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 | Gemini 3 Flash Preview (Reasoning) | Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Adaptive Reasoning, Max Effort) |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligence Score | 46.4 | 51.7 |
| Coding Score | 42.6 | 50.9 |
| Math Score | 97.0 | N/A |
| Speed (tok/s) | 192 tok/s | 71 tok/s |
| Latency (TTFT) | 6.11s | 32.16s |
| Input Price / 1M tokens | $0.50 | $3.00 |
| Output Price / 1M tokens | $3.00 | $15 |
| 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, Gemini 3 Flash Preview (Reasoning) would cost approximately $3.00/month vs $18.00/month for Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Adaptive Reasoning, Max Effort) in input costs alone.
Choose Gemini 3 Flash Preview (Reasoning) when you need faster output (192 tok/s), lower cost. Choose Claude Sonnet 4.6 (Adaptive Reasoning, Max Effort) when you need higher intelligence (51.7), stronger coding performance (50.9).
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, Gemini 3 Flash Preview (Reasoning) 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.