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localmodel.run

image model · flux · macOS

Can I run FLUX.1 dev on Apple M1 (8GB)?

Compatibility verdict VRAM check
No, not enough memory would not load

Needs ~6.5 GB at Q4 GGUF, but only ~5.5 GB is usable on Apple M1 (8GB). With aggressive CPU offload it can run on as little as ~3 GB, much slower.

Needs ~6.5 GB Device usable ~5.5 GB

Needs ~6.5 GB at Q4 GGUF, but only ~5.5 GB is usable on Apple M1 (8GB). With aggressive CPU offload it can run on as little as ~3 GB, much slower.

The gap is about 1 GB: FLUX.1 dev needs roughly 6.5 GB and Apple M1 (8GB) leaves only about 5.5 GB usable for a model. The lightest tracked hardware that runs FLUX.1 dev is the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 (12GB) at 12 GB. See FLUX.1 dev on Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 (12GB).

Peak VRAM
~6.5 GB
Usable on device
~5.5 GB
Device memory
8 GB
Quant
Q4 GGUF
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Model flux
Type
image (DIT)
Parameters
12B
Peak VRAM
~6.5 GB at Q4 GGUF
Resolution
1024×1024
License
FLUX.1-dev Non-Commercial License
Full FLUX.1 dev requirements →
Device macOS
Memory
8 GB unified
Usable for weights
~5.5 GB
Power draw
~39 W
Best runtime
Ollama (llama.cpp Metal backend)
Best models for Apple M1 (8GB) →

What you can run instead

Run FLUX.1 dev on other hardware

Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 (12GB)Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 (12GB)iPhone 17 ProiPhone AirApple M2 (16GB)Apple M4 (16GB)

FAQ

Can Apple M1 (8GB) run FLUX.1 dev?

Needs ~6.5 GB at Q4 GGUF, but only ~5.5 GB is usable on Apple M1 (8GB). With aggressive CPU offload it can run on as little as ~3 GB, much slower.

How much VRAM does FLUX.1 dev need?

Apple M1 (8GB) does not have enough memory. At Q4 GGUF the realistic peak is ~6.5 GB of VRAM, versus ~33 GB with every component kept resident (no offload). With aggressive CPU offload it drops to ~3 GB, much slower.

What do I use to run FLUX.1 dev locally?

FLUX.1 dev runs in ComfyUI or Draw Things (among others). It loads as a diffusion checkpoint plus its text encoder and VAE, not a single chat command.

Sources

VRAM figures are sourced peak-usage anchors at the noted quant, validated 2026-08-03. See methodology.