Largest RAG-capable models that fit 6 GB

On a 6 GB GPU, 3 catalog models run fully on the GPU at an 8,192-token context. The most capable is Qwen3-Embedding-4B at Q4_K_M (needs ~4.2 GiB). Pick a smaller model or a lower quant for more headroom.

Figures assume a 6 GB GPU paired with 32 GB of system RAM (a typical desktop), judged at an 8,192-token context. Speed depends on the specific card — this page ranks by fit, not speed.

The biggest model you can run

Qwen3-Embedding-4B at Q4_K_M · 4B params · needs ~4.2 GiB

One command to run it (llama.cpp):

llama-server -m Qwen3-Embedding-4B-Q4_K_M.gguf -c 8192 -ngl 999

Models that run, largest first

Model Sweet-spot quant Fits in
Qwen3-Embedding-4B Qwen Q4_K_M Runs fully on GPU ~4.2 GiB
Qwen3-Reranker-0.6B Qwen BF16 Runs fully on GPU ~2.6 GiB
Qwen3-Embedding-0.6B Qwen Q8_0 Runs fully on GPU ~2 GiB

Derived live from the fit engine + catalog at an 8,192-token context. "Fits in" is the modelled VRAM the sweet-spot quant needs (weights + KV cache + overhead). Speed depends on your specific card — check a GPU page or the calculator.

Check it against your exact setup

Open the fit calculator

selected to compare · pick at least 2