Can I run this LLM?
Can a Mac Studio M3 Ultra (96GB) run DeepSeek-R1-Distill 32B?
DeepSeek · Apache 2.0 · estimated for a 96.0 GB machine at 4K context.
Yes — it runs great.
Runs greatBest fit: DeepSeek-R1-Distill 32B at Q8_0 · 34.8 GB weights · 14–21 tok/s on a Mac Studio M3 Ultra (96GB).
Arena Text Overall · style-controlled
UnratedNo exact matchNo reviewed exact Arena match
No reviewed exact model/configuration match in the Arena Text Overall style-controlled snapshot. No family or editorial score is substituted. Local quantization quality is unmeasured.
Snapshot published 2026-10-08 · snapshot imported 2026-10-11 UTC · validated last-good data · manual refresh
Arena leaderboard dataset · Arena / lmarena-ai, Arena Leaderboard Dataset (CC BY 4.0). Selected Text Overall style-controlled rows; field names adapted, ratings unchanged. · dataset CC BY 4.0 · revision e16f90232986
- Total memory at 4K context
- 36.7 GB
- Weights + KV cache + runtime overhead
- Estimated generation
- 14–21 tok/s
- Estimated first token
- ~14s
Every quantization on this machine
On small screens, each quant lists every metric below its name. On wider screens, scroll sideways for total memory, speed and fit. Keyboard: focus the table, then use the arrow keys. Quant names stay visible.
| Quant | Weights | Total memory | Speed | Fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q2_K | 12.3 GB | 14.2 GB | 33–50 tok/s | Runs great |
| Q3_K_M | 15.9 GB | 17.8 GB | 27–41 tok/s | Runs great |
| Q4_K_M | 19.9 GB | 21.7 GB | 23–34 tok/s | Runs great |
| Q5_K_M | 23.3 GB | 25.1 GB | 20–30 tok/s | Runs great |
| Q6_K | 26.9 GB | 28.8 GB | 18–27 tok/s | Runs great |
| Q8_0 | 34.8 GB | 36.7 GB | 14–21 tok/s | Runs great |
| FP16 | 65.5 GB | 67.4 GB | — not resident | Won't fit |
Ran DeepSeek-R1-Distill 32B on a Mac Studio M3 Ultra (96GB)? Add your real numbers →