Pairwise benchmark snapshot · Aug 17, 2026
In this head-to-head showdown, Gemini 3.6 Flash delivers higher overall intelligence and human-preferred responses (Elo 1,506 vs 1,492), while Gemini 3.6 Flash leads in SWE-bench software engineering benchmarks (70.8%), while GLM-5.2 is more budget-friendly at $3.74/1M per 1M output tokens, while Gemini 3.6 Flash provides faster response streaming (198 tok/s). Review the complete breakdown below to determine which model best fits your performance and budget requirements.
9 direct benchmark disciplines evaluated across capability, speed, and cost
Google Jul 21 workhorse. Now shares the 3.7 Flash introductory $0.75/$3.75 rate through Dec 31 2026.
Zhipu flagship. Strong Chinese/English coding and agents.
Currently comparing Gemini 3.6 Flash vs GLM-5.2. Alternative family tiers available.
Δ 14 Arena Elo pts
198 tok/s
$3.74 / 1M output
Relative percentile scores computed across all active models in the benchmark catalog.
Comparing top Western standard models with China's leading frontier rival across 6 skill dimensions. Tap any spoke or dot to inspect.
Category wins across reasoning intelligence, generation speed, and token cost.
Preference Elo, Coding proficiency, SWE-bench & LiveBench accuracy
Generation throughput and time to first token responsiveness
Cost per million tokens and max context window length
| Benchmark | Gemini 3.6 Flash | GLM-5.2 | Advantage Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preference Elo | +14 | ||
| Coding Elo | +10 | ||
| LiveBench | +2% | ||
| SWE-bench | +1.5% | ||
| GPQA Diamond | +0.1% | ||
| Time to first token | +178 ms | ||
| Output speed | 198 tok/s | 84 tok/s | +114 tok/s |
| Input price | $0.75/1M | $1.19/1M | +$0.44/1M |
| Output price | $3.75/1M | $3.74/1M | +$0.01/1M |
| Context window | — |
Simulate monthly production API costs in USD (US Dollar).
Gemini 3.6 Flash is estimated to save $15.25/month ($183/year).
Higher SWE-bench (70.8%).
Lower output list price ($3.74/1M).
Lower TTFT (92 ms).
Larger window (1M).
Both accept images. Defaulting to the higher-Elo side (Gemini 3.6 Flash).
| Target Workload | Recommended Pick | Evaluation Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Repo / coding agents | Gemini 3.6 Flash | Higher SWE-bench (70.8%). |
| High-volume chat | GLM-5.2 | Lower output list price ($3.74/1M). |
| Voice / low-latency UI | Gemini 3.6 Flash | Lower TTFT (92 ms). |
| Long-document RAG | Gemini 3.6 Flash | Larger window (1M). |
| Screenshots / vision | Gemini 3.6 Flash | Both accept images. Defaulting to the higher-Elo side (Gemini 3.6 Flash). |
GLM-5.2 undercuts GLM 5V Turbo by 74.2% on input at $0.31/1M, with 1,492 Elo and 69.3% SWE-bench in dated 2026 snapshots.
Jul 21 workhorse that inherited $0.75/$3.75 through year-end. Keep the row; 3.7 is the newer sibling.
Strong Chinese/English coding. 5.3 is the new row; 5.2 stays so the delta is visible.
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