What is Dense Model?

A model architecture where all parameters activate for every token generated. Dense models like Llama 3.3 70B use all 70B parameters per token, requiring 64 GB+ RAM and running at ~10 tok/s on M5 Max. The LLMCheck index shows that MoE models have largely replaced dense architectures at the frontier because they deliver equivalent quality at 3–5x lower RAM and faster speed.