can-i-run-this-llm

GPU comparison

MacBook Air/Pro M5 (24GB) vs MacBook Pro M5 Pro (24GB) for local LLMs

How the two stack up for running open-source LLMs locally — memory, bandwidth, price, and how many of the 34 tracked models each one can run.

MacBook Air/Pro M5 (24GB)MacBook Pro M5 Pro (24GB)
Memory24.0 GB24.0 GB
Bandwidth153 GB/s307 GB/s
Price (approx)$1,299$2,199
LLMs it runs21 of 3421 of 34
Best model it runsGemma 4 31B · 6–9 tok/sGemma 4 31B · 12–18 tok/s

The MacBook Air/Pro M5 (24GB) and MacBook Pro M5 Pro (24GB) run the same set of tracked models; pick on price and ecosystem. The MacBook Pro M5 Pro (24GB) has more memory bandwidth (307 GB/s), so it generates tokens faster at the same model and quant.

What the MacBook Air/Pro M5 (24GB) runs →What the MacBook Pro M5 Pro (24GB) runs →Open the calculator →