Whisper Medium
40 consumer GPUs can run Whisper Medium at Q4 natively. Precise VRAM thresholds and benchmarks below.
llama.cpp 0.2.x · CUDA 12 · ROCm 6 · Updated monthly · methodology →
Execution Context
This model requires a Entry GPU (8 GB VRAM)
Cómo ejecutar este modelo
Check if your GPU can run Whisper Medium →
VRAM Calculator — instant compatibility check
RTX 5090
32 GB · Runs Q4 natively · Check availability
*Prices and availability may change. Some links are affiliate links.
System Requirements
VRAM by Quantization
| Quantization | VRAM needed | Disk space | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| FP16 (max quality) | 2 GB | 1.5 GB | Maximum |
| Q8 (high quality) | 1.2 GB | 0.8 GB | Near-lossless |
| Q4 (recommended) Best balance | 0.8 GB | 0.5 GB | Recommended |
| Q2 (minimum) | 0.5 GB | 0.3 GB | Quality loss |
Model Details
| Developer | OpenAI |
| Parameters | 0.769B |
| License | MIT |
| Use cases | voice |
| Released | 2022-09 |
Hugging Face
openai/whisper-medium Can your GPU run Whisper Medium?
Whisper Medium requires 0.8 GB VRAM at Q4. 40 consumer GPUs meet this threshold. Below 8 GB or -1.2 GB you'll hit significant offload latency.
Hardware Performance Matrix
40 Q4 native · 0 offload · 0 unsupported
| GPU Unit | VRAM | Compatibility | Est. Speed | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTX 5090 | 32GB | Optimal | 400 tok/s | Calculate → |
| RTX 4090 | 24GB | Optimal | 400 tok/s | Calculate → |
| M4 Ultra | 128GB | Optimal | 400 tok/s | Calculate → |
| RTX 5080 | 16GB | Optimal | 400 tok/s | Calculate → |
| M3 Ultra | 192GB | Optimal | 400 tok/s | Calculate → |
| RTX 4080 Super | 16GB | Optimal | 386 tok/s | Calculate → |
| RTX 5070 Ti | 16GB | Optimal | 400 tok/s | Calculate → |
| RTX 3090 | 24GB | Optimal | 400 tok/s | Calculate → |
| M4 Max 48GB | 48GB | Optimal | 287 tok/s | Calculate → |
| RX 7900 XTX | 24GB | Optimal | 400 tok/s | Calculate → |
| M4 Max 36GB | 36GB | Optimal | 287 tok/s | Calculate → |
| RTX 4070 Ti Super | 16GB | Optimal | 353 tok/s | Calculate → |
| RTX 3080 Ti | 12GB | Optimal | 400 tok/s | Calculate → |
| RX 7900 XT | 20GB | Optimal | 400 tok/s | Calculate → |
| RTX 5070 | 12GB | Optimal | 353 tok/s | Calculate → |
| RTX 3080 | 10GB | Optimal | 399 tok/s | Calculate → |
| M4 Pro | 24GB | Optimal | 143 tok/s | Calculate → |
| RX 7800 XT | 16GB | Optimal | 328 tok/s | Calculate → |
| RX 6800 XT | 16GB | Optimal | 270 tok/s | Calculate → |
| RTX 4070 | 12GB | Optimal | 265 tok/s | Calculate → |
| RTX 4060 Ti 16GB | 16GB | Optimal | 151 tok/s | Calculate → |
| RX 7700 XT | 12GB | Optimal | 227 tok/s | Calculate → |
| RTX 3070 Ti | 8GB | Optimal | 320 tok/s | Calculate → |
| RTX 4060 Ti | 8GB | Optimal | 151 tok/s | Calculate → |
| RTX 3070 | 8GB | Optimal | 235 tok/s | Calculate → |
| RX 6700 XT | 12GB | Optimal | 202 tok/s | Calculate → |
| M3 Pro | 18GB | Optimal | 79 tok/s | Calculate → |
| RTX 3060 Ti | 8GB | Optimal | 236 tok/s | Calculate → |
| RTX 2080 Ti | 11GB | Optimal | 236 tok/s | Calculate → |
| RTX 3060 | 12GB | Optimal | 189 tok/s | Calculate → |
| M2 Pro | 16GB | Optimal | 105 tok/s | Calculate → |
| RTX 4060 | 8GB | Optimal | 143 tok/s | Calculate → |
| Arc A770 16GB | 16GB | Optimal | 118 tok/s | Calculate → |
| M1 Pro | 16GB | Optimal | 105 tok/s | Calculate → |
| RX 7600 | 8GB | Optimal | 152 tok/s | Calculate → |
| RX 6600 XT | 8GB | Optimal | 143 tok/s | Calculate → |
| Arc A750 8GB | 8GB | Optimal | 107 tok/s | Calculate → |
| RX 6600 | 8GB | Optimal | 129 tok/s | Calculate → |
| RTX 3050 8GB | 8GB | Optimal | 118 tok/s | Calculate → |
| GTX 1660 Super | 6GB | Optimal | 176 tok/s | Calculate → |
Recommended GPUs for Whisper Medium
Best picks by compatibility, VRAM headroom, and value — prices and availability may change.
RTX 5090
32 GB VRAM
Check availability →
RTX 4090
24 GB VRAM
Check availability →
M4 Ultra
128 GB VRAM
Check availability →
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Whisper Medium — Compatibility guide
A lightweight model like Whisper Medium runs well on consumer hardware from 6 GB VRAM. Ideal for daily use with Ollama or LM Studio. Use the VRAM calculator to check your setup.
Compare GPUs for Whisper Medium
Which GPU is worth it? Real specs and benchmarks side by side.
Compatible Hardware
GPUs that run Whisper Medium at Q4 — sorted by AI performance score.
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More Practical Alternatives
Similar models in the voice category with comparable VRAM footprints.
Not sure which GPU you need for Whisper Medium?
The VRAM Calculator tells you exactly which quantization your hardware can handle.