Can You Run Gemma 4 on a MacBook Pro (36GB)?
Yes — best fit is Gemma 4 31B at Q4_0 (4-bit) (~17.4GB) ✅ Comfortable, using 31GB of usable memory on a 36GB MacBook Pro.
Every Gemma 4 model on this configuration
| Model | Best quant | Size | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gemma 4 E2B | BF16 (16-bit) | ~8 GB | ✅ Comfortable |
| Gemma 4 E4B | BF16 (16-bit) | ~15 GB | ✅ Comfortable |
| Gemma 4 12B | SFP8 (8-bit) | ~13.4 GB | ✅ Comfortable |
| Gemma 4 26B A4B | Q4_0 (4-bit) | ~15.6 GB | ✅ Comfortable |
| Gemma 4 31B | Q4_0 (4-bit) | ~17.4 GB | ✅ Comfortable |
How we got this verdict
36 - 5 = 31GB usable (macOS and background processes reserve roughly 5 GB of unified memory).
31B lands on Q4_0 here, so grab the official QAT (quantization-aware training) checkpoint instead of a generic Q4_0 quant. Google shipped a full-quality QAT build for 31B at essentially the same ~19GB download size, with noticeably better output quality than a naive 4-bit quant. See the QAT guide for exact file names.
Going up to 48GB (48GB) doesn't change the top recommendation — 31B is still the best fit, just with more headroom. One tier down, at 24GB, the best fit drops to 12B (comfortable) instead.
Try a different configuration
Best fit: Gemma 4 31B · Q4_0 (4-bit) · ~17.4 GB ✅ Comfortable
FAQ
Can a MacBook Pro (36GB) run the 31B flagship model?
Yes, comfortably — Gemma 4 31B fits at Q4_0 (4-bit) (~17.4GB), using 31GB of usable memory on this configuration.
What's the best Gemma 4 model for a MacBook Pro (36GB)?
Gemma 4 31B at Q4_0 (4-bit) (~17.4GB) is the best fit — it's the largest model that runs comfortably within the 31GB of usable memory here.
What if I have more or less memory than 36GB?
With more (e.g. 48GB), you can run larger models or the same model more comfortably — see the MacBook Pro page. With less (e.g. 24GB), the best-fitting model gets smaller or tighter — see the MacBook Pro page.
Related
Gemma 4 on MacBook Pro
The full setup guide for this device family.
Can You Run Gemma 4 on a MacBook Pro (24GB)?
MacBook Pro — 24GB
Can You Run Gemma 4 on a MacBook Pro (48GB)?
MacBook Pro — 48GB
Gemma 4 Hardware Requirements
The full memory table this checker is built on.
Full Hardware Checker
Every device type, every model, one tool.