Can I Run Kimi K3 on Apple M4 Max?
Written by Jakub Rusinowski · Last updated September 29, 2026
No — Kimi K3 2.8T at Q4_K_M needs 1699.4 GB at 8K context (1690.5 GB weights + 8.9 GB KV cache/overhead), and the Apple M4 Max's 96 GB usable memory leaves it ~1603.4 GB short.
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Apple M4 Max Specs
| VRAM | 128 GB unified memory |
| Memory Bandwidth | 546 GB/s |
Kimi K3 2.8T on the Apple M4 Max: VRAM by quantization
| Quant | VRAM needed | Fits 128 GB? | Max context | Whole PC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F16 | 5608.9 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q8_0 | 2983.9 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q6_K | 2304.9 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q5_K_M | 1993.4 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q4_K_M | 1699.4 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q3_K_M | 1202.4 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q2_K | 929.4 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 128 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 M4 Max: 8K 1699.4 GB ✗ · 32K 1723.8 GB ✗ · 128K 1821.2 GB ✗. Past 8K it no longer fits 128 GB — a q8_0 KV cache buys roughly half of that back, which the calculator will price for you.
Why It Does Not Fit
Every Kimi K3 variant requires more VRAM than the Apple M4 Max provides (128 GB).
FAQ
Is the Apple M4 Max enough to run Kimi K3 locally?
No — Kimi K3 2.8T at Q4_K_M needs 1699.4 GB at 8K context (1690.5 GB weights + 8.9 GB KV cache/overhead), and the Apple M4 Max's 96 GB usable memory leaves it ~1603.4 GB short.
Popular Models on the Apple M4 Max
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
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