Updated March 26, 2026· Based on independent benchmark data
Grok 4.20 Beta 0309 (Reasoning) leads in intelligence with a score of 48.5 vs 45.0. Qwen3.5 397B A17B (Reasoning) is 3.3x cheaper at $0.60/1M tokens vs $2.00/1M. For speed, Grok 4.20 Beta 0309 (Reasoning) wins at 246 tok/s vs 53 tok/s.
| Metric | Grok 4.20 Beta 0309 (Reasoning) | Qwen3.5 397B A17B (Reasoning) |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligence Score | 48.5 | 45.0 |
| Coding Score | 42.2 | 41.3 |
| Math Score | N/A | N/A |
| Speed (tok/s) | 246 tok/s | 53 tok/s |
| Latency (TTFT) | 11.75s | 1.46s |
| Input Price / 1M tokens | $2.00 | $0.60 |
| Output Price / 1M tokens | $6.00 | $3.60 |
| Context Window |
Grok 4.20 Beta 0309 (Reasoning) outperforms Qwen3.5 397B A17B (Reasoning) on the intelligence index with a score of 48.5 compared to 45.0. Their coding capabilities are closely matched (42.2 vs 41.3).
Grok 4.20 Beta 0309 (Reasoning) generates output significantly faster at 246 tok/s compared to Qwen3.5 397B A17B (Reasoning)'s 53 tok/s, making it 4.6x faster for streaming responses. Time to first token is 1.46s for Qwen3.5 397B A17B (Reasoning) vs 11.75s for Grok 4.20 Beta 0309 (Reasoning), which affects perceived responsiveness in interactive applications.
Qwen3.5 397B A17B (Reasoning) is more affordable at $0.60/1M input tokens ($3.60/1M output), while Grok 4.20 Beta 0309 (Reasoning) costs $2.00/1M input ($6.00/1M output). That makes Grok 4.20 Beta 0309 (Reasoning) 3.3x 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, Grok 4.20 Beta 0309 (Reasoning) would cost approximately $12.00/month vs $3.60/month for Qwen3.5 397B A17B (Reasoning) in input costs alone.
Choose Grok 4.20 Beta 0309 (Reasoning) when you need higher intelligence (48.5), faster output (246 tok/s). Choose Qwen3.5 397B A17B (Reasoning) when you need lower cost.
Grok 4.20 Beta 0309 (Reasoning) scores higher on coding benchmarks (42.2 vs 41.3), making it the better choice for programming tasks.
Qwen3.5 397B A17B (Reasoning) is cheaper at $0.60/1M input tokens vs $2.00/1M for Grok 4.20 Beta 0309 (Reasoning).
Grok 4.20 Beta 0309 (Reasoning) is faster, producing output at 246 tok/s compared to Qwen3.5 397B A17B (Reasoning)'s 53 tok/s.
No, Grok 4.20 Beta 0309 (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. Grok 4.20 Beta 0309 (Reasoning) scores higher on intelligence (48.5), but Qwen3.5 397B A17B (Reasoning) may be better for specific use cases like budget-conscious projects or speed-critical applications.