Local LLM Deployment: Is 128GB or 256GB System RAM Better for 200-300B Models?
Thin_Pollution8843 · reddit · 2026-08-08
The author sparks a technical discussion: when equipped with 128GB of VRAM (using 8-channel DDR4), should you pair it with 128GB or 256GB of system RAM?
- 128GB + 128GB setup: Barely sufficient for q8 quantized models like DeepSeek, keeping total usage under 200GB including context.
- 256GB setup: For higher quantization of 200B-300B parameter models, the VRAM/RAM weight split ratio heavily impacts performance, making larger RAM more secure.
Since the setup uses cheap, used slow memory sticks, the author seeks community feedback on real-world performance impacts of different split ratios.
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