GLM-4.7-Flash Hardware Requirements: What Runs It Locally, and How Fast

GLM-4.7-Flash Hardware Requirements: What Runs It Locally, and How Fast

GLM-4.7-Flash is a 29.1-billion-parameter MoE model (MIT) with a 198k native context. Because it is a Mixture-of-Experts model, capacity is set by the full 29.1B but speed comes from the ~14.6B active per token, so it fits where its total size lands but generates faster than a dense model that big. Lightweight 29B MoE with 14.6B active params, optimized for inference speed and modest hardware. The question for running it locally is memory: whether it fits, and how fast, comes down to your hardware and which quant you pick. Below is every machine we track, what fits, and the real speeds.

The short version: you need about 16 GB of memory to run GLM-4.7-Flash comfortably at a 4-bit quant.

The full hardware-fit matrix

Every machine we track, at 8k context with an f16 KV cache, showing the highest-quality GGUF quant that fits. The tok/s figure is a theoretical ceiling from memory bandwidth; real generation runs lower, which is why the owner-measured column matters. 18 of the 23 machines here can run GLM-4.7-Flash.

MachineMemoryBest quant (8k ctx)Weights size~tok/s (ceiling)Owners measureVerdict
NVIDIA RTX 3060 12GB12 GBDoes not fit
NVIDIA RTX 4070 12GB12 GBDoes not fit
NVIDIA RTX 5070 12GB12 GBDoes not fit
Intel Arc B580 12GB12 GBDoes not fit
NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti 16GB16 GBIQ3_XXS~11.1 GB~40Runs well
NVIDIA RTX 4080 16GB16 GBIQ3_XXS~11.1 GB~100Runs well
NVIDIA RTX 5080 16GB16 GBIQ3_XXS~11.1 GB~133Runs well
NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti 16GB16 GBIQ3_XXS~11.1 GB~125Runs well
NVIDIA RTX 5060 Ti 16GB16 GBIQ3_XXS~11.1 GB~62Runs well
AMD RX 9060 XT 16GB16 GBIQ3_XXS~11.1 GB~44Runs well
Mac, 16GB unified (M-series)16 GB (unified)Does not fit
NVIDIA RTX 3090 24GB24 GBQ4_K_M~17.5 GB~90~93–110 tok/sRuns well
NVIDIA RTX 4090 24GB24 GBQ4_K_M~17.5 GB~97~120–220 tok/sRuns well
AMD RX 7900 XTX 24GB24 GBQ4_K_M~17.5 GB~93Runs well
NVIDIA RTX 5090 32GB32 GBQ6_K~24 GB~131~95–158 tok/sRuns well
Mac, 32GB unified (Pro-class)32 GB (unified)Q5_K_M~20.7 GB~23~20–55 tok/sRuns well
CPU-only PC, 32GB DDR532 GB (unified)Q5_K_M~20.7 GB~7Fits, slow
2× RTX 3090 (48GB)48 GBQ8_0~30.9 GB~55~61 tok/sRuns well
Mac, 64GB unified (Max-class)64 GB (unified)Q8_0~30.9 GB~32~60–85 tok/sRuns well
CPU-only PC, 64GB DDR564 GB (unified)Q8_0~30.9 GB~5Fits, slow
Mac, 128GB unified (Max-class)128 GB (unified)FP16~58.2 GB~18Usable
Strix Halo box, 128GB unified128 GB (unified)FP16~58.2 GB~8Usable
Mac Studio, 512GB unified (Ultra)512 GB (unified)FP16~58.2 GB~27Runs well

Weights size is the model file at the listed quant; the KV cache and about 1.5 GB of overhead are already factored into the fit. Change the context or KV precision in the calculator to see how it shifts.

The cheapest box that runs it

The cheapest catalogued, buyable machine that runs GLM-4.7-Flash at Q4 is the AMD RX 7900 XTX 24GB (about $849). Check it against your needs, and weigh buying versus renting in the cost calculator.

What owners measure

Theoretical ceilings assume perfect efficiency; real generation runs lower. Reported numbers for this model class, each linked to its source:

  • NVIDIA RTX 3090 24GB: ~93–110 tok/s (source)
  • NVIDIA RTX 4090 24GB: ~120–220 tok/s (source)
  • NVIDIA RTX 5090 32GB: ~95–158 tok/s (source)
  • Mac, 32GB unified (Pro-class): ~20–55 tok/s (source)
  • 2× RTX 3090 (48GB): ~61 tok/s (source)
  • Mac, 64GB unified (Max-class): ~60–85 tok/s (source)

How this is calculated

Memory math, no magic. The model file is parameters × bits-per-weight / 8, so this model at Q4_K_M (about 4.8 bits) is roughly 17.5 GB. On top you need the KV cache plus about 1.5 GB overhead. Generation speed is bound by memory bandwidth: the card re-reads the active weights every token, so tok/s is roughly bandwidth / bytes-per-token. See the quantization guide, the VRAM guide, and prompt processing vs generation.

Check your exact setup

This matrix uses 8k context. Your numbers shift with longer context, a different KV precision, or CPU offload. Plug in your exact machine:

  • Can I Run It? tests GLM-4.7-Flash against any hardware, including your own machine.
  • Quant picker shows the full quant ladder so you can trade quality for context.
  • Cost calculator weighs buying against renting a cloud GPU.

Sources and method

  • Fit and theoretical tok/s: computed from each machine's memory and bandwidth with the same engine as our calculator.
  • Owner-measured tok/s: aggregated from the cited public benchmarks; where the measured quant differs it is noted at the source.
  • A fit-and-speed reference, not first-hand testing by Vetted Consumer.

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