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Granite 4.2 8B vs Step 3.5 Flash

Step 3.5 Flash leads Granite 4.2 8B on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, 17.0 to 11.1, and Granite 4.2 8B costs 1.5x less per output token ($0.20 vs $0.30 per million). Updated October 22, 2026; 24 benchmarks have a result for both.

Replace Granite 4.2 8B Replace Step 3.5 Flash
Granite 4.2 8BIBM Granite
Coding
No data
Overall
No data
Output $/M
$0.20
0
Step 3.5 FlashStepFun
Coding
No data
Overall
No data
Output $/M
$0.30
24
vs boards won of 24 shared

Granite 4.2 8B or Step 3.5 Flash: which to pick

Neither model has a coding score yet, so the two cannot be ranked on coding.

Pick Granite 4.2 8B for output tokens 1.5x cheaper ($0.20 vs $0.30 per million) and work measured by LMArena Text: coding or LMArena Text: software and IT, where it leads.

Model AGranite 4.2 8BIBM GraniteNot benchmarkedNo coding benchmarkNo cost per solved taskModel BStep 3.5 FlashStepFunNot benchmarkedNo coding benchmarkNo cost per solved task
Shared results
24
Granite 4.2 8B only
3
Step 3.5 Flash only
11
Like-for-like categories
5 of 9

Only benchmarks that tested both models count toward a pick; a result only one model has is shown but not compared.

Which one for your work

Each card is decided by one number both models carry. Where only one has it, the card says so and makes no call.

At a glance

Coding index
Granite 4.2 8B not benchmarked, Step 3.5 Flash not benchmarked.
Widest category
General, 15.5 points apart on average over 12 shared benchmarks.
Widest single gap
LMArena Text: creative writing: Granite 4.2 8B 1236 against Step 3.5 Flash 1357, 20.2 points apart on a 0 to 100 scale.
Output price
Granite 4.2 8B $0.20 against Step 3.5 Flash $0.30 per million output tokens, 1.5x apart.
Context window
Granite 4.2 8B takes 131K tokens, Step 3.5 Flash 262K.

Benchmark by benchmark

First the score: boards each model leads, per category, where both have a result. Then every board, a category to a fold; bars are each result on a 0 to 100 scale, so compare the two in a row, not one row with another.

Boards won, where both have a result
CategoryGranite 4.2 8BBarsStep 3.5 FlashTies
Coding02
Intelligence01
Reasoning05
Knowledge04
General012
All shared boards024
CodingLike-for-likeSix of these boards feed the Vibe Coding Index02
Coding benchmarks for Granite 4.2 8B and Step 3.5 Flash
BenchmarkGranite 4.2 8BStep 3.5 FlashLeader
AA Coding Index22.4Not measuredOnly Granite 4.2 8B measured
SciCode31.5%Not measuredOnly Granite 4.2 8B measured
Terminal-Bench Hard (Artificial Analysis run)Not measured32.6%Only Step 3.5 Flash measured
LMArena Text: coding13781436Step 3.5 Flash
LMArena Text: software and IT13671434Step 3.5 Flash
Neither model has a result on the other 34 boards here
IntelligenceLike-for-likePublic boards, shown as published, kept out of the index01
Intelligence benchmarks for Granite 4.2 8B and Step 3.5 Flash
BenchmarkGranite 4.2 8BStep 3.5 FlashLeader
AA Intelligence Index11.117.0Step 3.5 Flash
Neither model has a result on the other 1 board here
Agentic workDirectional onlyPublic boards, shown as published, kept out of the index2 boards, none shared
Agentic work benchmarks for Granite 4.2 8B and Step 3.5 Flash
BenchmarkGranite 4.2 8BStep 3.5 FlashLeader
AA Agentic Index1.3Not measuredOnly Granite 4.2 8B measured
τ²-Bench TelecomNot measured94.4%Only Step 3.5 Flash measured
Neither model has a result on the other 39 boards here
ReasoningLike-for-likePublic boards, shown as published, kept out of the index05
Reasoning benchmarks for Granite 4.2 8B and Step 3.5 Flash
BenchmarkGranite 4.2 8BStep 3.5 FlashLeader
GPQA Diamond (Artificial Analysis run)63.1%83.1%Step 3.5 Flash
Humanity's Last Exam (Artificial Analysis run)9.7%24.5%Step 3.5 Flash
LMArena Text: hard prompts13271411Step 3.5 Flash
LMArena Text: expert13861421Step 3.5 Flash
LMArena Text: hard prompts in English13451421Step 3.5 Flash
Neither model has a result on the other 17 boards here
MathDirectional onlyPublic boards, shown as published, kept out of the index2 boards, none shared
Math benchmarks for Granite 4.2 8B and Step 3.5 Flash
BenchmarkGranite 4.2 8BStep 3.5 FlashLeader
LMArena Text: mathNot measured1408Only Step 3.5 Flash measured
LMArena Text: mathematical workNot measured1421Only Step 3.5 Flash measured
Neither model has a result on the other 11 boards here
KnowledgeLike-for-likePublic boards, shown as published, kept out of the index04
Knowledge benchmarks for Granite 4.2 8B and Step 3.5 Flash
BenchmarkGranite 4.2 8BStep 3.5 FlashLeader
LMArena Text: science13361415Step 3.5 Flash
LMArena Text: medicine and healthcare13361408Step 3.5 Flash
LMArena Text: legal and government13271408Step 3.5 Flash
LMArena Text: business and finance13221394Step 3.5 Flash
Neither model has a result on the other 14 boards here
Web designNot comparablePublic boards, shown as published, kept out of the index0 boards, none shared
Web design benchmarks for Granite 4.2 8B and Step 3.5 Flash
BenchmarkGranite 4.2 8BStep 3.5 FlashLeader
Neither model has a result on 9 boards here
GeneralLike-for-likePublic boards, shown as published, kept out of the index012
General benchmarks for Granite 4.2 8B and Step 3.5 Flash
BenchmarkGranite 4.2 8BStep 3.5 FlashLeader
IFBenchNot measured66.5%Only Step 3.5 Flash measured
Long context reasoning (AA-LCR)45.0%63.0%Step 3.5 Flash
LMArena Text13191403Step 3.5 Flash
LMArena Text: instruction following13001385Step 3.5 Flash
LMArena Text: creative writing12361357Step 3.5 Flash
LMArena Text: English13371417Step 3.5 Flash
LMArena Text: non-English13011385Step 3.5 Flash
LMArena Text: Chinese13671446Step 3.5 Flash
LMArena Text: GermanNot measured1405Only Step 3.5 Flash measured
LMArena Text: JapaneseNot measured1353Only Step 3.5 Flash measured
LMArena Text: KoreanNot measured1351Only Step 3.5 Flash measured
LMArena Text: FrenchNot measured1421Only Step 3.5 Flash measured
LMArena Text: SpanishNot measured1419Only Step 3.5 Flash measured
LMArena Text: Russian12821385Step 3.5 Flash
LMArena Text: PolishNot measured1389Only Step 3.5 Flash measured
LMArena Text: multi-turn13011404Step 3.5 Flash
LMArena Text: longer queries13251402Step 3.5 Flash
LMArena Text: writing and language12691372Step 3.5 Flash
LMArena Text: entertainment and media12711360Step 3.5 Flash
Neither model has a result on the other 27 boards here
Image generationNot comparablePublic boards, shown as published, kept out of the index0 boards, none shared
Image generation benchmarks for Granite 4.2 8B and Step 3.5 Flash
BenchmarkGranite 4.2 8BStep 3.5 FlashLeader
Neither model has a result on 5 boards here

What each workload costs

Three fixed token mixes at each model's listed price, so per-token rates become a bill.

Chat turn

1K input + 500 output tokens

Granite 4.2 8B$0.0002Fits in one request
Step 3.5 Flash$0.0003Fits in one request

Granite 4.2 8B costs less

Repository review

50K input + 3K output tokens

Granite 4.2 8B$0.0046Fits in one request
Step 3.5 Flash$0.0059Fits in one request

Granite 4.2 8B costs less

Agent loop

200K input + 10K output tokens

Granite 4.2 8B$0.018Exceeds the context window
Step 3.5 Flash$0.023Fits in one request

Granite 4.2 8B costs less

Listed OpenRouter rates, without cache or batch discounts. A workload that does not fit a model's context window would need splitting.

Specification differences

The leading value in a row is marked; a row with a missing value names no leader. Our two rows are marked in red.

Specifications of Granite 4.2 8B and Step 3.5 Flash
SpecificationIBM Granite 4.2 8BStepFun Step 3.5 Flash
MakerIBM GraniteStepFun
WeightsOpen weightsOpen weights
ReleasedAugust 31, 2026January 29, 2026
Context window131K262K
Input $/Mtok$0.08$0.10
Output $/Mtok$0.20$0.30
Coding indexNot benchmarkedNot benchmarked
Independent measurements behind it00
Cost per solved taskNot computableNot computable
SourceOpenRouter listingOpenRouter listing

Questions

Is Granite 4.2 8B better than Step 3.5 Flash for coding?

Neither model has a coding score yet, so the two cannot be ranked on coding. Pick Granite 4.2 8B for output tokens 1.5x cheaper ($0.20 vs $0.30 per million) and work measured by LMArena Text: coding or LMArena Text: software and IT, where it leads.

Which is cheaper, Granite 4.2 8B or Step 3.5 Flash?

Granite 4.2 8B costs $0.08 per million input tokens and $0.20 per million output tokens; Step 3.5 Flash costs $0.10 and $0.30. Cost per solved task is known for neither of them.

Which has the bigger context window, Granite 4.2 8B or Step 3.5 Flash?

Step 3.5 Flash, with 262K tokens against 131K.

How many benchmarks is the Granite 4.2 8B vs Step 3.5 Flash comparison based on?

24 benchmarks have a result for both models as of October 22, 2026. Granite 4.2 8B's coding index rests on 0 independent benchmarks and Step 3.5 Flash's on 0. Where only one model has a result, the page says so instead of naming a winner.

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