Concept

Memory-Compute Trade-off in LLM Inference

The memory-compute trade-off is a general principle in system design, highly relevant to LLM inference, that involves balancing memory consumption against computational workload. This principle extends beyond specific model components like attention mechanisms. For instance, while KV caching reduces redundant computation at the cost of higher memory usage, the choice of data precision offers another example. Using lower-precision formats like FP16 or INT8 decreases memory usage and bandwidth needs, but may require more computation for calibration or retraining to offset potential accuracy loss, illustrating the broader interplay between memory, computation, and model performance.

0

1

Updated 2026-05-06

Contributors are:

Who are from:

Tags

Ch.5 Inference - Foundations of Large Language Models

Foundations of Large Language Models

Foundations of Large Language Models Course

Computing Sciences