Can I Run Llama 4 Maverick 17B on Apple M3 Ultra?

Name: LLM Configurator — GPU VRAM Checker
Author: LLM Configurator

Written by Jakub Rusinowski · Last updated August 15, 2026

Yes. Llama 4 Maverick 17B needs 241.5 GB at Q4_K_M and the Apple M3 Ultra has 512 GB, leaving about 270.5 GB of headroom, at roughly 36 tok/s (estimated) with room for up to 128K of context.

The numbers

Model	Llama 4 Maverick 17B
Parameters	17B active / 400B total
Quantization	Q4_K_M
VRAM needed	241.5 GB
Apple M3 Ultra VRAM	512 GB
Verdict	Runs
Max context	128K
Estimated speed	~36 tok/s

What to do next

Nothing to change — run it at Q4_K_M. If you want more capability, check whether the next size up also fits.

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Running Llama 4 Maverick 17B on this card:

Apple Mac Studio M3 Ultra

512 GB VRAM · 60 W board power

2026 prices are volatile — check the current listing.

Check price on Amazon

Buy vs. rent Llama 4 Maverick 17B

Buy the GPU

~$3,999

Apple M3 Ultra · MSRP

Rent by the hour

from $23.12/hr

8× H100 (640 GB) class

At 2 hrs/day, buying (~$3,999) beats renting at $23.12/hr after about 3 months.

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RunPod $23.12/hr

Rent on RunPod →

Cloud rates verified 2026-07 — estimates, and marketplace prices vary. Buying price is GPU MSRP only, not a full PC.

Other Llama 4 sizes on the Apple M3 Ultra

Llama 4 Scout 17B — runs (65.8 GB)

Llama 4 Maverick 17B on nearby hardware

NVIDIA DGX Spark (128 GB) — does not fit

All Llama 4 sizes on the Apple M3 Ultra | VRAM calculator for Llama 4 Maverick 17B | Apple M3 Ultra GPU page | Check your hardware