can-i-run-this-llm

GPU comparison

MacBook Air/Pro M5 (24GB) vs MacBook Pro M5 Pro (64GB) for local LLMs

How the two stack up for running open-source LLMs locally — memory, bandwidth, price, and how many of the 64 tracked models each one can run.

MacBook Air/Pro M5 (24GB)MacBook Pro M5 Pro (64GB)
Memory24.0 GB64.0 GB
Bandwidth153 GB/s307 GB/s
Price (approx)$1,299$3,399
LLMs it runs45 of 6452 of 64
Best model it runsQwen3.8 27B · 9–13 tok/sQwen3.8 27B · 14–21 tok/s

The MacBook Pro M5 Pro (64GB) runs 7 more of the tracked models (52 vs 45), thanks to its 64.0 GB of memory. The MacBook Pro M5 Pro (64GB) 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 (64GB) runs →Open the calculator →