Model Comparison
Gemma 3 12B vs o1-previewWhich is better in 2026?
o1-preview significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Gemma 3 12B is 420.0x cheaper per token.
Verdict: Gemma 3 12B vs o1-preview — which is better?
Gemma 3 12B (by Google) and o1-preview (by OpenAI) 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.
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.
Choose Gemma 3 12B if…
- 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 if…
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 3 of 3 shared benchmarks
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
Human preference votes
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
1.4 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
Key Takeaways
Gemma 3 12B
View detailso1-preview
View detailsOpenAI
Detailed Comparison
Interactive Arena
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against Gemma 3 12B and o1-preview side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
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FAQ
Common questions about Gemma 3 12B vs o1-preview.