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Head-to-head comparison

granite 4.2 3b vs Granite 4.2 8B

granite 4.2 3b (IBM Granite) and Granite 4.2 8B (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 8B holds the stronger ModelCap Index position (#240 vs #241).

Which should you choose?

Choose granite 4.2 3b if…

  • Arena coding is your yardstick — 1379 against 1370.

Choose Granite 4.2 8B if…

  • you want the stronger overall ModelCap Index position — #240 against #241 (26.6 vs 26.5 points).
  • you want provider choice — 2 listed API providers against 0.
  • Arena text is your yardstick — 1290 against 1290.
  • AA Intelligence Index is your yardstick — 11.1 against 9.1.
  • AA Terminal-Bench 2.1 is your yardstick — 18.4% against 13.9%.
  • AA Humanity's Last Exam is your yardstick — 9.7% against 6.6%.
  • you want the more recently listed model — Granite 4.2 8B was listed 31 August 2026, granite 4.2 3b 7 August 2026.

granite 4.2 3b vs Granite 4.2 8B: specs, pricing and context

Specification comparison of granite 4.2 3b and Granite 4.2 8B
Fieldgranite 4.2 3bIBM GraniteGranite 4.2 8BIBM Granite
ModelCap Index position#241#240
Index score26.526.6
EvidenceMeasuredMeasured
Input price / 1M tokensUnlisted$0.06
Output price / 1M tokensUnlisted$0.25
Context window131K tokens131K tokens
Declared route output cap-118K
API providers listed02
Weight accessOpen weightsOpen weights
Input modalitiesTextText
First listed7 August 202631 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 3b vs Granite 4.2 8B

Public benchmark boards where granite 4.2 3b or Granite 4.2 8B has a published result
Boardgranite 4.2 3bGranite 4.2 8BLeads
Arena textArena (LMArena)12901278–1301Not reported12901279–1301Not reportedGranite 4.2 8B
Arena codingArena (LMArena)13791357–140113701349–1392granite 4.2 3b
AA Intelligence IndexArtificial Analysis9.1Reasoning11.1ReasoningGranite 4.2 8B
AA Terminal-Bench 2.1Artificial Analysis13.9%Reasoning18.4%ReasoningGranite 4.2 8B
AA Humanity's Last ExamArtificial Analysis6.6%Reasoning9.7%ReasoningGranite 4.2 8B

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 3b vs Granite 4.2 8B: common questions

Is granite 4.2 3b better than Granite 4.2 8B?

Granite 4.2 8B ranks higher on the ModelCap Index as of 18 October 2026: #240 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 3b cheaper than Granite 4.2 8B?

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 3b or Granite 4.2 8B?

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 3b or Granite 4.2 8B?

Arena coding: granite 4.2 3b 1379, Granite 4.2 8B 1370 — granite 4.2 3b leads. AA Terminal-Bench 2.1: granite 4.2 3b 13.9%, Granite 4.2 8B 18.4% — Granite 4.2 8B leads.

Are granite 4.2 3b and Granite 4.2 8B open-weight models?

granite 4.2 3b: Open weights. Granite 4.2 8B: 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 3b and Granite 4.2 8B?

ModelCap currently lists 0 API providers for granite 4.2 3b and 2 for Granite 4.2 8B, from the OpenRouter catalogue snapshot the site serves; each model page lists the providers and their prices.

How current is this granite 4.2 3b vs Granite 4.2 8B 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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