Can I Run Mistral Small 4 on Apple M2 Max?
Written by Jakub Rusinowski · Last updated September 29, 2026
Only with offload — Mistral Small 4 119B-A6.5B at Q4_K_M needs 75.5 GB at 8K context (71.8 GB weights + 3.7 GB KV cache/overhead) against the Apple M2 Max's 72 GB usable memory, so part of it spills onto CPU/system RAM and speed drops sharply.
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Apple M2 Max Specs
| VRAM | 96 GB unified memory |
| Memory Bandwidth | 400 GB/s |
Mistral Small 4 119B-A6.5B on the Apple M2 Max: VRAM by quantization
| Quant | VRAM needed | Fits 96 GB? | Max context | Whole PC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F16 | 241.7 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q8_0 | 130.1 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q6_K | 101.2 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q5_K_M | 88 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q4_K_M | 75.5 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q3_K_M | 54.4 GB | ✓ Yes | 32K | — |
| Q2_K | 42.8 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 96 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 M2 Max: 8K 75.5 GB ✗ · 32K 84.1 GB ✗ · 128K 118.3 GB ✗. Past 8K it no longer fits 96 GB — a q8_0 KV cache buys roughly half of that back, which the calculator will price for you.
No compatible GPU? Mistral Small 4 119B-A6.5B on 64 GB of system RAM, CPU only: runs.
Why It Does Not Fit
Every Mistral Small 4 variant requires more VRAM than the Apple M2 Max provides (96 GB).
Nearest GPU That Fits
NVIDIA GB10 Grace Blackwell (128 GB VRAM).
Mistral Small 4 needs ~76 GB but this GPU has 96 GB. Rent a A100 (80 GB)-class GPU by the hour instead of buying one:
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FAQ
Is the Apple M2 Max enough to run Mistral Small 4 locally?
Only with offload — Mistral Small 4 119B-A6.5B at Q4_K_M needs 75.5 GB at 8K context (71.8 GB weights + 3.7 GB KV cache/overhead) against the Apple M2 Max's 72 GB usable memory, so part of it spills onto CPU/system RAM and speed drops sharply.
What's the cheapest GPU that runs Mistral Small 4?
The NVIDIA GB10 Grace Blackwell (128 GB VRAM) is the cheapest upgrade that fits it.
Mistral Small 4 on Other GPUs
- Mistral Small 4 on NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell
- Mistral Small 4 on NVIDIA A100 80GB (PCIe)
- Mistral Small 4 on NVIDIA H100 80GB (PCIe)
- Mistral Small 4 on Apple M4 Max
- Mistral Small 4 on Apple M3 Max
Popular Models on the Apple M2 Max
VRAM Tier
Troubleshooting
- Ollama: "model requires more system memory than is available"
- Out of memory at long context (the KV cache, not the weights)
Buying Guide
← Can I Run It? | Mistral Small 4 Model Page | Apple M2 Max GPU Page | VRAM calculator | Check Your Hardware