Can I Run Ministral 3 on Apple M1?
Written by Jakub Rusinowski · Last updated September 6, 2026
Yes, comfortably — Ministral 3 14B at Q4_K_M needs 10.6 GB at 8K context (8.5 GB weights + 2.1 GB KV cache/overhead), leaving ~1.4 GB of the Apple M1's 12 GB usable memory, at ~4 tok/s (est.), with room for up to 8K context.
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Apple M1 Specs
| VRAM | 16 GB unified memory |
| Memory Bandwidth | 68 GB/s |
Ministral 3 14B on the Apple M1: VRAM by quantization
| Quant | VRAM needed | Fits 16 GB? | Max context | Whole PC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F16 | 30.2 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q8_0 | 17.1 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q6_K | 13.7 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q5_K_M | 12.1 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q4_K_M | 10.6 GB | ✓ Yes | 8K | — |
| Q3_K_M | 8.1 GB | ✓ Yes | 16K | — |
| Q2_K | 6.8 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 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 10.6 GB · 32K 14.8 GB ✗ · 128K 31.3 GB ✗. Past 32K 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? Ministral 3 14B on 16 GB of system RAM, CPU only: runs, but it is tight.
Ministral 3 Sizes That Fit the Apple M1 (at 8K context)
| Ministral 3 14B | Q4_K_M · 10.6 GB at 8K context · ~4 tok/s (est.) |
| Ministral 3 8B | Q4_K_M · 6.8 GB at 8K context · ~7 tok/s (est.) |
| Ministral 3 3B | Q4_K_M · 3.5 GB at 8K context · ~16 tok/s (est.) |
Ministral 3 needs ~11 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
Ministral 3 on the Apple M1 — does it fit?
Yes, comfortably — Ministral 3 14B at Q4_K_M needs 10.6 GB at 8K context (8.5 GB weights + 2.1 GB KV cache/overhead), leaving ~1.4 GB of the Apple M1's 12 GB usable memory, at ~4 tok/s (est.), with room for up to 8K context.
Which Ministral 3 variant fits best on the Apple M1?
Ministral 3 14B at Q4_K_M quantization needs 10.6 GB at 8K context (8.5 GB weights + 2.1 GB KV cache/overhead), estimated ~4 tokens/sec, up to 8K context.
Every Ministral 3 size on the Apple M1
| Size | VRAM at 8K | Verdict | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ministral 3 14B | 10.6 GB | Runs | ~4 tok/s |
| Ministral 3 8B | 6.8 GB | Runs | ~7 tok/s |
| Ministral 3 3B | 3.5 GB | Runs | ~16 tok/s |
Ministral 3 on Other GPUs
- Ministral 3 on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080
- Ministral 3 on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti
- Ministral 3 on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB
- Ministral 3 on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Super
- Ministral 3 on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080
Popular Models on the Apple M1
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