Can I Run Nemotron-Cascade 2 30B-A3B on Apple M2 Max?
Written by Jakub Rusinowski · Last updated September 29, 2026
Yes. Nemotron-Cascade 2 30B-A3B needs 21.7 GB at 8K context (19.1 GB weights + 2.6 GB KV cache/overhead) at Q4_K_M and the Apple M2 Max has 72 GB usable, leaving about 50.3 GB of headroom, at roughly 60 tok/s (estimated) with room for up to 128K of context.
See what else this hardware can run →
The numbers
| Model | Nemotron-Cascade 2 30B-A3B |
| Parameters | 31.6B (3.5B active) |
| Quantization | Q4_K_M |
| VRAM needed (8K context) | 21.7 GB |
| Apple M2 Max usable memory | 72 GB |
| Verdict | Runs |
| Max context | 128K |
| Estimated speed | ~60 tok/s |
Nemotron-Cascade 2 30B-A3B on the Apple M2 Max: VRAM by quantization
| Quant | VRAM needed | Fits 96 GB? | Max context | Whole PC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F16 | 65.8 GB | ✓ Yes | 32K | — |
| Q8_0 | 36.2 GB | ✓ Yes | 128K | Build for this |
| Q6_K | 28.5 GB | ✓ Yes | 128K | — |
| Q5_K_M | 25 GB | ✓ Yes | 128K | Build for this |
| Q4_K_M | 21.7 GB | ✓ Yes | 128K | Build for this |
| Q3_K_M | 16.1 GB | ✓ Yes | 128K | — |
| Q2_K | 13 GB | ✓ Yes | 256K | — |
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 21.7 GB · 32K 27.1 GB · 128K 48.9 GB. Every window this model publishes still fits 96 GB.
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.
No compatible GPU? Nemotron-Cascade 2 30B-A3B on 24 GB of system RAM, CPU only: runs.
Running Nemotron-Cascade 2 30B-A3B on this card:
Nemotron-Cascade 2 30B-A3B needs ~22 GB but this GPU has 96 GB. Rent a RTX 4090 (24 GB)-class GPU by the hour instead of buying one:
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Cloud rates verified 2026-07 — estimates, and marketplace prices vary. Buying price is GPU MSRP only, not a full PC.
Nemotron-Cascade 2 30B-A3B on nearby hardware
- NVIDIA H100 80GB (PCIe) (80 GB) — runs
- Apple M3 Max (128 GB) — runs
All Nemotron Cascade 2 sizes on the Apple M2 Max | Nemotron-Cascade 2 30B-A3B model page | Apple M2 Max GPU page | VRAM calculator | Check your hardware