E2B
Phones, older laptops, and fastest first local proofs.
Strength: Smallest practical setup and the lowest-friction mobile start.
Tradeoff: Lower quality ceiling than the desktop-oriented sizes.
Read moreCompare Gemma 4
Compare model sizes and runtimes without bouncing between ten tabs.
Most Gemma 4 compare questions boil down to two decisions: what model size fits your hardware, and what runtime makes that size useful on your device.
Model sizes
E2B, E4B, 26B A4B, and 31B solve different problems.
E4B
Better phones, tablets, and lighter desktop setups.
Strength: A cleaner quality bump before you move into workstation territory.
Tradeoff: Still too ambitious for weak acceleration paths.
Read more26B A4B
Macs and stronger desktop GPUs with real memory headroom.
Strength: The best quality-to-setup tradeoff for many serious local users.
Tradeoff: Much more sensitive to context, templates, and memory budget.
Read more31B
High-end workstations and users willing to trade convenience for quality.
Strength: Highest-end local route in the current Gemma 4 lineup.
Tradeoff: Easy to overestimate on mainstream hardware.
Read moreRuntimes
Pick the runtime based on the job, not on branding alone.
AI Edge Gallery
Best for: Android and iPhone-first tests.
Upside: Fastest first contact on supported mobile devices.
Downside: Not the place for deep desktop control.
Open runtime guideLM Studio
Best for: Mac and Windows users who want the easiest UI.
Upside: Strong default desktop experience and short setup time.
Downside: Template or reasoning setup problems can make Gemma 4 feel worse than it is.
Open runtime guideOllama
Best for: Users who want a local API after fit is proven.
Upside: Good next step for apps, scripts, and API-driven workflows.
Downside: Adds unnecessary friction if you still have not proved the model fits.
Open runtime guidellama.cpp
Best for: Power users who care about low-level control and validation.
Upside: Best cross-check when wrappers lag behind core Gemma 4 support.
Downside: Less friendly if all you want is a quick first run.
Open runtime guideComparison logic
The useful compare order is device, then model size, then runtime.
Start from the hardware you own, not the largest model someone else benchmarked.
Then choose the smallest model that fits comfortably, and only after that choose the runtime that supports your real workflow.
Best runtime for Gemma 4
Use the editorial compare when you want the longer take on runtime tradeoffs.
Best model size for your device
Use the model-size guide when the real decision is fit, not benchmark bragging rights.
How to run Gemma 4 on Mac
Use this when the real question is E4B versus 26B A4B on a 16GB Apple silicon Mac.