Cheapest box to run Qwen3-32B at Q5_K_M
Alibaba’s Qwen3-32B is 32B 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.
Qwen3-32B at Q5_K_M needs 26GB.
Cheapest Config that fits: Mac mini, M5 Pro, 48GB. Fits, 18GB headroom. Est. 8.8 tok/s.
Best offer today: $2,499 at Apple — in stock, checked 35 minutes ago.
Price history: 46 days recorded.
Offers — Mac mini, M5 Pro, 48GB, 512GB
- Applelist pricein stockchecked 35 minutes ago$2,499
- Mac mini, M6, 16GB$1,099Won't fit−13GB headroom
- Mac mini, M6, 24GB$1,299Won't fit−5GB headroom
- Mac mini, M6, 32GB$1,499Tight3GB headroomest. 4.9 tok/s
- Mac mini, M5 Pro, 24GB$1,699Won't fit−5GB headroom
- Mac mini, M5 Pro, 48GB$2,499Fits18GB headroomest. 8.8 tok/s
- Mac Studio, M5 Max, 36GB$2,499Fits7GB headroomest. 13.2 tok/s
- Mac mini, M5 Pro, 64GB$2,899Fits33GB headroomest. 8.8 tok/s
- GeForce RTX 5090, 32GB$2,999.99+hostFits5GB headroomest. 51.4 tok/s
- Fits33GB headroomest. 15.6 tok/s
- Mac Studio, M5 Max, 48GB$3,099Fits18GB headroomest. 17.6 tok/s
- Mac Studio, M5 Max, 64GB$3,499Fits33GB headroomest. 17.6 tok/s
- Fits94GB headroomest. 7.8 tok/s
- Fits62GB headroomest. 23.5 tok/s
- Fits94GB headroomest. 15.6 tok/s
- Fits94GB headroomest. 7.8 tok/s
- Fits94GB headroomest. 17.6 tok/s
- Fits62GB headroomest. 34.4 tok/s
- Fits222GB headroomest. 23.5 tok/s
- Fits222GB headroomest. 34.4 tok/s
- Fits478GB headroomest. 34.4 tok/s
| Config | Memory | Price | Fit | Headroom | Est. speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mac mini, M6 | 16GB | $1,099 | Won't fit | −13GB | — |
| Mac mini, M6 | 24GB | $1,299 | Won't fit | −5GB | — |
| Mac mini, M6 | 32GB | $1,499 | Tight | 3GB | 4.9 tok/s |
| Mac mini, M5 Pro | 24GB | $1,699 | Won't fit | −5GB | — |
| Mac mini, M5 Pro | 48GB | $2,499 | Fits | 18GB | 8.8 tok/s |
| Mac Studio, M5 Max | 36GB | $2,499 | Fits | 7GB | 13.2 tok/s |
| Mac mini, M5 Pro | 64GB | $2,899 | Fits | 33GB | 8.8 tok/s |
| GeForce RTX 5090 | 32GB | $2,999.99+host | Fits | 5GB | 51.4 tok/s |
| Mac Studio, M4 Max, refurb | 64GB | $3,049 | Fits | 33GB | 15.6 tok/s |
| Mac Studio, M5 Max | 48GB | $3,099 | Fits | 18GB | 17.6 tok/s |
| Mac Studio, M5 Max | 64GB | $3,499 | Fits | 33GB | 17.6 tok/s |
| Ascent GX10, GB10 Grace Blackwell | 128GB | $3,999.99 | Fits | 94GB | 7.8 tok/s |
| Mac Studio, M3 Ultra, refurb | 96GB | $4,329 | Fits | 62GB | 23.5 tok/s |
| Mac Studio, M4 Max, refurb | 128GB | $4,409 | Fits | 94GB | 15.6 tok/s |
| DGX Spark, GB10 Grace Blackwell | 128GB | $4,699 | Fits | 94GB | 7.8 tok/s |
| Mac Studio, M5 Max | 128GB | $5,099 | Fits | 94GB | 17.6 tok/s |
| Mac Studio, M5 Ultra | 96GB | $5,499 | Fits | 62GB | 34.4 tok/s |
| Mac Studio, M3 Ultra, refurb | 256GB | $7,729 | Fits | 222GB | 23.5 tok/s |
| Mac Studio, M5 Ultra | 256GB | $9,499 | Fits | 222GB | 34.4 tok/s |
| Mac Studio, M5 Ultra | 512GB | — | Fits | 478GB | 34.4 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 = 32B × 0.709 B/param (5.67 bits) + 0.262 GB/1K × 8K K/V + 1.2 GB runtime
speed = bandwidth × 0.65 ÷ (32B active × 0.709 B/param) = 22.7 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 M5 Pro 48GB runs
- Qwen3-Coder-NextQ3_K_M, est. 105 tok/s
- Llama-3.3-70BQ3_K_M, est. 5.8 tok/s
- Qwen3.5-35B-A3BQ8_0, est. 48.2 tok/s
- Qwen3-32BQ8_0, est. 5.9 tok/s
- Gemma-4-31BQ8_0, est. 6.1 tok/s
- Qwen3-30B-A3BQ8_0, est. 43.8 tok/s
Best quant that still fits at 8K context, largest model first. Full list on the Config page.
Bandwidth 307GB/s, usable memory 44GB of 48GB.