GoogleGemma 3 4B on Apple M2 (8GB Unified)
M2 (8GB Unified) runs Gemma 3 4B at Q8_0 — 6 tok/s due to limited memory bandwidth. Slow but functional — see all options below.
Model Size
4.3B
Device VRAM
8 GB
Bandwidth
100 GB/s
Quantization
Q8_0
Performance by Quantization
OwnRig currently has one published compatibility entry for Gemma 3 4B on Apple M2 (8GB Unified) at Q8_0. This is the best supported pairing we can stand behind today.
| Quantization | Speed | TTFT | Fits in VRAM | Rating | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q8_0 | 6 tok/s | – | ✓ Yes | Marginal | estimated |
Notes
Q8_0
Conservative estimate. Uses Q8_0 (4.8GB), the highest-quality format that fits within ~5.5GB usable memory.
About Gemma 3 4B
Gemma 3 4B (4.3B) is a chat, coding model. Compact Gemma 3 model for chat and light coding on low-VRAM hardware.
View all Gemma 3 4B hardware options →About Apple M2 (8GB Unified)
Apple M2 (8GB Unified) has 8 GB at 100 GB/s. Available in MacBook Air 13" (2022), MacBook Air 15" (2023), MacBook Pro 13" (2022).
See all models Apple M2 (8GB Unified) can run →Estimate method: Conservative estimate anchored to m4-16gb with bandwidth scaling, quantization-size adjustment, and generation damping. Reference hardware source: github.com (2026-04-18)
Performance varies by driver version, inference engine, quantization method, context length, and system configuration. Figures shown are estimates based on community benchmarks and may not reflect your exact setup. Product names are trademarks of their respective owners. OwnRig is independent and not affiliated with any hardware or AI model provider.