Cheapest box to run DeepSeek-V3 at Q6_K
DeepSeek’s DeepSeek-V3 is 671B parameters, 37B of them read per token. The number below is computed from that and each vendor’s published specs, not asserted. Switch the quant or the context and it recomputes in place.
DeepSeek-V3 at Q6_K needs 552GB.
Nothing on the Grid runs DeepSeek-V3 at Q6_K today. The largest Config, Mac Studio, M5 Ultra, 512GB, is 48GB short. At it fits with 174GB headroom.
- Mac mini, M6, 16GB$1,099Won't fit−539GB headroom
- Mac mini, M6, 24GB$1,299Won't fit−531GB headroom
- Mac mini, M6, 32GB$1,499Won't fit−523GB headroom
- Mac mini, M5 Pro, 24GB$1,699Won't fit−531GB headroom
- Mac mini, M5 Pro, 48GB$2,499Won't fit−508GB headroom
- Mac Studio, M5 Max, 36GB$2,499Won't fit−519GB headroom
- Mac mini, M5 Pro, 64GB$2,899Won't fit−493GB headroom
- Mac Studio, M5 Max, 48GB$3,099Won't fit−508GB headroom
- Mac Studio, M5 Max, 64GB$3,499Won't fit−493GB headroom
- Won't fit−432GB headroom
- Won't fit−432GB headroom
- Won't fit−464GB headroom
- GeForce RTX 5090, 32GB$5,699.99+hostWon't fit−521GB headroom
- Won't fit−304GB headroom
- Won't fit−48GB headroom
| Config | Memory | Price | $/GB | Fit | Headroom | Est. speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mac mini, M6 | 16GB | $1,099 | $69 | Won't fit | −539GB | — |
| Mac mini, M6 | 24GB | $1,299 | $54 | Won't fit | −531GB | — |
| Mac mini, M6 | 32GB | $1,499 | $47 | Won't fit | −523GB | — |
| Mac mini, M5 Pro | 24GB | $1,699 | $71 | Won't fit | −531GB | — |
| Mac mini, M5 Pro | 48GB | $2,499 | $52 | Won't fit | −508GB | — |
| Mac Studio, M5 Max | 36GB | $2,499 | $69 | Won't fit | −519GB | — |
| Mac mini, M5 Pro | 64GB | $2,899 | $45 | Won't fit | −493GB | — |
| Mac Studio, M5 Max | 48GB | $3,099 | $65 | Won't fit | −508GB | — |
| Mac Studio, M5 Max | 64GB | $3,499 | $55 | Won't fit | −493GB | — |
| DGX Spark, GB10 Grace Blackwell | 128GB | $4,699 | $37 | Won't fit | −432GB | — |
| Mac Studio, M5 Max | 128GB | $5,099 | $40 | Won't fit | −432GB | — |
| Mac Studio, M5 Ultra | 96GB | $5,499 | $57 | Won't fit | −464GB | — |
| GeForce RTX 5090 | 32GB | $5,699.99+host | $178 | Won't fit | −521GB | — |
| Mac Studio, M5 Ultra | 256GB | $9,499 | $37 | Won't fit | −304GB | — |
| Mac Studio, M5 Ultra | 512GB | — | — | Won't fit | −48GB | — |
GeForce RTX 5090 is a card, not a computer: its price is the US street median plus $1,000 for the minimum host machine. NVIDIA's $1,999 MSRP is not a price anyone pays.
memory = 671B × 0.820 B/param (6.56 bits) + 0.070 GB/1K × 8K K/V + 1.2 GB runtime
speed = bandwidth × 0.5 ÷ (37B active × 0.820 B/param) = 30.3 GB read per token
usable = memory − operating system reserve (8% on a Mac, 6% on a DGX Spark, 4% on a card)
Bandwidth is the vendor’s published figure. Every speed is an estimate and says so. Methodology.