ERNIE 4.5 21B-A3B ThinkingvsTrinity Mini 26B-A3B
Complete comparison between ERNIE 4.5 21B-A3B Thinking (21B parameters, Baidu) and Trinity Mini 26B-A3B (26B, Arcee AI). VRAM required by quantization, tokens per second measured on 4 reference GPUs, use-case verdict, license, installation commands. All figures are calculated from catalog data—no copy-pasting between pages.
In brief
| Feature | ERNIE 4.5 21B-A3B Thinking | Trinity Mini 26B-A3B |
|---|---|---|
| Settings | 21B | 26B |
| Family | ERNIE | Trinity |
| Author | Baidu | Arcee AI |
| Origin | CN | US |
| License | Apache 2.0 | Apache 2.0 |
| Context | 131,072 tokens | 131,072 tokens |
| Output | April 2025 | March 2025 |
Memory footprint
Approximate VRAM required for inference with an average context window. The winner (in green) is the model that uses less — smaller models have the edge.
| Quantization | ERNIE 4.5 21B-A3B Thinking | Trinity Mini 26B-A3B |
|---|---|---|
| Q4_K_M (lightweight) | 13 GB | 15 GB |
| Q5_K_M (balanced) | 16 GB | 18 GB |
| Q8 (near-lossless) | 23 GB | 28 GB |
| FP16 (max quality) | 42 GB | 52 GB |
| CPU-only RAM | 18 GB | 24 GB |
Estimated speed (tokens/second)
Estimates based on the best quantization that can fit on each GPU. Actual figures depend on the prompt, context, and engine (llama.cpp, vLLM, MLX). Methodology.
| Reference GPU | ERNIE 4.5 21B-A3B Thinking | Trinity Mini 26B-A3B |
|---|---|---|
| RTX 4090 (24 GB) | 100 tok/s · Q8 | 100 tok/s · Q5_K_M |
| RTX 4080 (16 GB) | 40 tok/s · Q5_K_M | 40 tok/s · Q4_K_M |
| RTX 3060 12GB (12 GB) | ✗ too heavy | ✗ too heavy |
| Apple M4 Pro (48 GB) (36 GB) | 40 tok/s · Q8 | 40 tok/s · Q8 |
Verdict by use case
For each common use case, we indicate which of the two is better suited based on its tags, size, and specialization.
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Strengths and weaknesses
ERNIE 4.5 21B-A3B Thinking
Compact MoE reasoner, 21B/3B active. Apache 2.0. Fast thanks to 3B active.
- 13 GB VRAM Q4
- Compact MoE reasoning
- Strong in Chinese
- Less multilingual than Qwen
- Baidu license to verify
Installation
Trinity Mini 26B-A3B
MoE 26B/3B active parameters from a US lab. Fast thanks to the 3B active parameters. Apache 2.0.
- Efficient MoE (3.5B active)
- 131k context
- Good at agent tasks
- Apache 2.0
- Few public benchmarks
- Less well known than Mistral/Qwen
Installation
Frequently asked questions
Which model runs best on RTX 4090 (24 GB): ERNIE 4.5 21B-A3B Thinking or Trinity Mini 26B-A3B?
On an RTX 4090, ERNIE 4.5 21B-A3B Thinking runs at Q8 (~100 tok/s), Trinity Mini 26B-A3B at Q5_K_M (~100 tok/s). In pure throughput, Trinity Mini 26B-A3B wins. See the configurator to test your exact GPU.
Which uses the least VRAM?
In Q4_K_M, ERNIE 4.5 21B-A3B Thinking fits in 13 GB versus 15 GB for its rival—a 2 GB difference, significant if you're targeting an RTX 3060 or an 8 GB 4060 Ti.
Can these models be used in commercial production?
ERNIE 4.5 21B-A3B Thinking is under Apache 2.0 — free for commercial use. Trinity Mini 26B-A3B is under Apache 2.0 — also free to use. For SaaS, prefer Apache 2.0 or MIT.
Which one should you choose in 2026?
Depends on your primary constraint. Smaller / faster: ERNIE 4.5 21B-A3B Thinking (21B). More capable: Trinity Mini 26B-A3B (26B). If you’re unsure, run it configurator with your GPU and use case — it will decide based on both.
Alternatives to consider
If neither works for you, here are some neighboring models you could explore.