System — Apple
Apple Mac mini (M4 Pro)
Affordable unified memory. A highly capable entry-level LLM workstation perfectly suited for developer desks.
- VRAM
- 24GB
- TDP
- 65W
- Bandwidth
- 273GB/s
- AI Throughput
- 75TOPS
Est. Price$1,299.99
Apple Mac mini (M4 Pro) vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
Architect's technical teardown: VRAM capacity, memory bandwidth, TDP, and AI throughput — compared head-to-head for local LLM workloads.
★ Recommended for Local AI
GPU — NVIDIA
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
The legendary used-market GOAT. 24GB VRAM at a fraction of the cost of 4090/5090. Still handles 70B models with ease.
- VRAM
- 24GB
- TDP
- 350W
- Bandwidth
- 936GB/s
- AI Throughput
- 285TOPS
Est. Price$749.99
Full Specification Matrix
| Metric | Apple Mac mini (M4 Pro) | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM | 24GB | 24GB |
| Memory Bandwidth | 273 GB/s | 936 GB/s |
| AI Throughput (TOPS) | 75 | 285 |
| TDP (Power Draw) | 65W | 350W |
| Est. Price | $1,299.99 | $749.99 |