# MacBook Pro 14"/16" (M5 Pro) for local AI

URL: https://insidethemachine.ai/machines/macbook-pro-m5-pro
Type: Mac laptop. Chip: M5 Pro (16- or 20-core GPU). Memory: unified, options 24, 48, 64 GB. Bandwidth: 307 GB/s. Spec source: https://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs/ (2026-10-15).
Price: from about $2,499 (2026-10-15, approximate). Status: current.

## Which models fit

| memory GB | usable GB | models that fit | best 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | 18 | 45 | K2 Horizon 7B (8.6 GB), Gemma 4 12B (11.2 GB), Qwen3.5 9B (9.6 GB) |
| 48 | 36 | 76 | Qwen3.8 27B (22.7 GB), K2 Horizon MoVA 36B-A4B (28.1 GB), Qwen3.5 27B (21.5 GB) |
| 64 | 48 | 77 | Qwen3.8 27B (22.7 GB), K2 Horizon MoVA 36B-A4B (28.1 GB), Qwen3.5 27B (21.5 GB) |

## Published speeds (not our tests)

- gpt-oss-20b: 76.6 tok/s decode, 1611 tok/s prompt (oMLX v0.6.2, MXFP4-Q8 (MLX), M5 Pro 20-core GPU, 48GB, community-measured) https://omlx.ai/benchmarks/performance/h03e0nvx (2026-10-15)

Notes: 64GB requires the 20-core GPU M5 Pro.

## Questions

**What is the best local LLM for the MacBook Pro 14"/16" (M5 Pro)?**
With 64 GB, Qwen3.8 27B (needs 22.7 GB, AA 33.7). 77 of 124 models fit. With 24 GB: K2 Horizon 7B.

**How fast is the MacBook Pro 14"/16" (M5 Pro) for local AI?**
Published: gpt-oss-20b at 76.6 tokens/sec (oMLX v0.6.2, M5 Pro 20-core GPU, 48GB). These are other people's measurements, not ours.

**How much does the MacBook Pro 14"/16" (M5 Pro) cost?**
From about $2,499 (as of 2026-10-15). 2026 prices are inflated by the memory-chip shortage; check before buying.