Best hardware for Gemma 4 12B
12B parameters · gemma family : per-quant VRAM needs, the used-GPU configs that fit, and how buying compares with renting cloud GPUs. Hardware costs sum the cheapest listings that passed our trust screen, one per card the config needs (screened, not guaranteed). Eligible purchases are covered by the eBay Money Back Guarantee if an item never arrives or doesn't match its description.
Q4_K_M
Minimum VRAM: 10.05 GB (file 7.66 GB + context/runtime headroom at 8k ctx; see methodology).
Cheapest fitting cloud offer: Vast.ai $0.084/hr (rtx-5060-ti-16gb class, on-demand) · cloud prices checked 2026-08-02.
| Config | Total VRAM | Cheapest screened hw cost | Est. watts | Tokens/sec | Breakeven vs cloud | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1× NVIDIA Tesla P40
passive card, needs an added fan/shroud
| 24 GB | $270
report
400 feedback (100%) · no returns · listed 4 days | 325 W | – | 54 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GB | 12 GB | $280
report
1,384 feedback (99.7%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 1 day | 245 W | – | 47 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× Intel Arc B580 | 12 GB | $295
report
3,303 feedback (99.7%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 5 days | 265 W | – | 59 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× Intel Arc A770 16GB | 16 GB | $300
report
2,559 feedback (100%) · returns accepted · listed 5 days | 300 W | – | 59 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 12GB | 12 GB | $425 + shipping (not stated by seller)
report
26,069 feedback (99.5%) · no returns · listed 22 days | 425 W | – | 195 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16GB | 16 GB | $500 + shipping (not stated by seller)
report
1,449 feedback (100%) · no returns · listed 22 days | 240 W | – | 84 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 2× NVIDIA Tesla P40
passive card, needs an added fan/shroud
| 48 GB | $550 2 screened listings: $270 + $280 + shipping unknown on 1 of 2 listings
report
400 feedback (100%) · no returns · listed 4 days | 575 W | – | never | Cloud always cheaper at this power price |
| 1× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB | 16 GB | $560
report
39,358 feedback (99.7%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 22 days | 255 W | – | 112 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER | 16 GB | $775 + shipping (not stated by seller)
report
7,862 feedback (99.6%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 2 days | 360 W | – | 210 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× NVIDIA RTX A4000 | 16 GB | $800
report
164,767 feedback (99.6%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 22 days | 215 W | – | 111 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 | 16 GB | $850
report
3,822 feedback (99.8%) · returns accepted · listed 11 days | 395 W | – | 291 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× NVIDIA TITAN RTX | 24 GB | $850
report
12,733 feedback (99.6%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 22 days | 355 W | – | 176 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX | 24 GB | $898
report
2,597 feedback (99.6%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 2 days | 430 W | – | 480 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti | 16 GB | $900
report
132,566 feedback (99.7%) · returns accepted · listed 22 days | 375 W | – | 314 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER | 16 GB | $930
report
6,272 feedback (99.6%) · returns accepted · listed 22 days | 395 W | – | 330 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 4× NVIDIA Tesla P40
passive card, needs an added fan/shroud
| 96 GB | $1,140 4 screened listings: $270 + $280 + $290 + $300 + shipping unknown on 2 of 4 listings
report
400 feedback (100%) · no returns · listed 4 days | 1075 W | – | never | Cloud always cheaper at this power price |
| 1× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 | 16 GB | $1,150
report
14,464 feedback (99.8%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 22 days | 435 W | – | 404 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 | 24 GB | $1,180
report
164,757 feedback (99.6%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 22 days | 425 W | – | 534 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti | 24 GB | $1,350
report
5,792 feedback (99.8%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 2 days | 525 W | – | 24,749 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× NVIDIA RTX A5000 | 24 GB | $2,140
report
39,358 feedback (99.7%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 22 days | 305 W | – | 498 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 2× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 | 48 GB | $2,405 2 screened listings: $1,180 + $1,225 + shipping unknown on 1 of 2 listings
report
164,757 feedback (99.6%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 22 days | 775 W | – | never | Cloud always cheaper at this power price |
| 1× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 | 24 GB | $2,499
report
4,692 feedback (99.9%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 15 days | 525 W | – | 42,582 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× NVIDIA RTX A6000 | 48 GB | $3,520
report
164,767 feedback (99.6%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 22 days | 375 W | – | 941 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 | 32 GB | $4,200
report
470 feedback (100%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 22 days | 650 W | – | never | Cloud always cheaper at this power price |
| 4× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 | 96 GB | $4,890 4 screened listings: $1,180 + $1,225 + $1,240 + $1,245 + shipping unknown on 1 of 4 listings
report
164,757 feedback (99.6%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 22 days | 1475 W | – | never | Cloud always cheaper at this power price |
| 2× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 | 48 GB | $4,999 2 screened listings: $2,499 + $2,500
report
4,692 feedback (99.9%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 15 days | 975 W | – | never | Cloud always cheaper at this power price |
| 2× NVIDIA RTX A6000 | 96 GB | $7,140 2 screened listings: $3,520 + $3,620
report
164,767 feedback (99.6%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 22 days | 675 W | – | never | Cloud always cheaper at this power price |
Fits, but not currently buyable as a set: 2× NVIDIA RTX A5000 (48 GB) needs 2 screened cards and the market has 1; 4× NVIDIA RTX A5000 (96 GB) needs 4 screened cards and the market has 1. We price a multi-card build from that many separate listings, so it stays unpriced until they exist.
- Configs without a screened purchase option are hidden until listings clear the trust screen (a multi-day survival window on eBay).
- Multi-card costs are the sum of that many separate screened listings; the cheapest listing counted twice is not a price anyone can pay. Prices exclude the PSU, board and case a multi-card build usually also needs.
- Tokens/sec: benchmarks coming; every number will be source-linked. We never publish unattributed performance figures.
- Breakeven and verdict use default assumptions (40 h/mo, $0.16/kWh, 24-month horizon, resale at 65% of median ask); adjust them in the calculator. Hardware links are screened, not guaranteed.
Run your own numbers for Gemma 4 12B (Q4_K_M) in the buy-vs-rent calculator →
Q8_0
Minimum VRAM: 15.31 GB (file 12.67 GB + context/runtime headroom at 8k ctx; see methodology).
Cheapest fitting cloud offer: Vast.ai $0.084/hr (rtx-5060-ti-16gb class, on-demand) · cloud prices checked 2026-08-02.
| Config | Total VRAM | Cheapest screened hw cost | Est. watts | Tokens/sec | Breakeven vs cloud | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1× NVIDIA Tesla P40
passive card, needs an added fan/shroud
| 24 GB | $270
report
400 feedback (100%) · no returns · listed 4 days | 325 W | – | 54 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× Intel Arc A770 16GB | 16 GB | $300
report
2,559 feedback (100%) · returns accepted · listed 5 days | 300 W | – | 59 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16GB | 16 GB | $500 + shipping (not stated by seller)
report
1,449 feedback (100%) · no returns · listed 22 days | 240 W | – | 84 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 2× NVIDIA Tesla P40
passive card, needs an added fan/shroud
| 48 GB | $550 2 screened listings: $270 + $280 + shipping unknown on 1 of 2 listings
report
400 feedback (100%) · no returns · listed 4 days | 575 W | – | never | Cloud always cheaper at this power price |
| 1× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB | 16 GB | $560
report
39,358 feedback (99.7%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 22 days | 255 W | – | 112 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER | 16 GB | $775 + shipping (not stated by seller)
report
7,862 feedback (99.6%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 2 days | 360 W | – | 210 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× NVIDIA RTX A4000 | 16 GB | $800
report
164,767 feedback (99.6%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 22 days | 215 W | – | 111 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 | 16 GB | $850
report
3,822 feedback (99.8%) · returns accepted · listed 11 days | 395 W | – | 291 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× NVIDIA TITAN RTX | 24 GB | $850
report
12,733 feedback (99.6%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 22 days | 355 W | – | 176 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX | 24 GB | $898
report
2,597 feedback (99.6%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 2 days | 430 W | – | 480 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti | 16 GB | $900
report
132,566 feedback (99.7%) · returns accepted · listed 22 days | 375 W | – | 314 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER | 16 GB | $930
report
6,272 feedback (99.6%) · returns accepted · listed 22 days | 395 W | – | 330 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 4× NVIDIA Tesla P40
passive card, needs an added fan/shroud
| 96 GB | $1,140 4 screened listings: $270 + $280 + $290 + $300 + shipping unknown on 2 of 4 listings
report
400 feedback (100%) · no returns · listed 4 days | 1075 W | – | never | Cloud always cheaper at this power price |
| 1× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 | 16 GB | $1,150
report
14,464 feedback (99.8%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 22 days | 435 W | – | 404 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 | 24 GB | $1,180
report
164,757 feedback (99.6%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 22 days | 425 W | – | 534 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti | 24 GB | $1,350
report
5,792 feedback (99.8%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 2 days | 525 W | – | 24,749 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× NVIDIA RTX A5000 | 24 GB | $2,140
report
39,358 feedback (99.7%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 22 days | 305 W | – | 498 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 2× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 | 48 GB | $2,405 2 screened listings: $1,180 + $1,225 + shipping unknown on 1 of 2 listings
report
164,757 feedback (99.6%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 22 days | 775 W | – | never | Cloud always cheaper at this power price |
| 1× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 | 24 GB | $2,499
report
4,692 feedback (99.9%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 15 days | 525 W | – | 42,582 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× NVIDIA RTX A6000 | 48 GB | $3,520
report
164,767 feedback (99.6%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 22 days | 375 W | – | 941 mo | Renting wins at 40 h/mo |
| 1× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 | 32 GB | $4,200
report
470 feedback (100%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 22 days | 650 W | – | never | Cloud always cheaper at this power price |
| 4× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 | 96 GB | $4,890 4 screened listings: $1,180 + $1,225 + $1,240 + $1,245 + shipping unknown on 1 of 4 listings
report
164,757 feedback (99.6%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 22 days | 1475 W | – | never | Cloud always cheaper at this power price |
| 2× NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 | 48 GB | $4,999 2 screened listings: $2,499 + $2,500
report
4,692 feedback (99.9%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 15 days | 975 W | – | never | Cloud always cheaper at this power price |
| 2× NVIDIA RTX A6000 | 96 GB | $7,140 2 screened listings: $3,520 + $3,620
report
164,767 feedback (99.6%) · Top Rated seller · returns accepted · listed 22 days | 675 W | – | never | Cloud always cheaper at this power price |
Fits, but not currently buyable as a set: 2× NVIDIA RTX A5000 (48 GB) needs 2 screened cards and the market has 1; 4× NVIDIA RTX A5000 (96 GB) needs 4 screened cards and the market has 1. We price a multi-card build from that many separate listings, so it stays unpriced until they exist.
- Configs without a screened purchase option are hidden until listings clear the trust screen (a multi-day survival window on eBay).
- Multi-card costs are the sum of that many separate screened listings; the cheapest listing counted twice is not a price anyone can pay. Prices exclude the PSU, board and case a multi-card build usually also needs.
- Tokens/sec: benchmarks coming; every number will be source-linked. We never publish unattributed performance figures.
- Breakeven and verdict use default assumptions (40 h/mo, $0.16/kWh, 24-month horizon, resale at 65% of median ask); adjust them in the calculator. Hardware links are screened, not guaranteed.
Run your own numbers for Gemma 4 12B (Q8_0) in the buy-vs-rent calculator →