GoKawiilSlotstream lets 48GB Macs run the 104GB Qwen3.8-Flash-Next model via SSD streaming
A new open-source tool called slotstream enables Apple Silicon Macs to run the 104GB Qwen3.8-Flash-Next language model even when the machine doesn't have enough RAM to hold it, by streaming weights from disk and dynamically sizing memory use, down to an 8.1GB floor. On a 48GB Mac it delivers about 12 tokens per second in warm decode with a roughly 3-second cold start, capping memory use at 32GB so the rest of the system stays usable. It requires macOS 14+, Apple Silicon, and about 110GB of free disk space for the one-time weight download.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Large language models increasingly outgrow consumer hardware memory, and tools like slotstream point to a workaround that trades disk speed for RAM capacity, making bigger models accessible on ordinary machines. This lowers the barrier for hobbyists and developers to experiment locally with frontier-scale open models without expensive high-memory hardware. It also signals a broader trend of software-level tricks compensating for hardware limits as model sizes balloon faster than consumer RAM.
- Slotstream streams a 104GB model from SSD so it can run on Macs with far less RAM.
- On a 48GB Mac it achieves about 12 tokens/second with only 32GB peak memory use.
- Requires Apple Silicon, macOS 14+, and roughly 110GB free disk space for the model download.
Samsung T7 Shield Portable SSD — Streaming a 104GB model from disk means fast, roomy storage matters more than RAM, and the T7 Shield delivers USB 3.2 Gen 2 speeds in a rugged, pocket-sized shell. It's an easy way to free up your Mac's internal drive while keeping big model weights close at hand.
See Samsung T7 Shield Portable SSD on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: github.com, 2026-09-01
Published there as: “Show HN: Running 104GB Qwen3.8-Flash-Next on 48GB Mac with at ~12 tok/s”
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