need Meta's permission
- Behavior
- Maker's own tuning
- Reads
- Text
- Context
- 128K
- Download
- 2.0GB
ollama run llama3.2:3b
Source · checked 6 November 2026
Llama 3.1 8B
Fits 8GBMeta · 8B parameters
The most-downloaded base for community retunes
- License
- Llama 3.1 Community License
- License rules
- Acceptable Use Policy; very large services (700M+ monthly users) need Meta's permission
- Behavior
- Maker's own tuning
- Reads
- Text
- Context
- 128K
- Download
- 4.9GB
ollama run llama3.1:8b
Source · checked 6 November 2026
DeepSeek-R1-0528-Qwen3-8B
Fits 8GBDeepSeek · 8B parameters
Step-by-step reasoning on a small machine (it thinks out loud, so it is slower)
- License
- MIT (built on Qwen3 8B)
- License rules
- None beyond keeping the notices
- Behavior
- Maker's own tuning
- Reads
- Text
- Context
- 128K
- Download
- 5.2GB
ollama run deepseek-r1:8b
Source · checked 6 November 2026
Qwen3.5 9B
Fits 16GBAlibaba (Qwen) · 9B parameters
All-round everyday model with vision and tool use
- License
- Apache 2.0
- License rules
- None beyond keeping the notices
- Behavior
- Maker's own tuning
- Reads
- Text, Image
- Context
- 256K
- Download
- 6.6–7.6GB
- Note
- Loads on 8GB with little room left for long chats; 16GB is comfortable.
ollama run qwen3.5:9b
Source · checked 6 November 2026
Dolphin 3.0 8B
Fits 8GBCognitive Computations · 8B (Llama 3.1 8B base) parameters
A model that follows your system prompt rather than the maker's defaults
- License
- Llama 3.1 Community License (inherited)
- License rules
- Meta's Acceptable Use Policy still applies to a retune of Llama
- Behavior
- Community retune; its page says the system owner sets the guidelines
- Reads
- Text
- Context
- 128K
- Download
- 4.9GB
ollama run dolphin3
Source · checked 6 November 2026
Hermes 3 8B
Fits 8GBNous Research · 8B (Hermes-3-Llama-3.1-8B) parameters
Role-play, fiction and agents that should take direction from you
- License
- Llama 3.1 Community License (inherited)
- License rules
- Meta's Acceptable Use Policy still applies to a retune of Llama
- Behavior
- Community retune; Nous says it aligns the model to the user and gives the user strong steering
- Reads
- Text
- Context
- 128K
- Download
- 4.7GB
ollama run hermes3:8b
Source · checked 6 November 2026
Gemma 4 12B
Fits 16GBGoogle DeepMind · 12B parameters
The sweet spot for a 16GB laptop: documents, images, writing
- License
- Apache 2.0
- License rules
- None beyond keeping the notices
- Behavior
- Maker's own tuning
- Reads
- Text, Image
- Context
- 256K
- Download
- 6.7GB at 4-bit (Google's figure)
ollama run gemma4:12b
Source · checked 6 November 2026 · Gemma 4 graded
gpt-oss-20b
Fits 16GBOpenAI · 21B parameters, 3.6B active
Reasoning and tool use, with adjustable thinking effort
- License
- Apache 2.0
- License rules
- None beyond keeping the notices
- Behavior
- Maker's own tuning
- Reads
- Text
- Context
- 128K
- Download
- 14GB
- Note
- The maker says it runs within 16GB of memory; a 16GB laptop has little left over for other apps.
ollama run gpt-oss:20b
Source · checked 6 November 2026
Phi-4
Fits 16GBMicrosoft · 14B parameters
Logic and short reasoning tasks in English; short context
- License
- MIT
- License rules
- None beyond keeping the notices
- Behavior
- Maker's own tuning
- Reads
- Text
- Context
- 16K
- Download
- 9.1GB
ollama run phi4
Source · checked 6 November 2026
Other machine sizes
- Fits 8GB · 7 models · most laptops, an 8gb mac, an 8gb graphics card
- Fits 24–32GB · 19 models · a 24gb graphics card, a 32gb mac
- Fits 64–128GB · 22 models · a 64–128gb mac studio or 128gb mini pc
- Needs a server · 5 models · rented gpus or a host: too big for one home machine
Not sure what your machine has? The will it run page says how to check, and the hardware guide says what to buy, or not.