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Model

BGE-M3

Use it in a supported document-search workflow. It does not generate chat answers. 4GB RAM estimate. Best use: Multilingual document search and semantic search

0.567BEmbedding

Best use

Multilingual document search and semantic search

Memory planning

4GB RAM estimate

Expected pace

Depends on your hardware, app, and conversation length

License

MIT; read the model’s terms before use

Who should use this model?

  • Multilingual document search and semantic search

Choose something else when

  • You need a chat or code-generation model.

What hardware makes sense?

The download is only part of the memory needed. Leave room for the app, the input it processes, and other open programs. Document-search memory also depends on input length, batch size, and the document index; a chat-memory estimate does not confirm that workload.

CPU only
A possible starting point with a compressed model and short conversation; check the exact file size.
8GB system memory
A possible starting point with a compressed model and short conversation; check the exact file size.
16GB system memory
A possible starting point with a compressed model and short conversation; check the exact file size.
32GB system memory
A possible starting point with a compressed model and short conversation; check the exact file size.
8GB GPU memory
A possible starting point with a compressed model and short conversation; check the exact file size.
12GB GPU memory
A possible starting point with a compressed model and short conversation; check the exact file size.
24GB GPU memory
A possible starting point with a compressed model and short conversation; check the exact file size.
Apple unified memory
A possible starting point with a compressed model and short conversation; check the exact file size.

Model facts that change the decision

Parameters
0.567B
Input
Text
Published context limit
8,192 tokens
Model format
safetensors · sentence-transformers · PyTorch · ONNX · GGUF · Ollama
Suggested compression
Q8_0 for quality; Q4_K_M for minimal local footprint
Typical Q4 file
0.438GB before runtime and context overhead
Languages
100+ working languages

Using this model for document search

Select this model for the document-search step in an app that supports it. Keep the model that generates answers separate. Check document chunk length and any required query or document prefixes in the model’s instructions.

Changing the embedding model changes the document vectors. Rebuild the document index rather than mixing vectors from different models.

First setup

Download with Ollama

ollama pull bge-m3

LM Studio: Use an embedding workflow, not chat

llama.cpp

Use an embedding-capable llama.cpp build/runtime and a vetted GGUF such as lm-kit/bge-m3-gguf

Conditions that change the answer

  • BGE-M3 is an embedding/retrieval model, not a chat or code-generation model.

Read the controlling license text →