Can I Run Magistral Small on Apple M3?
Written by Jakub Rusinowski · Last updated September 6, 2026
Yes, but it's tight — Magistral Small 24B at Q4_K_M needs 17 GB at 8K context (14.5 GB weights + 2.5 GB KV cache/overhead), leaving ~1 GB of the Apple M3's 18 GB usable memory, at ~4 tok/s (est.), with room for up to 8K context.
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Apple M3 Specs
| VRAM | 24 GB unified memory |
| Memory Bandwidth | 100 GB/s |
Magistral Small 24B on the Apple M3: VRAM by quantization
| Quant | VRAM needed | Fits 24 GB? | Max context | Whole PC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F16 | 50.5 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q8_0 | 28 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q6_K | 22.2 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q5_K_M | 19.5 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q4_K_M | 17 GB | ✓ Yes | 8K | — |
| Q3_K_M | 12.7 GB | ✓ Yes | 32K | — |
| Q2_K | 10.4 GB | ✓ Yes | 32K | — |
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 24 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 M3: 8K 17 GB · 32K 22 GB ✗ · 128K 42.1 GB ✗. Past 32K it no longer fits 24 GB — a q8_0 KV cache buys roughly half of that back, which the calculator will price for you.
No compatible GPU? Magistral Small 24B on 16 GB of system RAM, CPU only: runs, but it is tight.
Magistral Small Sizes That Fit the Apple M3 (at 8K context)
| Magistral Small 24B | Q4_K_M · 17 GB at 8K context · ~4 tok/s (est.) |
Magistral Small needs ~17 GB but this GPU has 24 GB. Rent a RTX 4090 (24 GB)-class GPU by the hour instead of buying one:
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FAQ
Is the Apple M3 enough to run Magistral Small locally?
Yes, but it's tight — Magistral Small 24B at Q4_K_M needs 17 GB at 8K context (14.5 GB weights + 2.5 GB KV cache/overhead), leaving ~1 GB of the Apple M3's 18 GB usable memory, at ~4 tok/s (est.), with room for up to 8K context.
What's the best Magistral Small size for the Apple M3?
Magistral Small 24B at Q4_K_M quantization needs 17 GB at 8K context (14.5 GB weights + 2.5 GB KV cache/overhead), estimated ~4 tokens/sec, up to 8K context.
Magistral Small on Other GPUs
- Magistral Small on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090
- Magistral Small on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- Magistral Small on AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX
- Magistral Small on Apple M4 Pro
- Magistral Small on Apple M2
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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