Family Qwen · 27B parameters

Qwen 3.5 27B

Dense 27B Qwen 3.5. 262k ctx, excellent quality-to-size ratio.

🇨🇳 Alibaba·License Apache 2.0·Context 255.859375k tokens·Output April 2025·Fits within the 128 GB of the GIGABYTE AI TOP ATOM← Catalog

01What it can do

Strengths
  • 262k native context
  • Calibrated thinking mode
  • Very good at math/science
  • Apache 2.0
Limitations to know
  • —16 GB VRAM Q4 required
  • —Gemma 3 27B closely rivals it
Architecture
Dense · 27B · Qwen 3.5 · hybrid thinking · 262k native context
Training
Enriched Qwen 3.5 corpus, strong at complex reasoning with long context.
Ideal for
Professional writingReasoningMultilingual

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.

$ollama run qwen3.5:27b
⚠
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
16 GB
Q5_K_M
Good quality/size compromise
19 GB
Q8_0
Nearly indistinguishable from FP16
29 GB
FP16
Full precision — server use
54 GB
Fallback CPU · If you don't have a GPU, allow 28 GB of RAM minimum to run this model at reduced speed.

What hardware do you need for Qwen 3.5 27B?

To run Qwen 3.5 27B locally with Q4 quantization, you need about 16 GB of VRAM. An option to compare: GMKtec EVO-X2 64GB / 1TB (Ryzen AI Max+ 395) — leave some headroom for the system and context; check engine compatibility with the GPU.

Current offer: GMKtec EVO-X2 64GB / 1TB (Ryzen AI Max+ 395)
AmazonSee price →

Why this choice? Our complete guide on GMKtec EVO-X2 64GB / 1TB (Ryzen AI Max+ 395) →

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

On the go: Qwen 3.5 27B also runs on a RTX laptop PC (16 GB of VRAM) →

This model in your private ChatGPT, without the cloud

Your private ChatGPT, free, on your own machine in an hour — LM Studio, Ollama, Open WebUI, your documents, no cloud.

  • Lifetime online access
  • PDF + files
  • Lifetime updates

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
~3t/s
GTX 1650, RX 6600, MBA M2 8GB
Mid-range
~13t/s
RTX 4060, 4070, MBP M3 Pro
High-end
~32t/s
RTX 4090, M4 Max, Radeon 7900