Family Granite · 7B parameters

IBM Granite Code 7B v3

IBM Granite Code 7B v3: specialized dense 7B coding model, 128k context, ~4.1 GB Q4 VRAM. Runs on a 6–8 GB GPU, Apache 2.0 license.

🇺🇸 IBM·License Apache 2.0·Context 125k tokens·Output —·Fits within the 128 GB of the GIGABYTE AI TOP ATOM← Catalog

01What it can do

Strengths
  • Dense 7B: fits on a 6–8 GB GPU in Q4 (~4.1 GB)
  • Specialized in code
  • Permissive Apache 2.0 license
  • 128k native context
Limitations to know
  • —Gated weights on Hugging Face (acceptance required)
  • —No Ollama tag — install via Hugging Face
Architecture
Dense transformer · 7B parameters · 128k context · code-specialized
Training
IBM's Granite Code model (generation v3), focused on code generation and completion. Apache 2.0 license.
Ideal for
Code completionLocal development assistant6–8 GB GPU

04Install

Install Ollama for your OS. Check the model and its quantization before downloading. Start with 4096 tokens of context, then check placement with ollama ps. A command below is not proof that a test was run on your machine.

$# HuggingFace : ibm-granite/granite-code-7b-v3
⚠
First download: between 2 and 40 GB depending on the selected quantization. Plan for sufficient disk space; a stable connection is recommended. Subsequent launches are instant.

02Required memory

Approximate GPU VRAM required to run this model, including 4k tokens of context overhead. For a longer context, add ~1 GB per 8k-token increment.

Q4_K_M
The lightest, ~5% loss
4.1 GB
Q5_K_M
Good quality/size compromise
5 GB
Q8_0
Nearly indistinguishable from FP16
7 GB
FP16
Full precision — server use
14 GB
Fallback CPU · If you don't have a GPU, allow 9 GB of RAM minimum to run this model at reduced speed.

What hardware do you need for IBM Granite Code 7B v3?

To run IBM Granite Code 7B v3 locally with Q4 quantization, you need about 4.1 GB of VRAM. An option to compare: RTX 5060 Ti 16GB (ASUS Prime) — leave some headroom for the system and context; check engine compatibility with the GPU.

Current offer: RTX 5060 Ti 16GB (ASUS Prime)
AmazonSee price →

Affiliate links — commission possible at no extra cost to you; independent recommendations. As an Amazon Associate, BestLLMfor earns from qualifying purchases.

On the go: IBM Granite Code 7B v3 also runs on a RTX laptop PC (16 GB of VRAM) →

03Expected speed

Tokens generated per second in Q4_K_M, 4k context. Beyond 20 t/s, reading is comfortable. Below 10 t/s, that's just for testing.

Entry-level
~32t/s
GTX 1650, RX 6600, MBA M2 8GB
Mid-range
~50t/s
RTX 4060, 4070, MBP M3 Pro
High-end
~75t/s
RTX 4090, M4 Max, Radeon 7900