Yes — DeepSeek R1 8B (8B) runs at 78 tok/s on M4 with 16 GB RAM using Q4_K_M quantization via MLX. First token latency is 0.5s. DeepSeek's MIT-licensed 8B reasoning model with chain-of-thought thinking.
Want to run DeepSeek R1 8B faster — or step up to bigger models? Find your Mac →The LLMCheck index estimates DeepSeek R1 8B on M4 using our published methodology: Q4_K_M quantization, memory-bandwidth scaling, and cross-referenced third-party benchmarks where available. Figures are transparent estimates — own this config? Submit a real benchmark →
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Tokens per second | 78 tok/s |
| Time to first token | 0.5s |
| Quantization | Q4_K_M |
| Minimum RAM | 16 GB |
| Recommended engine | MLX |
| Parameters | 8B |
| Benchmark date | 2026-02 |
Q4_K_M 8B MLX M4
The recommended engine for DeepSeek R1 8B on M4 is MLX. Install with pip and pull the model:
Alternatively, you can use Ollama for a simpler setup:
| Chip | Speed | First Token | Min RAM | Engine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M5 Max | 97 tok/s | 0.5s | 64 GB | Ollama |
| M2 | 58 tok/s | 0.8s | 16 GB | Ollama |
| M1 | 38 tok/s | 1.2s | 16 GB | Ollama |
To run DeepSeek R1 8B on M4 you need:
DeepSeek R1 8B needs about 16 GB of unified memory. These current Apple Silicon Macs have the headroom to run it comfortably:
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See how DeepSeek R1 8B stacks up against other models on your specific Mac hardware.
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