Model Comparison

DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B vs DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 8BWhich is better in 2026?

DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.

Verdict: DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B vs DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 8B — which is better?

DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B (by DeepSeek) and DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 8B (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.

DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B outperforms in 3 benchmarks (GPQA, LiveCodeBench, MATH-500), while DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 8B is better at 0 benchmarks. DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.

Choose DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B if…

  • you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 3 of 4 shared benchmarks

Choose DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 8B if…

  • you are already invested in the DeepSeek ecosystem

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

4 benchmarks

DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B outperforms in 3 benchmarks (GPQA, LiveCodeBench, MATH-500), while DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 8B is better at 0 benchmarks.

DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.

Wed Jun 17 2026 • llm-stats.com

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Model Size

Parameter count comparison

6.8B diff

DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B has 6.8B more parameters than DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 8B, making it 84.3% larger.

DeepSeek
DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B
14.8Bparameters
DeepSeek
DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 8B
8.0Bparameters
14.8B
DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B
8.0B
DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 8B

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 14B

MIT

Open weights

DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 8B

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 14B

Jan 20, 2025

1.4 years ago

DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 8B

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

Higher GPQA score (59.1% vs 49.0%)
Higher LiveCodeBench score (53.1% vs 39.6%)
Higher MATH-500 score (93.9% vs 89.1%)

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

Detailed Comparison

FAQ

Common questions about DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B vs DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 8B.

Which is better, DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B or DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 8B?

DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks. DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B is made by DeepSeek and DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 8B is made by DeepSeek. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B compare to DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 8B in benchmarks?

DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 14B scores MATH-500: 93.9%, AIME 2024: 80.0%, GPQA: 59.1%, LiveCodeBench: 53.1%. DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 8B scores MATH-500: 89.1%, AIME 2024: 80.0%, GPQA: 49.0%, LiveCodeBench: 39.6%.