Can I Run Yi 1.5 Family on Apple M5?
Written by Jakub Rusinowski · Last updated July 12, 2026
Yes, but it's tight — Yi 1.5 34B Chat at Q4_K_M needs 23.6 GB at 8K context (20.8 GB weights + 2.8 GB KV cache/overhead), leaving ~0.4 GB of the Apple M5's 24 GB usable memory, at ~4 tok/s (est.), with room for up to 8K context.
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Apple M5 Specs
| VRAM | 32 GB unified memory |
| Memory Bandwidth | 153 GB/s |
Yi 1.5 34B Chat on the Apple M5: VRAM by quantization
| Quant | VRAM needed | Fits 32 GB? | Max context | Whole PC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F16 | 71.6 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q8_0 | 39.4 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q6_K | 31 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q5_K_M | 27.2 GB | ✗ No | — | — |
| Q4_K_M | 23.6 GB | ✓ Yes | 8K | — |
| Q3_K_M | 17.5 GB | ✓ Yes | 16K | — |
| Q2_K | 14.1 GB | ✓ Yes | 16K | — |
Assumes an 8K-token context with an f16 KV cache. A longer window needs more; a quantized KV cache needs less. “Max context” is the largest window that still fits in 32 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 M5: 8K 23.6 GB · 31K 29.4 GB ✗. Past 31K it no longer fits 32 GB — a q8_0 KV cache buys roughly half of that back, which the calculator will price for you.
No compatible GPU? Yi 1.5 34B Chat on 32 GB of system RAM, CPU only: runs comfortably.
Yi 1.5 Family Sizes That Fit the Apple M5 (at 8K context)
| Yi 1.5 34B Chat | Q4_K_M · 23.6 GB at 8K context · ~4 tok/s (est.) |
| Yi 1.5 9B Chat | Q4_K_M · 6.9 GB at 8K context · ~14 tok/s (est.) |
Yi 1.5 Family needs ~24 GB but this GPU has 32 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.
FAQ
Is the Apple M5 enough to run Yi 1.5 Family locally?
Yes, but it's tight — Yi 1.5 34B Chat at Q4_K_M needs 23.6 GB at 8K context (20.8 GB weights + 2.8 GB KV cache/overhead), leaving ~0.4 GB of the Apple M5's 24 GB usable memory, at ~4 tok/s (est.), with room for up to 8K context.
What's the best Yi 1.5 Family size for the Apple M5?
Yi 1.5 34B Chat at Q4_K_M quantization needs 23.6 GB at 8K context (20.8 GB weights + 2.8 GB KV cache/overhead), estimated ~4 tokens/sec, up to 8K context.
Every Yi 1.5 Family size on the Apple M5
| Size | VRAM at 8K | Verdict | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yi 1.5 34B Chat | 23.6 GB | Runs | ~4 tok/s |
| Yi 1.5 9B Chat | 6.9 GB | Runs | ~14 tok/s |
Yi 1.5 Family on Other GPUs
- Yi 1.5 Family on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- Yi 1.5 Family on Apple M4
- Yi 1.5 Family on Apple M2 Pro
- Yi 1.5 Family on Apple M1 Pro
- Yi 1.5 Family on Apple M3 Pro
Popular Models on the Apple M5
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? | Yi 1.5 Family Model Page | Apple M5 GPU Page | VRAM calculator | Check Your Hardware