Qwen3-30B-A3B: What PC You Need
Qwen3-30B-A3B needs about 23.3GB at Q4; the cheapest PC that runs it comfortably is Framework Desktop at $1,959.
Updated
What Qwen3-30B-A3B asks of a PC
Qwen3-30B-A3B is a mixture-of-experts model with 30.5B parameters, 3.3B of them active per token. Every expert has to stay resident, so its memory need follows the 30.5B figure, not the 3.3B one.
At 8K context Qwen3-30B-A3B takes 23.3GB at Q4, 30.9GB at Q6 and 39.3GB at Q8. Stepping from Q4 to Q8 costs 16GB.
Qwen3-30B-A3B accepts up to 32,768 tokens of context, and a long context adds memory: at 128K and Q4 it takes 53.3GB.
22 tracked PCs with a verified price run Qwen3-30B-A3B comfortably and 6 run it with limits. The cheapest comfortable option by type is laptop: HP ZBook Ultra G1a 14 at $2,799.99; mini PC: GMKtec EVO-X2 at $2,199.99; desktop: Framework Desktop at $1,959; workstation: Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Ultra (RTX PRO 4500) at $2,029.99.
Memory requirements for Qwen3-30B-A3B
| Quantization | 8K context | 32K context | 128K context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q4 | 23.3GB | 29.3GB | 53.3GB |
| Q5 | 27GB | 33GB | 57GB |
| Q6 | 30.9GB | 36.9GB | 60.9GB |
| Q8 | 39.3GB | 45.3GB | 69.3GB |
- Parameters
- 30.5B
- Active per token
- 3.3B
- Context window
- 32,768
- Source
- Model card
Best PC for Qwen3-30B-A3B
Lenovo ThinkStation PGX: the highest AIPC Score among the PCs that run it comfortably, at $5,859.
Cheapest PCs that run Qwen3-30B-A3B comfortably
| # | System | Type | AI Memory | GPU/NPU | AI Score | Price | Verified | View |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Framework Desktop | Desktop | 48GB | Radeon 8060S (40 CU) | 34.9 | Price awaiting re-verification | Check Price at Framework → | |
| 2 |  Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Ultra (RTX PRO 4500) | Workstation | 32GB | RTX PRO 4500 Blackwell | 39.5 | $2,029.99 | View Deal on Amazon → | |
| 3 |  GMKtec EVO-X2 | Mini PC | 48GB | Radeon 8060S | 33.2 | $2,199.99 | View Deal on Amazon → | |
| 4 |  Apple Mac Studio (M5 Max) | Desktop | 27GB | Apple M5 Max 40-core GPU | 28.3 | $2,299 | View Deal on Amazon → | |
| 5 |  ASUS ROG G700 (RTX 5090) | Desktop | 32GB | GeForce RTX 5090 | 51.2 | $2,399 | View Deal on Amazon → |
Cheapest PCs that run Qwen3-30B-A3B with limitations
| # | System | Type | AI Memory | GPU/NPU | AI Score | Price | Verified | View |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Framework Desktop (Ryzen AI Max 385) | Desktop | 24GB | Radeon 8050S | 26.3 | Price awaiting re-verification | Check Price at Framework → | |
| 2 |  ASUS ROG Flow Z13 (2025) | Laptop | 24GB | Radeon 8060S | 26.5 | $2,030.99 | View Deal on Amazon → | |
| 3 |  ASUS ProArt PX13 | Laptop | 24GB | Radeon 8060S | 25.9 | $2,329.99 | View Deal on Amazon → |