Can I Run DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 8B on Apple M3 Pro?
Autor: Jakub Rusinowski · Ostatnia aktualizacja: 29 września 2026
Yes. DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 8B needs 6.7 GB at 8K context (4.8 GB weights + 1.9 GB KV cache/overhead) at Q4_K_M and the Apple M3 Pro has 27 GB usable, leaving about 20.3 GB of headroom, at roughly 15 tok/s (estimated) with room for up to 128K of context.
See what else this hardware can run →
The numbers
| Model | DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 8B |
| Parameters | 8B |
| Quantization | Q4_K_M |
| VRAM needed (8K context) | 6.7 GB |
| Apple M3 Pro usable memory | 27 GB |
| Verdict | Runs |
| Max context | 128K |
| Estimated speed | ~15 tok/s |
DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 8B on the Apple M3 Pro: VRAM by quantization
| Quant | VRAM needed | Fits 36 GB? | Max context | Whole PC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F16 | 17.9 GB | ✓ Yes | 64K | — |
| Q8_0 | 10.4 GB | ✓ Yes | 128K | — |
| Q6_K | 8.4 GB | ✓ Yes | 128K | — |
| Q5_K_M | 7.5 GB | ✓ Yes | 128K | — |
| Q4_K_M | 6.7 GB | ✓ Yes | 128K | — |
| Q3_K_M | 5.3 GB | ✓ Yes | 128K | — |
| Q2_K | 4.5 GB | ✓ Yes | 128K | — |
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 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 6.7 GB · 32K 9.9 GB · 128K 22.8 GB. Every window this model publishes still fits 36 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? DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 8B on 8 GB of system RAM, CPU only: runs.
Running DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 8B on this card:
DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 8B needs ~7 GB but this GPU has 36 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.
Other DeepSeek R1 sizes on the Apple M3 Pro
- DeepSeek R1 (671B) — does not fit (406.5 GB)
- DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B — runs (10.6 GB)
DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 8B on nearby hardware
- Apple M5 (32 GB) — runs
- NVIDIA RTX 6000 Ada Generation (48 GB) — runs
All DeepSeek R1 sizes on the Apple M3 Pro | DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 8B model page | Apple M3 Pro GPU page | VRAM calculator | Check your hardware