1-bit Quantization is Actually Faster
max_paperclips · x · 2026-07-17
This post summarizes an intuitive but often overlooked conclusion: quantization isn't just about saving VRAM; it can also speed up inference.
Shared test results show:
- On the same 3090, a 1-bit model achieved 67.9 tok/s
- The q4 version of the same model only reached 40.1 tok/s
- Thus, the 1-bit version is roughly 1.69x faster, with prefill being 3.4x faster
The explanation is that local GPU inference is often bottlenecked by memory bandwidth rather than pure compute. Lower weight bitwidths mean less data needs to be moved per token, reducing the GPU's wait time for memory. The post also cautions that the core issue post-quantization isn't just speed, but whether the model retains its original reasoning quality.
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