Question 1

Can MacBook Pro M3 Max 48GB run gemma 2b?

Accepted Answer

Yes, MacBook Pro M3 Max 48GB can run gemma 2b with a C grade (Runs well). Expected decode speed: 213.1 tok/s.

Question 2

How much VRAM does gemma 2b need?

Accepted Answer

gemma 2b (2B parameters) requires approximately 8.4 GB of memory with Q4_K_M quantization.

Question 3

What is the best quantization for gemma 2b?

Accepted Answer

The recommended quantization for gemma 2b is Q4_K_M, which balances quality and memory efficiency.

Workload	Grade	Fit	Decode	TTFT	Context
Agentic Coding	C	Runs well	213.1 tok/s	1321 ms	132K
Chat	C	Runs well	213.1 tok/s	496 ms	33K
Coding	C	Runs well	213.1 tok/s	908 ms	66K
RAG	C	Runs well	213.1 tok/s	1652 ms	132K
Reasoning	C	Runs well	213.1 tok/s	1074 ms	66K

Quant	Bits	VRAM	Quality	Fit
Q2_K	2	0.8 GB	Low	D30
Q3_K_S	3	1.0 GB	Low	D30
NVFP4	4

Can MacBook Pro M3 Max 48GB run gemma 2b?

Memory breakdown