Pairwise benchmark snapshot · Aug 16, 2026
In this head-to-head showdown, Gemini 3.6 Flash delivers higher overall intelligence and human-preferred responses (Elo 1,506 vs 1,478), while MiniMax M2.5 leads in SWE-bench software engineering benchmarks (75.8%), while MiniMax M2.5 is more budget-friendly at $1.2/1M 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.
10 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.
MiniMax coding model. Tied near the top of official SWE-bench bash-only in Feb 2026.
Currently comparing Gemini 3.6 Flash vs MiniMax M2.5. Alternative family tiers available.
Δ 28 Arena Elo pts
198 tok/s
$1.2 / 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 | MiniMax M2.5 | Advantage Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preference Elo | +28 | ||
| Coding Elo | +22 | ||
| LiveBench | +2.8% | ||
| SWE-bench | +5% | ||
| GPQA Diamond | +3.4% | ||
| Time to first token | +158 ms | ||
| Output speed | 198 tok/s | 90 tok/s | +108 tok/s |
| Input price | $0.75/1M | $0.3/1M | +$0.45/1M |
| Output price | $3.75/1M | $1.2/1M | +$2.55/1M |
| Context window | +844k |
Simulate monthly production API costs in USD (US Dollar).
MiniMax M2.5 is estimated to save $54.00/month ($648/year).
Higher SWE-bench (75.8%).
Lower output list price ($1.2/1M).
Lower TTFT (92 ms).
Larger window (1M).
Gemini 3.6 Flash is the side marked multimodal in the catalog.
| Target Workload | Recommended Pick | Evaluation Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Repo / coding agents | MiniMax M2.5 | Higher SWE-bench (75.8%). |
| High-volume chat | MiniMax M2.5 | Lower output list price ($1.2/1M). |
| 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 | Gemini 3.6 Flash is the side marked multimodal in the catalog. |
Jul 21 workhorse that inherited $0.75/$3.75 through year-end. Keep the row; 3.7 is the newer sibling.
Tied near the top of official SWE-bench bash-only in Feb 2026. Coding lists should still see it.
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Verified Head-to-Head Telemetry