Rig score · mac
Apple M5 Max (128GB)
Runs 118 of 135 models (87%)
Elite, runs the biggest open models, including 70B.
Biggest it can run: Nemotron 3 Super 120B-A12B
- Grade
- S
- Runnable
- 118
- Total
- 135
- Coverage
- 87%
What Apple M5 Max (128GB) can run
At 128 GB of unified memory, Apple M5 Max (128GB) runs 118 of 135 tracked local models, 87% coverage that earns a S. The largest it handles is Nemotron 3 Super 120B-A12B at 120B parameters; anything bigger needs more memory or a lower quantization.
Apple Silicon shares one 128 GB pool between CPU and GPU, so almost all of it is available to a model. MLX and llama.cpp Metal builds give the best speed here; close memory-heavy apps before loading a large model.
Top models on Apple M5 Max (128GB)
FAQ
What local AI rig score does Apple M5 Max (128GB) get?
Apple M5 Max (128GB) scores S: it runs 118 of 135 tracked local LLMs (87%). The biggest it can run is Nemotron 3 Super 120B-A12B.
How big a model can Apple M5 Max (128GB) run?
Apple M5 Max (128GB) runs models up to Nemotron 3 Super 120B-A12B (120B parameters) at Q4_K_M. Its memory is shared with the system, so leave a few GB for the OS.
Is Apple M5 Max (128GB) good for running local LLMs?
Apple Silicon shares one 128 GB pool between CPU and GPU, so almost all of it is available to a model. MLX and llama.cpp Metal builds give the best speed here; close memory-heavy apps before loading a large model.
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Score from coverage of 135 tracked models, estimated with our memory methodology.