Question 1

Can MacBook Pro M3 Pro 18GB run Llama 2 7B Chat?

Accepted Answer

Yes, MacBook Pro M3 Pro 18GB can run Llama 2 7B Chat with a C grade (Runs well). Expected decode speed: 22.8 tok/s.

Question 2

How much VRAM does Llama 2 7B Chat need?

Accepted Answer

Llama 2 7B Chat (7B parameters) requires approximately 8.5 GB of memory with Q4_K_M quantization.

Question 3

What is the best quantization for Llama 2 7B Chat?

Accepted Answer

The recommended quantization for Llama 2 7B Chat is Q4_K_M, which balances quality and memory efficiency.

Workload	Grade	Fit	Decode	TTFT	Context
Agentic Coding	C	Runs well	25.6 tok/s	10981 ms	43K
Chat	C	Runs well	25.6 tok/s	4118 ms	13K
Coding	C	Runs well	22.8 tok/s	8479 ms	24K
RAG	C	Runs well	25.6 tok/s	13726 ms	43K
Reasoning	C	Runs well	25.6 tok/s	8922 ms	24K

Quant	Bits	VRAM	Quality	Fit
Q2_K	2	2.7 GB	Low	D34
Q3_K_S	3	3.4 GB	Low	D35
NVFP4	4

Can MacBook Pro M3 Pro 18GB run Llama 2 7B Chat?

Memory breakdown