Model Comparison
Gemma 2 9B vs Gemma 3 12B
Gemma 3 12B significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
Gemma 2 9B outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Gemma 3 12B is better at 4 benchmarks (GSM8k, HumanEval, MATH, MBPP).
Gemma 3 12B significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Model Size
Parameter count comparison
Gemma 3 12B has 2.8B more parameters than Gemma 2 9B, making it 29.9% larger.
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Only Gemma 3 12B specifies input context (131,072 tokens). Only Gemma 3 12B specifies output context (131,072 tokens).
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Gemma 3 12B supports multimodal inputs, whereas Gemma 2 9B does not.
Gemma 3 12B can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
Gemma 2 9B
Gemma 3 12B
License
Usage and distribution terms
Both models are licensed under Gemma.
Both models share the same licensing terms, providing consistent usage rights.
Gemma
Open weights
Gemma
Open weights
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
Gemma 2 9B was released on 2024-06-27, while Gemma 3 12B was released on 2025-03-12.
Gemma 3 12B is 9 months newer than Gemma 2 9B.
Jun 27, 2024
1.8 years ago
Mar 12, 2025
1.1 years ago
8mo newerKnowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Neither model specifies a knowledge cutoff date.
Unable to compare the recency of their training data.
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
Gemma 2 9B
View detailsNo standout differentiators in the data we have for this pair.
Gemma 3 12B
View detailsDetailed Comparison
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FAQ
Common questions about Gemma 2 9B vs Gemma 3 12B.