GPTQ vs AWQ: how do these post-training quantization methods differ, and when do you pick each?

Both squeeze an LLM to 4-bit weights, but they decide what to protect very differently. The signal is GPTQ's error-correcting solve versus AWQ's activation-aware scaling, and the calibration each needs.

Updated Aug 2026 · Grounded in real Applied AI Engineer interview loops and written to a senior-engineer editorial bar.