Updated March 26, 2026· Based on independent benchmark data
Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Adaptive Reasoning, Max Effort) leads in intelligence with a score of 51.7 vs 46.4. Gemini 3 Flash Preview (Reasoning) is 6.0x cheaper at $0.50/1M tokens vs $3.00/1M. For speed, Gemini 3 Flash Preview (Reasoning) wins at 192 tok/s vs 71 tok/s.
| Metric | Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Adaptive Reasoning, Max Effort) | Gemini 3 Flash Preview (Reasoning) |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligence Score | 51.7 | 46.4 |
| Coding Score | 50.9 | 42.6 |
| Math Score | N/A | 97.0 |
| Speed (tok/s) | 71 tok/s | 192 tok/s |
| Latency (TTFT) | 32.16s | 6.11s |
| Input Price / 1M tokens | $3.00 | $0.50 |
| Output Price / 1M tokens | $15 | $3.00 |
| Context Window |
Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Adaptive Reasoning, Max Effort) outperforms Gemini 3 Flash Preview (Reasoning) on the intelligence index with a score of 51.7 compared to 46.4. For coding tasks, Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Adaptive Reasoning, Max Effort) has the edge with a coding score of 50.9 vs 42.6.
Gemini 3 Flash Preview (Reasoning) generates output significantly faster at 192 tok/s compared to Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Adaptive Reasoning, Max Effort)'s 71 tok/s, making it 2.7x faster for streaming responses. Time to first token is 6.11s for Gemini 3 Flash Preview (Reasoning) vs 32.16s for Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Adaptive Reasoning, Max Effort), which affects perceived responsiveness in interactive applications.
Gemini 3 Flash Preview (Reasoning) is more affordable at $0.50/1M input tokens ($3.00/1M output), while Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Adaptive Reasoning, Max Effort) costs $3.00/1M input ($15/1M output). That makes Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Adaptive Reasoning, Max Effort) 6.0x more expensive per token, which can add up significantly at scale. For a typical workload of 100 requests per day at 2,000 tokens each, Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Adaptive Reasoning, Max Effort) would cost approximately $18.00/month vs $3.00/month for Gemini 3 Flash Preview (Reasoning) in input costs alone.
Choose Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Adaptive Reasoning, Max Effort) when you need higher intelligence (51.7), stronger coding performance (50.9). Choose Gemini 3 Flash Preview (Reasoning) when you need faster output (192 tok/s), lower cost.
Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Adaptive Reasoning, Max Effort) scores higher on coding benchmarks (50.9 vs 42.6), making it the better choice for programming tasks.
Gemini 3 Flash Preview (Reasoning) is cheaper at $0.50/1M input tokens vs $3.00/1M for Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Adaptive Reasoning, Max Effort).
Gemini 3 Flash Preview (Reasoning) is faster, producing output at 192 tok/s compared to Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Adaptive Reasoning, Max Effort)'s 71 tok/s.
No, Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Adaptive Reasoning, Max Effort) does not support image input. Neither model supports image input.
Data last synced: March 26, 2026
| N/A |
| N/A |
| Max Output Tokens | N/A | N/A |
| Input Modalities | Text | Text |
| Output Modalities | Text | Text |
| Free Tier | No | No |
It depends on your priorities. Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Adaptive Reasoning, Max Effort) scores higher on intelligence (51.7), but Gemini 3 Flash Preview (Reasoning) may be better for specific use cases like budget-conscious projects or speed-critical applications.