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// RUN — FITS
Can the Apple M3 Max 36GB run NASA SMD?
Yes — here's how fast and up to what context, with real measured numbers.
NASA SMD on the Apple M3 Max 36GB
| Quant | Fits? | Max context | Speed | Beyond context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FP16 | yes | 468k | 816-984 t/s | ~27.2-32.8 (slow) |
| Q8 | yes | 470k | 1632-1968 t/s | ~54.4-65.6 (slow) |
| Q4 | yes | 470k | 2914.3-3514.3 t/s | ~97.1-117.1 (slow) |
Estimate (memory-bound). Beyond "max context" the KV cache spills to SSD swap and speed drops to the "beyond" figure.
FAQ
Can the Apple M3 Max 36GB run NASA SMD?▶
Yes. At Q4 it generates ~2914.3-3514.3 tok/s and fits up to 470k context; beyond that it spills to SSD swap and slows to ~97.1-117.1 tok/s.
How much context fits?▶
At Q4, up to about 470k tokens stay in fast memory; longer context spills to SSD swap and throughput collapses.