Phi Models: Small AI That Thinks Big
Microsoft's Phi family proves that size is not everything. The local lineup spans four variants: Phi-3 Mini and Phi-4 Mini at 3.8B, plus Phi-3 Medium and Phi-4 at 14B. Phi-4 Mini loads in about 3.2GB and runs on any 8GB Mac, making it one of the best low-RAM picks we track. At the top, Phi-4 14B needs a 22GB machine and delivers reasoning quality near much bigger models. If your RAM is limited, Phi gives you the most intelligence per gigabyte.
Microsoft4 local models
DEVELOPER
Microsoft
MODELS
4
SIZE RANGE
3.8B–14B
RAM RANGE
7–22 GB
Key Features
Best quality-per-gigabyte at small sizes
Phi-4 Mini 3.8B loads in just 3.2GB (7GB min RAM)
Phi-4 14B delivers high reasoning quality from an 11.5GB load
Strong coding ability across the whole lineup
Runs on 8GB MacBook Airs and other low-RAM devices
Simple Ollama setup with phi4-mini and phi4 tags
All Phi Models
| Model | Size | Quant | VRAM | Min RAM | Best For | Quality | Ollama |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phi-3 Mini 3.8B | 3.8B | Q4_K_M | 3.2 GB | 7 GB | Coding, Chat | 70 | |
| Phi-4 Mini 3.8B | 3.8B | Q4_K_M | 3.2 GB | 7 GB | Coding, Chat | 72 | |
| Phi-3 Medium 14B | 14B | Q4_K_M | 11 GB | 20 GB | Coding, Quality | 89 | |
| Phi-4 14B | 14B | Q4_K_M | 11.5 GB | 22 GB | Coding, Quality | 92 |
Device Compatibility
Which Phi models can run on each device class, based on minimum RAM requirements.
| Model | iPhone | Air | Pro | Studio | Mini |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phi-3 Mini 3.8B (3.8B) | Possible | Possible | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Phi-4 Mini 3.8B (3.8B) | Possible | Possible | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Phi-3 Medium 14B (14B) | No | Possible | Possible | Excellent | Possible |
| Phi-4 14B (14B) | No | Possible | Possible | Excellent | Possible |
RAM Requirements
3.2 GB · min 7 GB
3.2 GB · min 7 GB
11 GB · min 20 GB
11.5 GB · min 22 GB
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Phi-4 and Phi-4 Mini?
Phi-4 Mini is the 3.8B model: a 3.2GB load and a 7GB RAM minimum, ideal for 8GB Macs. Phi-4 is the 14B model: an 11.5GB load and a 22GB minimum, so it wants a 24GB or 32GB machine.
What RAM does each Phi model need?
Phi-3 Mini and Phi-4 Mini both need 7GB minimum with loads around 3.2GB. Phi-3 Medium 14B needs 20GB and Phi-4 14B needs 22GB. All figures assume the standard Q4 quantization used by Ollama.
What Ollama command runs Phi?
Run `ollama run phi4-mini:3.8b` for the small model or `ollama run phi4:14b-q4_K_M` for the 14B. The previous generation is still available via `ollama run phi3:mini` and `ollama run phi3:medium`.
Is Phi good for coding?
Yes. Phi-4 Mini is a fast, surprisingly capable coding assistant on low-RAM Macs. Phi-4 14B offers high coding quality with slower throughput, making it a solid pick for 24GB machines.