Yes — SmolLM3 3B (3B) runs at 92 tok/s on M3 with 16 GB RAM using Q4_K_M quantization via Ollama. First token latency is 0.3s. A capable open-source LLM with 3B parameters.
Want to run SmolLM3 3B faster — or step up to bigger models? Find your Mac →The LLMCheck index estimates SmolLM3 3B on M3 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 | 92 tok/s |
| Time to first token | 0.3s |
| Quantization | Q4_K_M |
| Minimum RAM | 16 GB |
| Recommended engine | Ollama |
| Parameters | 3B |
| Benchmark date | 2026-05 |
Q4_K_M 3B Ollama M3
The recommended engine for SmolLM3 3B on M3 is Ollama. Install Ollama, then pull the model:
Ollama handles quantization automatically — it will download the Q4_K_M variant (~16 GB) and start an interactive chat session.
| Chip | Speed | First Token | Min RAM | Engine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M5 Max | 168 tok/s | 0.1s | 64 GB | MLX |
| M4 Pro | 115 tok/s | 0.2s | 24 GB | Ollama |
| M2 | 78 tok/s | 0.4s | 8 GB | Ollama |
| M1 | 65 tok/s | 0.5s | 8 GB | Ollama |
To run SmolLM3 3B on M3 you need:
SmolLM3 3B 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 SmolLM3 3B stacks up against other models on your specific Mac hardware.
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