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Head-to-head comparison

granite 4.2 30b vs granite 4.2 3b

granite 4.2 30b (IBM Granite) and granite 4.2 3b (IBM Granite) compared on the ModelCap Index, API price, context window, provider availability, weight access and every public benchmark board they share. Figures are the same ones shown on the live rankings; nothing here is a hidden score.

Snapshot as of 18 October 2026

As of 18 October 2026, granite 4.2 30b holds the stronger ModelCap Index position (#175 vs #241).

Which should you choose?

Choose granite 4.2 30b if…

  • you want the stronger overall ModelCap Index position — #175 against #241 (38.3 vs 26.5 points).
  • Arena text is your yardstick — 1340 against 1290.
  • Arena coding is your yardstick — 1401 against 1379.
  • AA Intelligence Index is your yardstick — 12.7 against 9.1.
  • AA Terminal-Bench 2.1 is your yardstick — 26.6% against 13.9%.
  • AA Humanity's Last Exam is your yardstick — 11.2% against 6.6%.
  • you want the more recently listed model — granite 4.2 30b was listed 7 August 2026, granite 4.2 3b 7 August 2026.

Choose granite 4.2 3b if…

  • ModelCap publishes no field on which granite 4.2 3b leads granite 4.2 30b for this pair.

granite 4.2 30b vs granite 4.2 3b: specs, pricing and context

Specification comparison of granite 4.2 30b and granite 4.2 3b
Fieldgranite 4.2 30bIBM Granitegranite 4.2 3bIBM Granite
ModelCap Index position#175#241
Index score38.326.5
EvidenceMeasuredMeasured
Input price / 1M tokensUnlistedUnlisted
Output price / 1M tokensUnlistedUnlisted
Context window131K tokens131K tokens
Declared route output cap--
API providers listed00
Weight accessOpen weightsOpen weights
Input modalitiesTextText
First listed7 August 20267 August 2026
PublisherIBM GraniteIBM Granite

Evidence: 2 public benchmark observations across 2 boards · 2 public benchmark observations across 2 boards. Prices are the lowest listed API offer per million tokens observed on the OpenRouter catalogue.

Benchmark scores: granite 4.2 30b vs granite 4.2 3b

Public benchmark boards where granite 4.2 30b or granite 4.2 3b has a published result
Boardgranite 4.2 30bgranite 4.2 3bLeads
Arena textArena (LMArena)13401330–1350Not reported12901278–1301Not reportedgranite 4.2 30b
Arena codingArena (LMArena)14011380–142213791357–1401granite 4.2 30b
AA Intelligence IndexArtificial Analysis12.7Reasoning9.1Reasoninggranite 4.2 30b
AA Terminal-Bench 2.1Artificial Analysis26.6%Reasoning13.9%Reasoninggranite 4.2 30b
AA Humanity's Last ExamArtificial Analysis11.2%Reasoning6.6%Reasoninggranite 4.2 30b

Scores are the sources' own published figures for each model's best evaluated configuration; ModelCap never re-runs a benchmark.

Want a different pairing? Open the interactive comparison tool to swap either model for any current ranked language model.

granite 4.2 30b vs granite 4.2 3b: common questions

Is granite 4.2 30b better than granite 4.2 3b?

granite 4.2 30b ranks higher on the ModelCap Index as of 18 October 2026: #175 against #241. That is a capability ranking built from public benchmark evidence with published uncertainty; whether it is "better" for you also depends on price, context and where you can run it. Their published uncertainty intervals overlap, so the rank difference alone does not establish a reliable capability advantage for your workload.

Is granite 4.2 30b cheaper than granite 4.2 3b?

At least one of the two has no listed API price on ModelCap right now, so no price comparison is made.

Which has the bigger context window, granite 4.2 30b or granite 4.2 3b?

Both publish a 131K-token context window. OpenRouter catalogue or provider-endpoint declaration. Limits can vary by provider and prompt length; a model-wide maximum has not been independently verified.

Which is better for coding, granite 4.2 30b or granite 4.2 3b?

Arena coding: granite 4.2 30b 1401, granite 4.2 3b 1379 — granite 4.2 30b leads. AA Terminal-Bench 2.1: granite 4.2 30b 26.6%, granite 4.2 3b 13.9% — granite 4.2 30b leads.

Are granite 4.2 30b and granite 4.2 3b open-weight models?

granite 4.2 30b: Open weights. granite 4.2 3b: Open weights. Open weights mean the checkpoint can be downloaded and self-hosted under its licence. A missing weight link does not identify every API or chat product that offers a model.

Where can I run granite 4.2 30b and granite 4.2 3b?

ModelCap currently lists 0 API providers for granite 4.2 30b and 0 for granite 4.2 3b, from the OpenRouter catalogue snapshot the site serves; each model page lists the providers and their prices.

How current is this granite 4.2 30b vs granite 4.2 3b comparison?

Every figure and ModelCap Index position comes from the same published snapshot dated 18 October 2026. Publication and page updates happen separately; use the snapshot date shown on the page.

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