Apple M3 Pro (36GB) vs Apple M4 Pro (24GB)
Side-by-side local AI comparison: VRAM, memory bandwidth, model compatibility, and estimated tokens per second across 99 open-weight models.
Quick verdict
Apple M3 Pro (36GB) wins for local AI inference. It has 12 GB more VRAM and -45.1% more memory bandwidth, runs 54 models natively (vs 47), and exclusively fits 7 models the other cannot.
Specs comparison
| Spec | Apple M3 Pro (36GB) | Apple M4 Pro (24GB) |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM | 36 GB unified | 24 GB unified |
| Memory type | LPDDR5 | LPDDR5X |
| Bandwidth | 150 GB/s | 273 GB/s(+82%) |
| CPU cores | 12 (6P + 6E) | 12 (8P + 4E) |
| Architecture | Apple M3 Pro | Apple M4 Pro |
| Backend | METAL | METAL |
| Tier | Laptop | Laptop |
| Released | 2023 | 2024 |
| Models (native) | 54 | 47 |
Estimated tokens per second
Computed from memory bandwidth and model active-parameter weight. Assumes model fits natively in VRAM.
| Model | Apple M3 Pro (36GB) | Apple M4 Pro (24GB) | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Llama 3.3 70B Instruct(70B) | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Qwen 3.6 27B(27B) | 5.3 t/s(Q6_K) | 16.1 t/s(Q3_K_M) | -67% |
| Llama 3.1 8B Instruct(8B) | 7 t/s(BF16) | 22.8 t/s(Q8_0) | -69% |
| Qwen 2.5 7B Instruct(7.6B) | 7.7 t/s(BF16) | 25.5 t/s(Q8_0) | -70% |
Delta is Apple M3 Pro (36GB) relative to Apple M4 Pro (24GB).
Only Apple M3 Pro (36GB) can run(7)
Only Apple M4 Pro (24GB) can run(0)
No exclusive models: Apple M3 Pro (36GB) can run everything Apple M4 Pro (24GB) can.
Both run natively(47)
These models fit in VRAM on both GPUs. Bandwidth determines which runs them faster.
- Qwen 3.5 35B-A3B (MoE)19.2 t/svs54.9 t/s
- Ornith 1.5 35B-A3B (MoE)19.2 t/svs54.9 t/s
- Qwen3 32B4.9 t/svs15.8 t/s
- Nemotron 3 Nano 30B15.9 t/svs51.4 t/s
- Gemma 4 31B5.1 t/svs16.5 t/s
- Qwen3 30B-A3B (MoE)15.1 t/svs47.3 t/s
- Nemotron 3.5 Lightning 30B-A3B14.5 t/svs56.6 t/s
- Muse Glimmer 30B5.2 t/svs16.1 t/s
- Gemma 2 27B Instruct5.3 t/svs16.2 t/s
- Gemma 3 27B Instruct5.1 t/svs18.5 t/s
- Qwen 3.6 27B5.3 t/svs16.1 t/s
- UI-Mate 27B5.3 t/svs16.1 t/s
- Bonsai 27B15.5 t/svs28.2 t/s
- Bonsai 2 27B18.6 t/svs33.9 t/s
- Qwen 3.8 27B5.3 t/svs16.1 t/s
- Gemma 4 26B (MoE)11.1 t/svs33.8 t/s
- +31 more on both
Which should you choose?
Choose Apple M3 Pro (36GB) if:
- • You need to run larger models (>24 GB VRAM)
Choose Apple M4 Pro (24GB) if:
- • Faster token generation is the priority
- • You want the newer architecture and longer driver support lifecycle
Frequently asked questions
- Which is better for local AI, the Apple M3 Pro (36GB) or Apple M4 Pro (24GB)?
- For local AI inference, the Apple M3 Pro (36GB) has the edge. It offers 36 GB VRAM (vs 24 GB) and 150 GB/s bandwidth (vs 273 GB/s), letting it run 54 models natively in VRAM vs 47 for its rival.
- How much VRAM does the Apple M3 Pro (36GB) have vs the Apple M4 Pro (24GB)?
- The Apple M3 Pro (36GB) has 36 GB of LPDDR5 at 150 GB/s. The Apple M4 Pro (24GB) has 24 GB of LPDDR5X at 273 GB/s. The Apple M3 Pro (36GB) has 12 GB more VRAM, allowing it to run 7 models the Apple M4 Pro (24GB) cannot fit natively.
- Can the Apple M3 Pro (36GB) run Llama 3.3 70B?
- The Apple M3 Pro (36GB) does not have enough VRAM to run Llama 3.3 70B.
- Can the Apple M4 Pro (24GB) run Llama 3.3 70B?
- The Apple M4 Pro (24GB) does not have enough VRAM to run Llama 3.3 70B.
- What is the difference between the Apple M3 Pro (36GB) and Apple M4 Pro (24GB) for AI?
- The key difference for AI inference is VRAM and memory bandwidth. The Apple M3 Pro (36GB) has 36 GB VRAM at 150 GB/s (METAL backend). The Apple M4 Pro (24GB) has 24 GB VRAM at 273 GB/s (METAL backend). VRAM determines which models fit; bandwidth determines tokens per second. The Apple M3 Pro (36GB) runs 54 models natively vs 47 for the Apple M4 Pro (24GB).