Running Flux on Limited Resources: How to Make It Work
Hey everyone,
A while ago, I wrote an article on here about running Flux in Forge with just 6GB of VRAM. Good news: it still works! It’s not the fastest thing ever, but it gets the job done.
Now I’ve got something even cooler to share. While chatting with some friends in the CivitAI Discord, we found ways to make Flux work on even weaker computers.
Here’s the craziest part: one of my friends (@WaffleBroZ) is running Flux on a laptop with 4GB of VRAM and 8GB of RAM, and it’s generating 1MP images in about 50 seconds. It’s like running Doom on a graphing calculator! Here’s how we did it:
The Secret Sauce: Flux Schnell Checkpoints
The key is using special checkpoints made by @anyMODE. There are two that work great:
If you use the Q3 versions of these checkpoints, they’ll fit on most GPUs. Even if your GPU’s memory fills up and it spills over to RAM, it doesn’t seem to slow things down much.
What You Need:
To make this work, you’ll need these files:
ae.safetensors
clip_l
T5xxl
For the T5 model, I suggest using t5-v1_1-xxl-encoder-Q8_0.gguf. It’s efficient and will either fit on your GPU or overflow to RAM without causing trouble.
What to Expect:
Now, keep your expectations realistic. You’re not going to get the same quality as people using the full-size Flux checkpoints or higher-Q versions. But even with these limits, the results are pretty amazing. It’s a great way to make image generation possible for people with lower-end computers.
Final Thoughts
This is a big deal for anyone working with limited hardware. It shows how much you can do with smart optimizations and creative solutions. Huge thanks to @anyMODE for making these checkpoints! If you try this out, I’d love to see your creations. Share your work, send some appreciation to @anyMODE, and let others know they can try Flux too.
Footnote:
Just a reminder: this setup comes with some compromises in speed and quality. But it’s still a fantastic way to use Flux without needing a super powerful computer. Have fun experimenting!