Software
What is MLX?
Apple's open-source machine learning framework built specifically for Apple Silicon. LLMCheck defines MLX as the fastest way to run AI on Mac — it directly accesses Unified Memory without CPU-GPU copies, delivering 20–50% faster inference than llama.cpp. MLX requires Python knowledge and is recommended for advanced users who want maximum tok/s. Install via pip install mlx-lm.
Where MLX comes up on LLMCheck
- Local AI Guides for Mac — Step-by-Step Setup & Installation
- Local AI Troubleshooting Hub — Fix Common LLM Issues on Mac
- How to Run Qwen 3.6 on a Mac (35B-A3B and 27B) — Setup Guide
- How to Fine-Tune a Local LLM on Mac with MLX (LoRA) — 2026 Guide
- How to Run Local LLMs on an Intel Mac (2026) — What's Possible & Realistic Speeds
- How to Run Llama 4 Locally on Mac — Scout & Maverick Guide
Compare the 13 apps that run LLMs on a Mac →