can-i-run-this-llm

GPU comparison

MacBook Air/Pro M4 (16GB) vs MacBook Pro M4 Pro (48GB) for local LLMs

How the two stack up for running open-source LLMs locally — memory, bandwidth, price, and how many of the 18 tracked models each one can run.

MacBook Air/Pro M4 (16GB)MacBook Pro M4 Pro (48GB)
Memory16.0 GB48.0 GB
Bandwidth120 GB/s273 GB/s
Price (approx)$1,199$2,399
LLMs it runs10 of 1815 of 18
Best model it runsGLM-4.7 Flash (MoE) · 43–64 tok/sGemma 4 31B · 9–13 tok/s

The MacBook Pro M4 Pro (48GB) runs 5 more of the tracked models (15 vs 10), thanks to its 48.0 GB of memory. The MacBook Pro M4 Pro (48GB) has more memory bandwidth (273 GB/s), so it generates tokens faster at the same model and quant.

What the MacBook Air/Pro M4 (16GB) runs →What the MacBook Pro M4 Pro (48GB) runs →Open the calculator →