Family Yi · 34B parameters

Yi 1.5 34B Chat

Dense 34B, Apache 2.0. 3.6T tokens. 16K/32K ctx variants on HF.

🇨🇳 01.AI·License Apache 2.0·Context 4k tokens·Output May 2024·Fits within the 128 GB of the GIGABYTE AI TOP ATOM← Catalog

01What it can do

Strengths
  • Very good in Chinese
  • Compatible with Llama tools
  • Yi license (free commercial use)
Limitations to know
  • —4096 context only
  • —Surpassed by Qwen 2.5 32B in 2025
Architecture
Dense transformer · 34B · Yi 1.5 · Llama-compatible
Training
01.AI — 3.1T multilingual EN/ZH tokens. Successor to Yi-34B.
Ideal for
Alternative chatMultilingual CN/EN

05Install

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 yi:34b
⚠
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
20 GB
Q5_K_M
Good quality/size compromise
24 GB
Q8_0
Nearly indistinguishable from FP16
36 GB
FP16
Full precision — server use
68 GB
Fallback CPU · If you don't have a GPU, allow 32 GB of RAM minimum to run this model at reduced speed.

What hardware do you need for Yi 1.5 34B Chat?

To run Yi 1.5 34B Chat locally with Q4 quantization, you need about 20 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)
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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: Yi 1.5 34B Chat also runs on a RTX laptop PC (24 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
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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
~12t/s
RTX 4060, 4070, MBP M3 Pro
High-end
~30t/s
RTX 4090, M4 Max, Radeon 7900

04Public benchmarks

Scores reproduced from model cards or MMLU-Pro / community sources. Unit: % correct answers.

MMLU
77.2
HumanEval
75.2