Apple M4 Max (48GB) vs Apple M3 Max (48GB)
Side-by-side local AI comparison: VRAM, memory bandwidth, model compatibility, and estimated tokens per second across 99 open-weight models.
Quick verdict
Apple M4 Max (48GB) is faster for local AI inference, but only on memory bandwidth (36.5% more). Both GPUs have 48 GB VRAM and run the exact same 58 models natively — neither fits anything the other can't.
Specs comparison
| Spec | Apple M4 Max (48GB) | Apple M3 Max (48GB) |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM | 48 GB unified | 48 GB unified |
| Memory type | LPDDR5X | LPDDR5 |
| Bandwidth | 546 GB/s(+37%) | 400 GB/s |
| CPU cores | 16 (12P + 4E) | 16 (12P + 4E) |
| Architecture | Apple M4 Max | Apple M3 Max |
| Backend | METAL | METAL |
| Tier | Laptop | Laptop |
| Released | 2024 | 2023 |
| Models (native) | 58 | 58 |
Estimated tokens per second
Computed from memory bandwidth and model active-parameter weight. Assumes model fits natively in VRAM.
| Model | Apple M4 Max (48GB) | Apple M3 Max (48GB) | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Llama 3.3 70B Instruct(70B) | 14.9 t/s(Q2_K) | 10.9 t/s(Q2_K) | +37% |
| Qwen 3.6 27B(27B) | 14.9 t/s(Q8_0) | 10.9 t/s(Q8_0) | +37% |
| Llama 3.1 8B Instruct(8B) | 25.6 t/s(BF16) | 18.7 t/s(BF16) | +37% |
| Qwen 2.5 7B Instruct(7.6B) | 27.9 t/s(BF16) | 20.4 t/s(BF16) | +37% |
Delta is Apple M4 Max (48GB) relative to Apple M3 Max (48GB).
Only Apple M4 Max (48GB) can run(0)
No exclusive models: Apple M3 Max (48GB) can run everything Apple M4 Max (48GB) can.
Only Apple M3 Max (48GB) can run(0)
No exclusive models: Apple M4 Max (48GB) can run everything Apple M3 Max (48GB) can.
Both run natively(58)
These models fit in VRAM on both GPUs. Bandwidth determines which runs them faster.
- Qwen 2.5 72B Instruct14.5 t/svs10.6 t/s
- Llama 3.3 70B Instruct14.9 t/svs10.9 t/s
- DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B14.9 t/svs10.9 t/s
- Llama 3.1 70B Instruct14.9 t/svs10.9 t/s
- Mixtral 8x7B Instruct v0.113.8 t/svs10.1 t/s
- Command-R 35B12.2 t/svs9 t/s
- Qwen 3.5 35B-A3B (MoE)52.1 t/svs38.2 t/s
- Qwen 3.6 35B14.1 t/svs10.4 t/s
- Ornith 1.5 35B-A3B (MoE)52.1 t/svs38.2 t/s
- Yi 1.5 34B Chat14.4 t/svs10.6 t/s
- Qwen3 32B15.5 t/svs11.3 t/s
- Qwen 2.5 32B Instruct15.2 t/svs11.1 t/s
- Qwen 2.5 Coder 32B Instruct15.2 t/svs11.1 t/s
- DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 32B15.2 t/svs11.1 t/s
- Nemotron 3 Nano 30B39.5 t/svs28.9 t/s
- Gemma 4 31B12.8 t/svs9.4 t/s
- +42 more on both
Which should you choose?
- • 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 M4 Max (48GB) or Apple M3 Max (48GB)?
- For local AI inference, the Apple M4 Max (48GB) has the edge. It offers 48 GB VRAM (vs 48 GB) and 546 GB/s bandwidth (vs 400 GB/s), letting it run 58 models natively in VRAM vs 58 for its rival.
- How much VRAM does the Apple M4 Max (48GB) have vs the Apple M3 Max (48GB)?
- The Apple M4 Max (48GB) has 48 GB of LPDDR5X at 546 GB/s. The Apple M3 Max (48GB) has 48 GB of LPDDR5 at 400 GB/s. Both GPUs have the same VRAM amount; bandwidth determines which generates tokens faster.
- Can the Apple M4 Max (48GB) run Llama 3.3 70B?
- Yes. The Apple M4 Max (48GB) runs Llama 3.3 70B natively at Q2_K quantization at approximately 14.9 tokens per second.
- Can the Apple M3 Max (48GB) run Llama 3.3 70B?
- Yes. The Apple M3 Max (48GB) runs Llama 3.3 70B natively at Q2_K quantization at approximately 10.9 tokens per second.
- What is the difference between the Apple M4 Max (48GB) and Apple M3 Max (48GB) for AI?
- The key difference for AI inference is VRAM and memory bandwidth. The Apple M4 Max (48GB) has 48 GB VRAM at 546 GB/s (METAL backend). The Apple M3 Max (48GB) has 48 GB VRAM at 400 GB/s (METAL backend). VRAM determines which models fit; bandwidth determines tokens per second. The Apple M4 Max (48GB) runs 58 models natively vs 58 for the Apple M3 Max (48GB).