Llama 3.1 8B Instruct: What PC You Need
Llama 3.1 8B Instruct needs about 7.6GB at Q4; the cheapest PC that runs it comfortably is Apple Mac mini (M6) at $779.
Updated
What Llama 3.1 8B Instruct asks of a PC
Llama 3.1 8B Instruct has 8B parameters, all of them active, so its memory need scales directly with that count and the quantization you pick.
At 8K context Llama 3.1 8B Instruct takes 7.6GB at Q4, 9.6GB at Q6 and 11.8GB at Q8. Stepping from Q4 to Q8 costs 4.2GB.
Llama 3.1 8B Instruct accepts up to 128,000 tokens of context, and a long context adds memory: at 128K and Q4 it takes 37.6GB.
Llama 3.1 8B Instruct was released in 2024-07.
50 tracked PCs with a verified price run Llama 3.1 8B Instruct comfortably and 6 run it with limits. The cheapest comfortable option by type is laptop: Apple MacBook Air 15 (M5) at $1,299; mini PC: Apple Mac mini (M6) at $779; desktop: Framework Desktop (Ryzen AI Max 385) at $1,269; workstation: Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Ultra (RTX PRO 4500) at $2,029.99.
Memory requirements for Llama 3.1 8B Instruct
| Quantization | 8K context | 32K context | 128K context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q4 | 7.6GB | 13.6GB | 37.6GB |
| Q5 | 8.6GB | 14.6GB | 38.6GB |
| Q6 | 9.6GB | 15.6GB | 39.6GB |
| Q8 | 11.8GB | 17.8GB | 41.8GB |
- Parameters
- 8B
- Context window
- 128,000
- Source
- Model card
Best PC for Llama 3.1 8B Instruct
Lenovo ThinkStation PGX: the highest AIPC Score among the PCs that run it comfortably, at $5,859.
Cheapest PCs that run Llama 3.1 8B Instruct comfortably
| # | System | Type | AI Memory | GPU/NPU | AI Score | Price | Verified | View |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Apple Mac mini (M6) | Mini PC | 12GB | Apple M6 GPU | 16.1 | $779 | View Deal on Amazon → | |
| 2 |  Minisforum UM890 Pro | Mini PC | 16GB | Radeon 780M | 17.3 | $1,015 | View Deal on Amazon → | |
| 3 |  Minisforum MS-01 Workstation | Mini PC | 16GB | Intel Iris Xe | 18.4 | $1,039 | View Deal on Amazon → | |
| 4 |  Beelink SER8 | Mini PC | 16GB | Radeon 780M | 17.5 | $1,099 | View Deal on Amazon → | |
| 5 |  Minisforum AI X1 Pro-370 | Mini PC | 16GB | Radeon 890M | 20 | $1,247 | View Deal on Amazon → |
Cheapest PCs that run Llama 3.1 8B Instruct with limitations
| # | System | Type | AI Memory | GPU/NPU | AI Score | Price | Verified | View |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  GMKtec K8 Plus | Mini PC | 8GB | Radeon 780M | 10 | $749.99 | View Deal on Amazon → | |
| 2 |  ASUS Zenbook A14 (Snapdragon X) | Laptop | 8GB | Adreno | 9 | $832 | View Deal on Amazon → | |
| 3 |  Dell 14 Plus (Core Ultra 200V) | Laptop | 8GB | Intel Arc 140V | 9.2 | $1,275.49 | View Deal on Amazon → |