Gemma 3 12B vs o1-preview
o1-preview significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Gemma 3 12B is 420.0x cheaper per token.
Google · OpenAI · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
Gemma 3 12B outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while o1-preview is better at 3 benchmarks (GPQA, MATH, SimpleQA). o1-preview significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, Gemma 3 12B is roughly 420.0x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Gemma 3 12B also accepts a larger context window (131,072 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Based on current benchmark, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.
Choose Gemma 3 12B
- cost matters — it's about 420.0x cheaper per token
- you process long inputs — it offers a 131,072 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Mar 2025
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Choose o1-preview
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 3 of 3 shared benchmarks
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
Gemma 3 12B outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while o1-preview is better at 3 benchmarks (GPQA, MATH, SimpleQA).
o1-preview significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Playground indexes and blind preference scores
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, Gemma 3 12B ($0.05/1M tokens) is 300.0x cheaper than o1-preview ($15.00/1M tokens).
For output processing, Gemma 3 12B ($0.10/1M tokens) is 600.0x cheaper than o1-preview ($60.00/1M tokens).
In conclusion, o1-preview is more expensive than Gemma 3 12B.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Gemma 3 12B accepts 131,072 input tokens compared to o1-preview's 128,000 tokens. Gemma 3 12B can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while o1-preview is limited to 32,768 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Gemma 3 12B supports multimodal inputs, whereas o1-preview does not.
Gemma 3 12B can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
Gemma 3 12B
o1-preview
License
Usage and distribution terms
Gemma 3 12B is licensed under Gemma, while o1-preview uses a proprietary license.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
Gemma
Open weights
Proprietary
Closed source
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
Gemma 3 12B was released on 2025-03-12, while o1-preview was released on 2024-09-12.
Gemma 3 12B is 6 months newer than o1-preview.
Mar 12, 2025
1.5 years ago
6mo newerSep 12, 2024
1.9 years ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Neither model specifies a knowledge cutoff date.
Unable to compare the recency of their training data.
Provider Availability
Gemma 3 12B is available from DeepInfra. o1-preview is available from OpenAI, Azure.
Gemma 3 12B
o1-preview
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against Gemma 3 12B and o1-preview side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about Gemma 3 12B vs o1-preview.