Google DeepMind7 local models

Gemma Models: Google's Lightweight Local AI

Google DeepMind's Gemma family delivers impressive quality from compact models. Gemma 2 9B is one of the best sub-10B models available, and Gemma 1B runs on iPhones. If you want a well-tuned, safety-conscious model with solid general performance, Gemma is a strong choice.

Developer

Google DeepMind

Models

7

Size Range

1B – 27B

RAM Range

3 – 28 GB

Key Features

✓Excellent quality at small sizes (1B-9B)
✓Strong safety and instruction tuning
✓Efficient on Apple Silicon
✓Good for chat and general tasks

All Gemma Models

ModelSizeQuantVRAMMin RAMBest ForQualityOllama
Gemma 3 1B Instruct1BQ4_K_M1 GB3 GBChat, Mobile
52
Gemma 2 2B Instruct2BQ4_K_M1.8 GB5 GBChat
61
Gemma 3 4B Instruct4BQ4_K_M3.5 GB8 GBChat, Coding
74
Gemma 2 9B Instruct9BQ4_K_M7 GB14 GBChat, Coding
84
Gemma 3 12B Instruct12BQ4_K_M9.5 GB18 GBChat, Quality
87
Gemma 2 27B Instruct27BQ4_K_M21 GB28 GBQuality, Coding
94
Gemma 3 27B Instruct27BQ4_K_M21 GB28 GBQuality, Coding
94

Device Compatibility

Which Gemma models can run on each device class, based on minimum RAM requirements.

ModeliPhoneAirProStudioMini
Gemma 3 1B Instruct (1B)ExcellentExcellentExcellentExcellentExcellent
Gemma 2 2B Instruct (2B)PossibleExcellentExcellentExcellentExcellent
Gemma 3 4B Instruct (4B)PossiblePossibleExcellentExcellentExcellent
Gemma 2 9B Instruct (9B)NoPossiblePossibleExcellentPossible
Gemma 3 12B Instruct (12B)NoPossiblePossibleExcellentPossible
Gemma 2 27B Instruct (27B)NoPossiblePossiblePossiblePossible
Gemma 3 27B Instruct (27B)NoPossiblePossiblePossiblePossible

RAM Requirements

Gemma 3 1B Instruct
1 GB
min 3 GB
Gemma 2 2B Instruct
1.8 GB
min 5 GB
Gemma 3 4B Instruct
3.5 GB
min 8 GB
Gemma 2 9B Instruct
7 GB
min 14 GB
Gemma 3 12B Instruct
9.5 GB
min 18 GB
Gemma 2 27B Instruct
21 GB
min 28 GB
Gemma 3 27B Instruct
21 GB
min 28 GB

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Gemma model for a MacBook Air?+
Gemma 2 9B Q4 is the top pick for MacBook Air with 16GB RAM. It uses about 6GB and delivers strong chat performance. For 8GB Air, Gemma 2 2B is a good fallback.
Can Gemma run on an iPhone?+
Yes. Gemma 1B runs on iPhones with 6GB+ RAM. Quality is basic but useful for simple chat and text tasks.
How does Gemma compare to Llama at similar sizes?+
Gemma 2 9B and Llama 3.1 8B are very close. Gemma tends to be more conservative and safety-tuned, while Llama is more flexible. Pick based on whether you want guardrails or freedom.

Related Model Families

PhiMicrosoftLlamaMetaQwenAlibaba Cloud

Getting Started

How to Set Up OllamaBest LLM for iPhoneBrowse All DevicesModelFit Wizard