Alibaba Cloud · qwen2
Can I run qwen2?
Qwen2 is a new series of large language models from Alibaba group
7.6B parameters32K contexttextApache License33 builds
qwen2 system requirements
Memory needed at 4K context, counting model weights, KV cache, compute buffers and runtime overhead. Download sizes come from the official Ollama registry.
| Build | Quantization | Download | Memory needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| qwen2:0.5b | Q4_0 | 0.3 GB | ~1.0 GB(est.) |
| qwen2:0.5b-instruct-q4_K_M | Q4_K_M | 0.4 GB | ~1.0 GB(est.) |
| qwen2:0.5b-instruct-q5_K_M | Q5_K_M | 0.4 GB | ~1.0 GB(est.) |
| qwen2:0.5b-instruct-q6_K | Q6_K | 0.5 GB | ~1.2 GB(est.) |
| qwen2:0.5b-instruct-q8_0 | Q8_0 | 0.5 GB | ~1.2 GB(est.) |
| qwen2:1.5b | Q4_0 | 0.9 GB | ~1.7 GB(est.) |
| qwen2:1.5b-instruct-q4_K_M | Q4_K_M | 0.9 GB | ~1.8 GB(est.) |
| qwen2:0.5b-instruct-fp16 | F16 | 0.9 GB | ~1.8 GB(est.) |
Figures marked (est.) approximate the KV cache because this model's architecture details are not published. They are indicative rather than exact.
How to run qwen2 locally
- 1.Install Ollama for Windows, macOS or Linux.
- 2.Run this in a terminal:
ollama run qwen2:0.5b - 3.The weights download on first run, then an interactive prompt opens.
Frequently asked questions about qwen2
- How much VRAM do I need to run qwen2?
- At 4K context, the smallest published build of qwen2 (Q4_0) needs roughly 1.0 GB of GPU memory once weights, KV cache, compute buffers and runtime overhead are counted. Bigger quantizations and longer context windows need more. It can also run partly or entirely on the CPU using system RAM, more slowly.
- Can I run qwen2 without a dedicated GPU?
- Yes, but slowly. Without a GPU the model runs on the CPU using system RAM, which usually means a few tokens per second rather than dozens. You would need at least 1.0 GB of free RAM for the smallest build.
- How big is the qwen2 download?
- The smallest published build is 0.3 GB. There are 33 builds in total, the largest being 135.4 GB. Leave some extra free disk space beyond the download itself.
- How do I run qwen2 locally?
- Install Ollama, then run "ollama run qwen2:0.5b" in a terminal. The weights download on first use and an interactive session opens.
Will qwen2 run on your PC?
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Model data from the official Ollama registry · verified 13/09/2026