The best local LLM for a Mac mini M2 Pro (16 GB) is Maple Preview 20B-A1B at 279 tok/s (estimated). With 16 GB of unified memory it runs 27 of the models in the LLMCheck index — from compact options up to 27B-class models. For everyday chat and coding, Maple Preview 20B-A1B is the sweet spot. Full ranking below.
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Ranked by LLMCheck suitability (capability balanced against speed on the M2 Pro). Click a model for its full benchmark and setup. Every speed carries its provenance mark: most are index estimates from the memory-bandwidth model, and a filled square is a published measurement — submit a real run →
| # | Model | Size | License | Speed | Capability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maple Preview 20B-A1B | 20B | MIT | estimated279 tok/s | 20/50 |
| 2 | Bonsai 27B | 27B | Apache 2.0 | estimated10 tok/s | 33/50 |
| 3 | Gemma 4 12B | 12B | Apache 2.0 | estimated22 tok/s | 30/50 |
| 4 | Nanbeige4.2-3B | 3B | Apache 2.0 | estimated81 tok/s | 20/50 |
| 5 | GPT-oss 20B | 21B | Apache 2.0 | estimated51 tok/s | 22/50 |
| 6 | Gemma 4 E2B | 2B | Apache 2.0 | estimated114 tok/s | 13/50 |
| 7 | Mistral Small 3.2 24B | 24B | Apache 2.0 | estimated11 tok/s | 25/50 |
| 8 | Devstral Small 24B | 24B | Apache 2.0 | estimated11 tok/s | 24/50 |
| 9 | LFM2.5-2.6B | 2.6B | LFM Open | estimated91 tok/s | 14/50 |
| 10 | Gemma 4 E4B | 4B | Apache 2.0 | estimated63 tok/s | 16/50 |
| 11 | Qwen 3 14B | 14B | Apache 2.0 | estimated19 tok/s | 20/50 |
| 12 | Phi-4 Mini | 3.8B | MIT | estimated65 tok/s | 14/50 |
Showing the top 12 of 27 models that fit in 16 GB. See the full leaderboard or all benchmarks.
The fastest way to get started is Ollama. Install it, then find the top pick for your Mac in its library and copy the exact tag it lists:
Find Maple Preview 20B-A1B in the Ollama library → · model card on Hugging Face →
Prefer a GUI? LM Studio gives you a one-click download and chat window. For step-by-step help see our Ollama install guide, or open the Maple Preview 20B-A1B on M2 Pro benchmark page for exact settings.
The Mac mini M2 Pro (16 GB) tops out at Bonsai 27B. Newer Apple Silicon with more unified memory runs larger, smarter models much faster:
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Maple Preview 20B-A1B (20B, MIT) is the best all-round pick at 279 tok/s (estimated) on the M2 Pro. If you want maximum speed, Gemma 4 E2B hits 114 tok/s (estimated); for maximum capability, Bonsai 27B still fits in 16 GB.
About 27 of the 91 models in the LLMCheck leaderboard fit in 16 GB of unified memory, from compact models up to Bonsai 27B (27B).
Not comfortably. A 70B model in Q4 needs ~40–44 GB; with 16 GB you should stick to models up to ~10 GB, such as Maple Preview 20B-A1B. For 70B, look at a 48 GB+ Mac.
16 GB is great for small-to-mid models (up to ~14B comfortably); for 30B+ you'll want 32 GB or more. Because Apple Silicon uses unified memory, that figure is both your system RAM and your VRAM.