Question 1

Can MacBook Pro M3 Max 128GB run gemma 3 4b it?

Accepted Answer

Yes, MacBook Pro M3 Max 128GB can run gemma 3 4b it with a C grade (Runs well). Expected decode speed: 98.4 tok/s.

Question 2

How much VRAM does gemma 3 4b it need?

Accepted Answer

gemma 3 4b it (4B parameters) requires approximately 18.3 GB of memory with Q4_K_M quantization.

Question 3

What is the best quantization for gemma 3 4b it?

Accepted Answer

The recommended quantization for gemma 3 4b it is Q4_K_M, which balances quality and memory efficiency.

Workload	Grade	Fit	Decode	TTFT	Context
Agentic Coding	C	Runs well	106.6 tok/s	2643 ms	158K
Chat	C	Runs well	98.4 tok/s	1074 ms	40K
Coding	C	Runs well	98.4 tok/s	1968 ms	81K
RAG	C	Runs well	98.4 tok/s	3579 ms	158K
Reasoning	C	Runs well	98.4 tok/s	2326 ms	81K

Quant	Bits	VRAM	Quality	Fit
Q2_K	2	1.6 GB	Low	D30
Q3_K_S	3	2.0 GB	Low	D30
NVFP4	4

Can MacBook Pro M3 Max 128GB run gemma 3 4b it?

Memory breakdown