Can I Run IBM Granite 4.0 on Apple M1?
Written by Jakub Rusinowski · Last updated August 15, 2026
No — Granite 4.0 Small-H 32B-A9B at Q4_K_M needs 22 GB at 8K context (19.3 GB weights + 2.7 GB KV cache/overhead), and the Apple M1's 12 GB usable memory leaves it ~10 GB short. The cheapest card that runs it is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU (24 GB).
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Apple M1 Specs
| VRAM | 16 GB unified memory |
| Memory Bandwidth | 68 GB/s |
Granite 4.0 Small-H 32B-A9B on the Apple M1: VRAM by quantization
| Quant | VRAM needed | Fits 16 GB? | Max context | Whole PC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F16 | 66.6 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q8_0 | 36.6 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q6_K | 28.9 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q5_K_M | 25.3 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q4_K_M | 22 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q3_K_M | 16.3 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q2_K | 13.2 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
Assumes an 8K-token context with an f16 KV cache, on an estimated architecture — this model publishes no config we can read. A longer window needs more; a quantized KV cache needs less. “Max context” is the largest window that still fits in 16 GB of unified memory. Figures are estimates from parameter count, quantization and memory bandwidth — the analyzer lets you tune KV-cache quant and context.
Context costs VRAM too. At Q4_K_M on the Apple M1: 8K 22 GB ✗ · 32K 27.5 GB ✗ · 128K 49.6 GB ✗. Past 8K it no longer fits 16 GB — a q8_0 KV cache buys roughly half of that back, which the calculator will price for you.
No compatible GPU? Granite 4.0 Small-H 32B-A9B on 24 GB of system RAM, CPU only: runs.
Why It Does Not Fit
Every IBM Granite 4.0 variant requires more VRAM than the Apple M1 provides (16 GB).
Nearest GPU That Fits
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU (24 GB VRAM).
IBM Granite 4.0 needs ~22 GB but this GPU has 16 GB. Rent a RTX 4090 (24 GB)-class GPU by the hour instead of buying one:
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FAQ
Does the Apple M1 have enough VRAM for IBM Granite 4.0?
No — Granite 4.0 Small-H 32B-A9B at Q4_K_M needs 22 GB at 8K context (19.3 GB weights + 2.7 GB KV cache/overhead), and the Apple M1's 12 GB usable memory leaves it ~10 GB short. The cheapest card that runs it is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU (24 GB).
Which GPU can actually run IBM Granite 4.0?
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU (24 GB VRAM) is the cheapest upgrade that fits it.
IBM Granite 4.0 on Other GPUs
- IBM Granite 4.0 on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080
- IBM Granite 4.0 on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti
- IBM Granite 4.0 on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB
- IBM Granite 4.0 on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Super
- IBM Granite 4.0 on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080
Popular Models on the Apple M1
VRAM Tier
Troubleshooting
- Ollama: "model requires more system memory than is available"
- Which GGUF quant should I download? (Q4 vs Q5 vs Q8)
Buying Guide
← Can I Run It? | IBM Granite 4.0 Model Page | Apple M1 GPU Page | Check Your Hardware