Can starcoder2 7b run on MacBook Pro M3 24GB?

Q: Is unified memory on MacBook Pro M3 24GB as fast as VRAM for starcoder2 7b?

Not always. MacBook Pro M3 24GB 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

C46Usable

Estimated from fit model

starcoder2 7b needs ~8.6 GB VRAM. MacBook Pro M3 24GB has 17.3 GB. With Q4_K_M quantization, expect ~16 tok/s.

Runtime: llama.cppCapacity: RoomyBandwidth: Very lowStack: StandardBottleneck: Memory bandwidth

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) — 8.6 GB, 15.9 tok/s, Runs well

8.6 GB required17.3 GB available

50% VRAM used

Fit status

Runs well

Decode

15.9 tok/s

TTFT

12157 ms

Safe context

186K

Memory

8.6 GB / 17.3 GB

Memory breakdown

Weights4.3 GB

KV Cache0.8 GB

Runtime0.9 GB

Headroom2.6 GB

See how fast it feels

See how fast it feelsstarcoder2 7b on MacBook Pro M3 24GB
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: 15.9 tok/s decode · 12.2s TTFT (warm) · 40 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	C	Runs well	15.9 tok/s	6631 ms	186K
Coding	C	Runs well	15.9 tok/s	12157 ms	186K
Agentic Coding	C	Runs well	15.9 tok/s	17683 ms	186K
Reasoning	C	Runs well	15.9 tok/s	14367 ms	186K
RAG	C	Runs well	15.9 tok/s	22104 ms	186K

Quantization options

How starcoder2 7b (7B params) fits at each quantization level on MacBook Pro M3 24GB (17.3 GB usable).

Quant	Bits	VRAM	Quality	Fit
Q2_K	2	2.7 GB	Low	C46
Q3_K_S	3	3.4 GB	Low	C46
NVFP4	4

Get started

Copy-paste commands to run starcoder2 7b on your machine.

Run

lms load hf-quantfactory--starcoder2-7b-gguf && lms server start

Upgrade options

Hardware that runs starcoder2 7b well

MacBook Pro M2 Max 32GBBudget pick

32 GB Unified (+8)400 GB/s (+300)

Raises estimated decode speed by about 242%.54.3 tok/s decode

Raises estimated decode speed by about 242%.

Adds memory headroom for longer context windows and future model growth.

~$1,999 MSRP

MacBook Pro M2 Pro 32GBBest value

32 GB Unified (+8)200 GB/s (+100)

Raises estimated decode speed by about 106%.32.8 tok/s decode

Raises estimated decode speed by about 106%.

Adds memory headroom for longer context windows and future model growth.

~$1,999 MSRP

MacBook Pro M1 Pro 32GBApple upgrade

32 GB Unified (+8)200 GB/s (+100)

Raises estimated decode speed by about 91%.30.4 tok/s decode

Raises estimated decode speed by about 91%.

Adds memory headroom for longer context windows and future model growth.

~$1,999 MSRP

Frequently asked questions

Can MacBook Pro M3 24GB run starcoder2 7b?

Yes, MacBook Pro M3 24GB can run starcoder2 7b with a C grade (Runs well). Expected decode speed: 15.9 tok/s.

How much VRAM does starcoder2 7b need?

starcoder2 7b (7B parameters) requires approximately 8.6 GB of memory with Q4_K_M quantization.

What is the best quantization for starcoder2 7b?

The recommended quantization for starcoder2 7b is Q4_K_M, which balances quality and memory efficiency.

What speed will starcoder2 7b run at on MacBook Pro M3 24GB?

On MacBook Pro M3 24GB, starcoder2 7b achieves approximately 15.9 tokens per second decode speed with a time-to-first-token of 12157ms using Q4_K_M quantization.

Can MacBook Pro M3 24GB run starcoder2 7b for coding?

For coding workloads, starcoder2 7b on MacBook Pro M3 24GB receives a C grade with 15.9 tok/s and 186K context.

What context window can starcoder2 7b use on MacBook Pro M3 24GB?

On MacBook Pro M3 24GB, starcoder2 7b can safely use up to 186K tokens of context. The model's official context limit is —, but available memory constrains the safe maximum.

Is unified memory on MacBook Pro M3 24GB as fast as VRAM for starcoder2 7b?

See all results for MacBook Pro M3 24GB See all hardware for starcoder2 7b

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