What GPU do I need to run microsoft/Phi-3-vision-128k-instruct?

4.1B parameters, published in BF16. View on Hugging Face

Set up Phi-3-vision-128k-instruct
4.1B
Parameters
BF16
Native precision
Phi3VForCausalLM
Architecture
text-generation
Pipeline

Phi-3-vision-128k-instruct is published by microsoft on Hugging Face, with 83,905 downloads and 973 likes to date. It's a Phi3VForCausalLM model built for text-generation, published natively in BF16.

VRAM required & cheapest live GPU fit

Required VRAM = weight size at each precision, plus a fixed overhead for KV-cache, activations, and fragmentation. Full formula and assumptions: methodology.

Precision
Weight size
Required VRAM
Cheapest live fit
GPUs needed
Est. $/hr (full fit)
BF16
7.7 GB
9.3 GB
RTX 3060 (simplepod)
1
$0.080/hr
FP8 (quantized)
3.9 GB
4.6 GB
RTX 4070 Super (simplepod)
1
$0.100/hr
INT4 (quantized)
1.9 GB
2.3 GB
RTX 3060 (simplepod)
1
$0.080/hr

A GPU is only matched to a row if its hardware supports that precision, and the primary recommendation is always a single-GPU fit when one exists.

INT4 requires a quantized checkpoint actually published for this model, check its Hugging Face page before relying on this row.

Cheapest way to run Phi-3-vision-128k-instruct at its published (BF16) precision: 1× RTX 3060 on simplepod, at $0.080/hr per GPU ($0.080/hr total). Quantizing to FP8 or INT4 (rows above) can cost less, but requires a compatible quantized checkpoint to exist for this model.

Phi-3-vision-128k-instruct: common questions

Does Phi-3-vision-128k-instruct fit on a 12 GB GPU?

Yes. At BF16 it needs 9.3 GB of VRAM, so a 12 GB card holds it with 2.7 GB to spare. An 8 GB card is not enough for it at BF16.

What is the least VRAM Phi-3-vision-128k-instruct can run in?

2.3 GB, at INT4 (quantized), which fits a 6 GB card, against 9.3 GB at BF16. That row assumes an INT4 checkpoint has actually been published for this model, so check its Hugging Face page before planning around it.

Weight-to-VRAM math, the fit rules, and how live prices are normalized: full methodology.

More microsoft models

Ready when you are

Submit the job.
A dead GPU doesn't end it.

Sign up in 60 seconds. Pay for the GPU minutes you actually use.

© 2026 Aquanode. All rights reserved.

All trademarks, logos and brand names are the property of their respective owners.