Is unified memory on MacBook Pro M3 Max 48GB as fast as VRAM for DeepSeek V2.5 236B?

Not always. MacBook Pro M3 Max 48GB can often fit larger models thanks to unified memory, but a discrete GPU with dedicated high-bandwidth VRAM may still decode faster once the model fits. For this combination, the important distinction is capacity versus sustained throughput.

Can DeepSeek V2.5 236B run on MacBook Pro M3 Max 48GB?

Q: What should I upgrade first if DeepSeek V2.5 236B feels slow on MacBook Pro M3 Max 48GB?

Move to a larger memory pool. A larger unified-memory SKU or a discrete high-bandwidth GPU is the cleanest way to make this model practical.

NO — Won't Fit

F0Won't run

Estimated from fit model

DeepSeek V2.5 236B needs ~208.6 GB but MacBook Pro M3 Max 48GB only has 34.6 GB. Try a smaller quantization or lighter model.

Runtime: llama.cppCapacity: No fitBandwidth: LowStack: StandardBottleneck: Memory capacity

Operating mode

Choose the run profile you care about

Interactive favors responsiveness, while light API and scale-out lean harder on serving readiness. The fit stays the same, but the recommendation lens changes.

Current mode

Balanced

Balanced for general local use. Keeps the ranking neutral across personal and serving workflows.

Capabilities:

Select quantization to explore

Q4_K_M (Medium quality) — 208.6 GB, exceeds 34.6 GB available

208.6 GB required34.6 GB available

603% VRAM needed

174.0 GB over capacity — needs offload or smaller quantization

Fit status

Too heavy

Decode

3.1 tok/s

TTFT

61799 ms

Safe context

Memory

208.6 GB / 34.6 GB

Offload

80%

Memory breakdown

Weights144.0 GB

KV Cache58.6 GB

Runtime0.9 GB

Headroom5.2 GB

See how fast it feels

With memory offload — actual speed may be lower

See how fast it feelsDeepSeek V2.5 236B on MacBook Pro M3 Max 48GB
1st promptCold start — includes initialization
>Write a Python function to sort a list
Here's a Python function that sorts a list using quicksort:

def quicksort(arr):
    if len(arr) <= 1:
        return arr
    pivot = arr[len(arr) // 2]
    left   = [x for x in arr if x < pivot]
    middle = [x for x in arr if x == pivot]
    right  = [x for x in arr if x > pivot]
    return quicksort(left) + middle + quicksort(right)

# Example usage
numbers = [3, 6, 8, 10, 1, 2, 1]
print(quicksort(numbers))  # [1, 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 10]

The algorithm picks a pivot, partitions the list into smaller, equal, and larger elements, then recursively sorts each partition and concatenates the results.
2nd promptWarm — model ready, no init overhead
>Now add type hints and a docstring
def quicksort(arr: list[int]) -> list[int]:
    """Sort a list using the quicksort algorithm.

    Args:
        arr: List of integers to sort.

    Returns:
        A new sorted list.
    """
    if len(arr) <= 1:
        return arr
    pivot = arr[len(arr) // 2]
    left   = [x for x in arr if x < pivot]
    middle = [x for x in arr if x == pivot]
    right  = [x for x in arr if x > pivot]
    return quicksort(left) + middle + quicksort(right)

Added type hints for the input and return type, plus a Google-style docstring.
Estimated: 3.1 tok/s decode · 61.8s TTFT (warm) · 8 tok/s prefill

What limits this setup

Usable shared or unified memory is the main blocker for this model.

Not enough usable memory

The model needs 208.6 GB, but this setup only exposes 34.6 GB of usable shared or unified memory.

Best improvement path

Move to a larger memory pool

A larger unified-memory SKU or a discrete high-bandwidth GPU is the cleanest way to make this model practical.

Performance by workload

Workload	Grade	Fit	Decode	TTFT	Context
Chat	F	Too heavy	3.1 tok/s	33709 ms	4K
Coding	F	Too heavy	3.1 tok/s	61799 ms	4K
Agentic Coding	F	Too heavy	3.1 tok/s	89890 ms	4K
Reasoning	F	Too heavy	3.1 tok/s	73036 ms	4K
RAG	F	Too heavy	3.1 tok/s	112362 ms	4K

Quantization options

How DeepSeek V2.5 236B (236B params) fits at each quantization level on MacBook Pro M3 Max 48GB (34.6 GB usable).

Quant	Bits	VRAM	Quality	Fit
Q2_K	2	92.0 GB	Low	F0
Q3_K_S	3	115.6 GB	Low	F0
NVFP4	4

Upgrade options

Hardware that runs DeepSeek V2.5 236B well

AMD Instinct MI350X 288GBBudget pick

288 GB VRAM (+240)8000 GB/s (+7600)

Makes the model fit on the accelerator instead of staying completely out of reach.109.3 tok/s decode

Makes the model fit on the accelerator instead of staying completely out of reach.

Removes host-memory offload, which is usually the single biggest latency and throughput win.

~$8,000 MSRP

AMD Instinct MI300X 192GBBest value

192 GB VRAM (+144)5300 GB/s (+4900)

Makes the model fit on the accelerator instead of staying completely out of reach.42.5 tok/s decode

Makes the model fit on the accelerator instead of staying completely out of reach.

Raises estimated decode speed by about 1271%.

~$15,000 MSRP

Frequently asked questions

Can MacBook Pro M3 Max 48GB run DeepSeek V2.5 236B?

No, DeepSeek V2.5 236B requires more memory than MacBook Pro M3 Max 48GB provides.

How much VRAM does DeepSeek V2.5 236B need?

DeepSeek V2.5 236B (236B parameters) requires approximately 208.6 GB of memory with Q4_K_M quantization.

What is the best quantization for DeepSeek V2.5 236B?

The recommended quantization for DeepSeek V2.5 236B is Q4_K_M, which balances quality and memory efficiency.

What speed will DeepSeek V2.5 236B run at on MacBook Pro M3 Max 48GB?

On MacBook Pro M3 Max 48GB, DeepSeek V2.5 236B achieves approximately 3.1 tokens per second decode speed with a time-to-first-token of 61799ms using Q4_K_M quantization.

Can MacBook Pro M3 Max 48GB run DeepSeek V2.5 236B for coding?

For coding workloads, DeepSeek V2.5 236B on MacBook Pro M3 Max 48GB receives a F grade with 3.1 tok/s and 4K context.

What context window can DeepSeek V2.5 236B use on MacBook Pro M3 Max 48GB?

On MacBook Pro M3 Max 48GB, DeepSeek V2.5 236B can safely use up to 4K tokens of context. The model's official context limit is 131K, but available memory constrains the safe maximum.

What should I upgrade first if DeepSeek V2.5 236B feels slow on MacBook Pro M3 Max 48GB?

See all results for MacBook Pro M3 Max 48GB See all hardware for DeepSeek V2.5 236B

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