Can I Run Inkling (BF16) on Apple M3 Ultra?
Written by Jakub Rusinowski · Last updated July 16, 2026
Not at BF16 (full precision) — that needs 1956.5 GB at 8K context and the Apple M3 Ultra has 384 GB usable. Drop to Q2_K and it fits in 327.1 GB, with up to 64K of context.
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The numbers
| Model | Inkling (BF16) |
| Parameters | 1T |
| Quantization | BF16 (full precision) |
| VRAM needed (8K context) | 1956.5 GB |
| Apple M3 Ultra usable memory | 384 GB |
| Verdict | Runs at a lower quant |
| Fits at | Q2_K (327.1 GB) |
| Max context | 64K |
Inkling (BF16) on the Apple M3 Ultra: VRAM by quantization
| Quant | VRAM needed | Fits 512 GB? | Max context | Whole PC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F16 | 1956.5 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q8_0 | 1042.5 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q6_K | 806 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q5_K_M | 697.6 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q4_K_M | 595.2 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q3_K_M | 422.1 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q2_K | 327.1 GB | ✓ Yes | 64K | — |
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 512 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 BF16 (full precision) on the Apple M3 Ultra: 8K 1956.5 GB ✗ · 32K 1973.8 GB ✗ · 128K 2042.6 GB ✗. Past 8K it no longer fits 512 GB — a q8_0 KV cache buys roughly half of that back, which the calculator will price for you.
What to do next
Quantize to Q2_K. That is the cheapest fix — it costs some quality but no money.
Running Inkling (BF16) on this card:
Other Inkling sizes on the Apple M3 Ultra
- Inkling (NVFP4) — runs at a lower quant (555 GB)
All Inkling sizes on the Apple M3 Ultra | Inkling (BF16) model page | Apple M3 Ultra GPU page | VRAM calculator | Check your hardware