Can I Run Nemotron 3 Super on Apple M3 Pro?
Written by Jakub Rusinowski · Last updated September 29, 2026
No — Nemotron 3 Super 120B-A12B at Q4_K_M needs 76.1 GB at 8K context (72.5 GB weights + 3.6 GB KV cache/overhead), and the Apple M3 Pro's 27 GB usable memory leaves it ~49.1 GB short. The cheapest card that runs it is the NVIDIA A100 80GB (PCIe) (80 GB).
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Apple M3 Pro Specs
| VRAM | 36 GB unified memory |
| Memory Bandwidth | 153 GB/s |
Nemotron 3 Super 120B-A12B on the Apple M3 Pro: VRAM by quantization
| Quant | VRAM needed | Fits 36 GB? | Max context | Whole PC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F16 | 243.7 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q8_0 | 131.2 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q6_K | 102.1 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q5_K_M | 88.7 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q4_K_M | 76.1 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q3_K_M | 54.8 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q2_K | 43.1 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 36 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 Pro: 8K 76.1 GB ✗ · 32K 84.7 GB ✗ · 128K 118.9 GB ✗. Past 8K it no longer fits 36 GB — a q8_0 KV cache buys roughly half of that back, which the calculator will price for you.
No compatible GPU? Nemotron 3 Super 120B-A12B on 64 GB of system RAM, CPU only: runs.
Why It Does Not Fit
Every Nemotron 3 Super variant requires more VRAM than the Apple M3 Pro provides (36 GB).
Nearest GPU That Fits
NVIDIA A100 80GB (PCIe) (80 GB VRAM).
Nemotron 3 Super needs ~76 GB but this GPU has 36 GB. Rent a A100 (80 GB)-class GPU by the hour instead of buying one:
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FAQ
Nemotron 3 Super on the Apple M3 Pro — does it fit?
No — Nemotron 3 Super 120B-A12B at Q4_K_M needs 76.1 GB at 8K context (72.5 GB weights + 3.6 GB KV cache/overhead), and the Apple M3 Pro's 27 GB usable memory leaves it ~49.1 GB short. The cheapest card that runs it is the NVIDIA A100 80GB (PCIe) (80 GB).
What GPU should I get instead to run Nemotron 3 Super?
The NVIDIA A100 80GB (PCIe) (80 GB VRAM) is the cheapest upgrade that fits it.
Nemotron 3 Super on Other GPUs
- Nemotron 3 Super on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- Nemotron 3 Super on Apple M4
- Nemotron 3 Super on Apple M2 Pro
- Nemotron 3 Super on Apple M1 Pro
- Nemotron 3 Super on Apple M5
Popular Models on the Apple M3 Pro
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
← Can I Run It? | Nemotron 3 Super Model Page | Apple M3 Pro GPU Page | Check Your Hardware