OpenAIWhisper Large V3 on Apple M3 Pro (18GB Unified)
Yes — M3 Pro (18GB Unified) handles Whisper Large V3 well at Q5_K_M. Solid daily-driver performance on 18 GB VRAM.
Model Size
1.55B
Device VRAM
18 GB
Bandwidth
150 GB/s
Quantization
Q5_K_M
Performance by Quantization
OwnRig currently has one published compatibility entry for Whisper Large V3 on Apple M3 Pro (18GB Unified) at Q5_K_M. This is the best supported pairing we can stand behind today.
| Quantization | Speed | TTFT | Fits in VRAM | Rating | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q5_K_M | – | – | ✓ Yes | Good | estimated |
Notes
Q5_K_M
Transcription model. Slower than M4 Pro but usable for voice-to-code.
About Whisper Large V3
Whisper Large V3 (1.55B) is a transcription model. OpenAI's best open speech-to-text model. Supports 99 languages. Near-human accuracy for English. Low VRAM requirements; runs on any GPU. Useful for builders who need voice-to-code or meeting transcription.
View all Whisper Large V3 hardware options →About Apple M3 Pro (18GB Unified)
Apple M3 Pro (18GB Unified) has 18 GB at 150 GB/s. Available in MacBook Pro 14", MacBook Pro 16".
See all models Apple M3 Pro (18GB Unified) can run →Estimate method: MLX performance estimates. Reference hardware source: github.com (2026-03-15)
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.