Cheapest box to run Phi-4 at Q6_K
Microsoft’s Phi-4 is 14B parameters, dense. 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.
Phi-4 at Q6_K needs 14GB.
Cheapest Config that fits: Mac mini, M6, 24GB. Fits, 7GB headroom. Est. 9.6 tok/s.
Best offer today: $1,299 at Best Buy — in stock, checked 33 hours ago.
Collecting price history — 3 of 90 days. No timing verdict yet.
Offers — Mac mini, M6, 24GB, 512GB
- Mac mini, M6, 16GB$1,099Won't fit−1GB headroom
- Mac mini, M6, 24GB$1,299Fits7GB headroomest. 9.6 tok/s
- Mac mini, M6, 32GB$1,499Fits15GB headroomest. 9.6 tok/s
- Mac mini, M5 Pro, 24GB$1,699Fits7GB headroomest. 17.4 tok/s
- Mac mini, M5 Pro, 48GB$2,499Fits30GB headroomest. 17.4 tok/s
- Mac Studio, M5 Max, 36GB$2,499Fits19GB headroomest. 34.8 tok/s
- Mac mini, M5 Pro, 64GB$2,899Fits45GB headroomest. 17.4 tok/s
- GeForce RTX 5090, 32GB$2,999.99+hostFits16GB headroomest. 101 tok/s
- Fits45GB headroomest. 30.9 tok/s
- Mac Studio, M5 Max, 48GB$3,099Fits30GB headroomest. 34.8 tok/s
- Mac Studio, M5 Max, 64GB$3,499Fits45GB headroomest. 34.8 tok/s
- Fits106GB headroomest. 15.5 tok/s
- Fits74GB headroomest. 46.4 tok/s
- Fits106GB headroomest. 30.9 tok/s
- Fits106GB headroomest. 15.5 tok/s
- Fits106GB headroomest. 34.8 tok/s
- Fits74GB headroomest. 67.9 tok/s
- Fits234GB headroomest. 46.4 tok/s
- Fits234GB headroomest. 67.9 tok/s
- Fits490GB headroomest. 67.9 tok/s
| Config | Memory | Price | $/GB | Fit | Headroom | Est. speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mac mini, M6 | 16GB | $1,099 | $69 | Won't fit | −1GB | — |
| Mac mini, M6 | 24GB | $1,299 | $54 | Fits | 7GB | 9.6 tok/s |
| Mac mini, M6 | 32GB | $1,499 | $47 | Fits | 15GB | 9.6 tok/s |
| Mac mini, M5 Pro | 24GB | $1,699 | $71 | Fits | 7GB | 17.4 tok/s |
| Mac mini, M5 Pro | 48GB | $2,499 | $52 | Fits | 30GB | 17.4 tok/s |
| Mac Studio, M5 Max | 36GB | $2,499 | $69 | Fits | 19GB | 34.8 tok/s |
| Mac mini, M5 Pro | 64GB | $2,899 | $45 | Fits | 45GB | 17.4 tok/s |
| GeForce RTX 5090 | 32GB | $2,999.99+host | $94 | Fits | 16GB | 101 tok/s |
| Mac Studio, M4 Max, refurb | 64GB | $3,049 | $48 | Fits | 45GB | 30.9 tok/s |
| Mac Studio, M5 Max | 48GB | $3,099 | $65 | Fits | 30GB | 34.8 tok/s |
| Mac Studio, M5 Max | 64GB | $3,499 | $55 | Fits | 45GB | 34.8 tok/s |
| Ascent GX10, GB10 Grace Blackwell | 128GB | $3,999.99 | $31 | Fits | 106GB | 15.5 tok/s |
| Mac Studio, M3 Ultra, refurb | 96GB | $4,329 | $45 | Fits | 74GB | 46.4 tok/s |
| Mac Studio, M4 Max, refurb | 128GB | $4,409 | $34 | Fits | 106GB | 30.9 tok/s |
| DGX Spark, GB10 Grace Blackwell | 128GB | $4,699 | $37 | Fits | 106GB | 15.5 tok/s |
| Mac Studio, M5 Max | 128GB | $5,099 | $40 | Fits | 106GB | 34.8 tok/s |
| Mac Studio, M5 Ultra | 96GB | $5,499 | $57 | Fits | 74GB | 67.9 tok/s |
| Mac Studio, M3 Ultra, refurb | 256GB | $7,729 | $30 | Fits | 234GB | 46.4 tok/s |
| Mac Studio, M5 Ultra | 256GB | $9,499 | $37 | Fits | 234GB | 67.9 tok/s |
| Mac Studio, M5 Ultra | 512GB | — | — | Fits | 490GB | 67.9 tok/s |
GeForce RTX 5090 is a card, not a computer: every price shown for it is the cheapest listing we found plus $1,000 for the minimum host machine.
memory = 14B × 0.820 B/param (6.56 bits) + 0.205 GB/1K × 8K K/V + 1.2 GB runtime
speed = bandwidth × 0.65 ÷ (14B active × 0.820 B/param) = 11.5 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.
What else Mac mini M6 24GB runs
- Qwen3-32BQ3_K_M, est. 7.1 tok/s
- Qwen3-30B-A3BQ4_K_M, est. 42.7 tok/s
- Gemma-3-27BQ4_K_M, est. 6.8 tok/s
- Devstral-Small-2507Q5_K_M, est. 6.5 tok/s
- gpt-oss-20bQ6_K, est. 28.8 tok/s
- Phi-4Q8_0, est. 7.4 tok/s
Best quant that still fits at 8K context, largest model first. Full list on the Config page.
Bandwidth 170GB/s, usable memory 21GB of 24GB.