Can Gemma 2 27B run on MacBook Pro M3 Max 64GB?

Q: Is unified memory on MacBook Pro M3 Max 64GB as fast as VRAM for Gemma 2 27B?

Not always. MacBook Pro M3 Max 64GB 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.

YES — Runs Great

B70Good

Estimated from fit model

Gemma 2 27B needs ~35.5 GB VRAM. MacBook Pro M3 Max 64GB has 46.1 GB. With Q4_K_M quantization, expect ~12 tok/s.

Runtime: llama.cppCapacity: RoomyBandwidth: LowStack: StandardBottleneck: Balanced

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) — 35.5 GB, 11.6 tok/s, Runs well

35.5 GB required46.1 GB available

77% VRAM used

Fit status

Runs well

Decode

11.6 tok/s

TTFT

16696 ms

Safe context

Memory

35.5 GB / 46.1 GB

Memory breakdown

Weights16.5 GB

KV Cache11.2 GB

Runtime0.9 GB

Headroom6.9 GB

See how fast it feels

See how fast it feelsGemma 2 27B on MacBook Pro M3 Max 64GB
1st promptCold start — includes initialization
>Solve: If a train travels at 60 mph for 2.5 hours, how far does it go?
Let me work through this step by step.

Given information:
  - Speed = 60 mph (miles per hour)
  - Time  = 2.5 hours

Formula: Distance = Speed x Time

Calculation:
  Distance = 60 mph x 2.5 h
           = 150 miles

The train travels 150 miles.

Double-check: at 60 mph the train covers 60 miles each hour. In half an hour it covers 30 miles. So in 2.5 hours: 60 + 60 + 30 = 150 miles. Confirmed.
2nd promptWarm — model ready, no init overhead
>What if the train stops for 20 minutes halfway?
The stop doesn't change the total distance covered while moving, but it affects total trip time.

Breakdown:
  - First half: 1.25 hours at 60 mph = 75 miles
  - Stop: 20 minutes (no distance)
  - Second half: 1.25 hours at 60 mph = 75 miles

Total distance: 150 miles (same)
Total time: 2.5 h + 0.33 h = 2.83 hours
Average speed: 150 / 2.83 = 53 mph

The distance stays the same but average speed drops to 53 mph because of the stop.
Estimated: 11.6 tok/s decode · 16.7s TTFT (warm) · 29 tok/s prefill

What limits this setup

This setup is broadly balanced for this model.

Shared-memory contention still exists

The OS, browser, and inference runtime all compete for the same physical memory pool, so real-world headroom is less forgiving than raw capacity suggests.

Best improvement path

Performance by workload

Workload	Grade	Fit	Decode	TTFT	Context
Chat	B	Runs well	11.6 tok/s	9107 ms	8K
Coding	B	Runs well	11.6 tok/s	16696 ms	8K
Agentic Coding	B	Runs with offload (needs ~0.2 GB host RAM)	11.2 tok/s	25119 ms	8K
Reasoning	B	Runs well	11.0 tok/s	20718 ms	8K
RAG	B	Runs with offload (needs ~0.2 GB host RAM)	11.2 tok/s	31399 ms

Quantization options

How Gemma 2 27B (27B params) fits at each quantization level on MacBook Pro M3 Max 64GB (46.1 GB usable).

Quant	Bits	VRAM	Quality	Fit
Q2_K	2	10.5 GB	Low	B63
Q3_K_S	3	13.2 GB	Low	B64
NVFP4	4

Get started

Copy-paste commands to run Gemma 2 27B on your machine.

Run

ollama run gemma2:27b

Upgrade options

Hardware that runs Gemma 2 27B well

Radeon Pro W7900 48GBBudget pick

864 GB/s (+464)

Raises estimated decode speed by about 100%.23.2 tok/s decode

Raises estimated decode speed by about 100%.

~$3,999 MSRP

Radeon PRO W7900 DS 48GBBest value

864 GB/s (+464)

Raises estimated decode speed by about 100%.23.2 tok/s decode

Raises estimated decode speed by about 100%.

~$3,999 MSRP

Frequently asked questions

Can MacBook Pro M3 Max 64GB run Gemma 2 27B?

Yes, MacBook Pro M3 Max 64GB can run Gemma 2 27B with a B grade (Runs well). Expected decode speed: 11.6 tok/s.

How much VRAM does Gemma 2 27B need?

Gemma 2 27B (27B parameters) requires approximately 35.5 GB of memory with Q4_K_M quantization.

What is the best quantization for Gemma 2 27B?

The recommended quantization for Gemma 2 27B is Q4_K_M, which balances quality and memory efficiency.

What speed will Gemma 2 27B run at on MacBook Pro M3 Max 64GB?

On MacBook Pro M3 Max 64GB, Gemma 2 27B achieves approximately 11.6 tokens per second decode speed with a time-to-first-token of 16696ms using Q4_K_M quantization.

Can MacBook Pro M3 Max 64GB run Gemma 2 27B for coding?

For coding workloads, Gemma 2 27B on MacBook Pro M3 Max 64GB receives a B grade with 11.6 tok/s and 8K context.

What context window can Gemma 2 27B use on MacBook Pro M3 Max 64GB?

On MacBook Pro M3 Max 64GB, Gemma 2 27B can safely use up to 8K tokens of context. The model's official context limit is 8K, but available memory constrains the safe maximum.

Is unified memory on MacBook Pro M3 Max 64GB as fast as VRAM for Gemma 2 27B?

See all results for MacBook Pro M3 Max 64GB See all hardware for Gemma 2 27B

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