Which AI models run on a Mac with 24 GB?
21 of Toskar's 21 models run on a Mac with 24 GB, and 19 of them run comfortably. A MacBook Air, Mac mini, or MacBook Pro with a memory upgrade.
Start here
The best model for each job
The largest model of each kind that runs comfortably on this computer.
Everyday chat and writing
Muse Glimmer 30BMeta's large model that sees pictures, codes, and reasons well; for 32 GB Macs or 24 GB graphics cards.
Coding
Qwen 2.5 Coder 14BExcellent programming model for larger refactors and multi-file work.
Pictures and screenshots
Qwen 3.5 9BStrong everyday assistant that also sees pictures.
Step-by-step reasoning
Qwen 2.5 14BLargest curated quality pick when your machine has headroom.
Every model on this computer
Graded with Toskar 1.12.1's own estimate: the model file plus working memory at an 8K context.
Excellent fitPlenty of memory to spare.
- Qwen 2.5 14B≈ 10.2 GB
- Qwen 2.5 Coder 14B≈ 9.7 GB
- Qwen 3.5 9B≈ 7.2 GB
- Gemma 2 9B≈ 6.5 GB
- Qwen 2.5 VL 7B≈ 6.1 GB
- Qwen 2.5 Coder 7B≈ 5.3 GB
- Qwen 2.5 7B≈ 5.3 GB
- DeepSeek R1 Distill 7B≈ 5.3 GB
- Mistral 7B Instruct≈ 5.0 GB
- Qwen 3.5 4B≈ 3.9 GB
- Gemma 3 4B≈ 3.9 GB
- Phi 3.5 Mini≈ 3.0 GB
- Llama 3.2 3B≈ 2.6 GB
- Qwen 2.5 3B≈ 2.5 GB
- Gemma 2 2B≈ 2.2 GB
- Qwen 2.5 Coder 1.5B≈ 1.6 GB
- DeepSeek R1 Distill 1.5B≈ 1.6 GB
- Llama 3.2 1B≈ 1.3 GB
Good fitShould run comfortably.
- Muse Glimmer 30B≈ 17.1 GB
Tight fitRuns, with little memory to spare. Close other big apps.
- Qwen 2.5 32B≈ 21.5 GB
- Qwen 3.8 27B≈ 20.4 GB
Questions
- What's the best local AI model for a Mac with 24 GB?
- For everyday use, start with Muse Glimmer 30B: it's the largest of its kind that runs comfortably here. For coding, try Qwen 2.5 Coder 14B. For pictures and screenshots, try Qwen 3.5 9B. For step-by-step reasoning, try Qwen 2.5 14B.
- How big a model can a Mac with 24 GB run?
- The largest that runs is Qwen 2.5 32B, at about 21.5 GB; the largest that runs comfortably is Muse Glimmer 30B, at about 17.1 GB. Memory decides it: the model and the conversation have to fit, with room left for everything else you have open.
- Do I need a graphics card?
- No. On a Mac with Apple silicon the graphics share the Mac's memory, so every model below uses it to answer quickly.
- Does it cost anything to run these models?
- No. Toskar Core is free and open source, and the models download at no cost. Everything runs on your own computer, so there's no subscription and no per-question bill.
Other computers
Mac with Apple silicon
PC with a graphics card
Run them with Toskar
Toskar Core is free and open source for Mac, Windows, and Linux. It suggests the models that fit your computer, downloads them for you, and keeps every question on your computer.