MiniMax M3 vs Step 5 Preview
Price, context window & benchmark comparison
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Verdict: MiniMax M3 is 2.7× cheaper than Step 5 Preview on a typical 3:1 input/output mix. Step 5 Preview scores higher on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index (28.5 vs 18.7).
| MiniMax M3 | Step 5 Preview | |
|---|---|---|
| Input price / 1M | $0.30 | $1.00 |
| Output price / 1M | $1.20 | $2.70 |
| Blended price (3:1) | $0.52 | $1.43 |
| Cached input / 1M | $0.06 | $0.10 |
| Context window | 1M | 1M |
| Max output | 512K | 64K |
| Intelligence index | 18.7 | 28.5 |
| Coding index | 58.6 | — |
| Providers | 13 | — |
| Best provider uptime (30m) | 100.0% | — |
| Vision input | Yes | Yes |
| Reasoning | Yes | Yes |
| Tool calling | Yes | Yes |
| Released | 2026-05-31 | 2026-10-08 |
| Retirement | — | — |
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FAQ
Which is cheaper, MiniMax M3 or Step 5 Preview?
MiniMax M3 is 2.7× cheaper than Step 5 Preview on a typical 3:1 input/output mix.
MiniMax M3 vs Step 5 Preview: which has a bigger context window?
MiniMax M3: 1,048,576 tokens. Step 5 Preview: 1,048,576 tokens.
How much would 1 million requests cost?
At 2,000 input + 500 output tokens per request: MiniMax M3 ≈ $1,200, Step 5 Preview ≈ $3,350.
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