Hugging Face · llama
Can I run smollm2?
SmolLM2 is a family of compact language models available in three size: 135M, 360M, and 1.7B parameters.
1.7B parameters8K contexttextApache License18 builds
smollm2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| smollm2:135m-instruct-q4_0 | Q4_0 | 0.1 GB | ~0.6 GB(est.) |
| smollm2:135m-instruct-q4_K_M | Q4_K_M | 0.1 GB | ~0.6 GB(est.) |
| smollm2:135m-instruct-q5_K_M | Q5_K_M | 0.1 GB | ~0.7 GB(est.) |
| smollm2:135m-instruct-q6_K | Q6_K | 0.1 GB | ~0.7 GB(est.) |
| smollm2:135m-instruct-q8_0 | Q8_0 | 0.1 GB | ~0.7 GB(est.) |
| smollm2:360m-instruct-q4_0 | Q4_0 | 0.2 GB | ~0.8 GB(est.) |
| smollm2:360m-instruct-q4_K_M | Q4_K_M | 0.3 GB | ~0.9 GB(est.) |
| smollm2:135m | F16 | 0.3 GB | ~0.9 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 smollm2 locally
- 1.Install Ollama for Windows, macOS or Linux.
- 2.Run this in a terminal:
ollama run smollm2:135m-instruct-q4_0 - 3.The weights download on first run, then an interactive prompt opens.
Frequently asked questions about smollm2
- How much VRAM do I need to run smollm2?
- At 4K context, the smallest published build of smollm2 (Q4_0) needs roughly 0.6 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 smollm2 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 0.6 GB of free RAM for the smallest build.
- How big is the smollm2 download?
- The smallest published build is 0.1 GB. There are 18 builds in total, the largest being 3.2 GB. Leave some extra free disk space beyond the download itself.
- How do I run smollm2 locally?
- Install Ollama, then run "ollama run smollm2:135m-instruct-q4_0" in a terminal. The weights download on first use and an interactive session opens.
Will smollm2 run on your PC?
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Model data from the official Ollama registry · verified 13/09/2026