Model Comparison

DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 1.5B vs DeepSeek-R1Which is better in 2026?

Comparing DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 1.5B and DeepSeek-R1 across benchmarks, pricing, and capabilities.

Verdict: DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 1.5B vs DeepSeek-R1 — which is better?

DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 1.5B (by DeepSeek) and DeepSeek-R1 (by DeepSeek) are two of the AI models people compare most. Here is how they stack up on benchmarks, price and capabilities, and which one to pick in 2026.

Choose DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 1.5B if…

  • you are already invested in the DeepSeek ecosystem

Choose DeepSeek-R1 if…

  • you want predictable pricing at $0.55/M input and $2.19/M output

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

No common benchmarks found

DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 1.5B and DeepSeek-R1don't have any common benchmark datasets to compare. They may have been evaluated on different testing suites.

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Model Size

Parameter count comparison

669.2B diff

DeepSeek-R1 has 669.2B more parameters than DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 1.5B, making it 37596.6% larger.

DeepSeek
DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 1.5B
1.8Bparameters
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-R1
671.0Bparameters
1.8B
DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 1.5B
671.0B
DeepSeek-R1

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

Only DeepSeek-R1 specifies input context (131,072 tokens). Only DeepSeek-R1 specifies output context (131,072 tokens).

DeepSeek
DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 1.5B
Input- tokens
Output- tokens
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-R1
Input131,072 tokens
Output131,072 tokens
Wed Jun 24 2026 • llm-stats.com

License

Usage and distribution terms

Both models are licensed under MIT.

Both models share the same licensing terms, providing consistent usage rights.

DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 1.5B

MIT

Open weights

DeepSeek-R1

MIT

Open weights

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

Both models were released on 2025-01-20.

They likely represent similar generations of model development.

DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 1.5B

Jan 20, 2025

1.4 years ago

DeepSeek-R1

Jan 20, 2025

1.4 years ago

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

Neither model specifies a knowledge cutoff date.

Unable to compare the recency of their training data.

No cutoff dates available

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion

Key Takeaways

No standout differentiators in the data we have for this pair.

Larger context window (131,072 tokens)

Detailed Comparison

AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
DeepSeek
DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 1.5B
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-R1

FAQ

Common questions about DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 1.5B vs DeepSeek-R1.

Which is better, DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 1.5B or DeepSeek-R1?

DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 1.5B (DeepSeek) and DeepSeek-R1 (DeepSeek) each have strengths in different areas. Compare their benchmark scores, pricing, context windows, and capabilities above to determine which fits your needs.

How does DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 1.5B compare to DeepSeek-R1 in benchmarks?

DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 1.5B scores MATH-500: 83.9%, AIME 2024: 52.7%, GPQA: 33.8%, LiveCodeBench: 16.9%.

What are the context window sizes for DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 1.5B and DeepSeek-R1?

DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 1.5B supports an unknown number of tokens and DeepSeek-R1 supports 131K tokens. A larger context window lets you process longer documents, conversations, or codebases in a single request.