Can Qwen 3 32B run on MacBook Pro M2 Max 96GB?

Q: Is unified memory on MacBook Pro M2 Max 96GB as fast as VRAM for Qwen 3 32B?

Not always. MacBook Pro M2 Max 96GB 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

S87Excellent

Estimated from fit model

Qwen 3 32B needs ~34.7 GB VRAM. MacBook Pro M2 Max 96GB has 69.1 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) — 34.7 GB, 12.9 tok/s, Runs well

34.7 GB required69.1 GB available

50% VRAM used

Fit status

Runs well

Decode

12.9 tok/s

TTFT

14978 ms

Safe context

131K

Memory

34.7 GB / 69.1 GB

Memory breakdown

Weights19.5 GB

KV Cache3.9 GB

Runtime0.9 GB

Headroom10.4 GB

See how fast it feels

See how fast it feelsQwen 3 32B on MacBook Pro M2 Max 96GB
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: 12.9 tok/s decode · 15.0s TTFT (warm) · 32 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	S	Runs well	12.9 tok/s	8170 ms	131K
Coding	S	Runs well	11.9 tok/s	16289 ms	131K
Agentic Coding	S	Runs well	12.9 tok/s	21787 ms	131K
Reasoning	S	Runs well	12.9 tok/s	17702 ms	131K
RAG	S	Runs well	12.9 tok/s	27234 ms	131K

Quantization options

How Qwen 3 32B (32B params) fits at each quantization level on MacBook Pro M2 Max 96GB (69.1 GB usable).

Quant	Bits	VRAM	Quality	Fit
Q2_K	2	12.5 GB	Low	A82
Q3_K_S	3	15.7 GB	Low	A83
NVFP4	4

Get started

Copy-paste commands to run Qwen 3 32B on your machine.

Run

ollama run qwen3:32b

Your hardware

More models your MacBook Pro M2 Max 96GB can run

Model	Params	Grade	Decode	Capabilities
Qwen 3.6 35B A3B	35B	S	32.4 tok/s

Frequently asked questions

Can MacBook Pro M2 Max 96GB run Qwen 3 32B?

Yes, MacBook Pro M2 Max 96GB can run Qwen 3 32B with a S grade (Runs well). Expected decode speed: 11.9 tok/s.

How much VRAM does Qwen 3 32B need?

Qwen 3 32B (32B parameters) requires approximately 34.7 GB of memory with Q4_K_M quantization.

What is the best quantization for Qwen 3 32B?

The recommended quantization for Qwen 3 32B is Q4_K_M, which balances quality and memory efficiency.

What speed will Qwen 3 32B run at on MacBook Pro M2 Max 96GB?

On MacBook Pro M2 Max 96GB, Qwen 3 32B achieves approximately 11.9 tokens per second decode speed with a time-to-first-token of 16289ms using Q4_K_M quantization.

Can MacBook Pro M2 Max 96GB run Qwen 3 32B for coding?

For coding workloads, Qwen 3 32B on MacBook Pro M2 Max 96GB receives a S grade with 11.9 tok/s and 131K context.

What context window can Qwen 3 32B use on MacBook Pro M2 Max 96GB?

On MacBook Pro M2 Max 96GB, Qwen 3 32B can safely use up to 131K tokens of context. The model's official context limit is 131K, but available memory constrains the safe maximum.

Is unified memory on MacBook Pro M2 Max 96GB as fast as VRAM for Qwen 3 32B?

See all results for MacBook Pro M2 Max 96GB See all hardware for Qwen 3 32B

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