Gemma 3 27B vs Llama 3.2 3B Instruct
Gemma 3 27B significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Llama 3.2 3B Instruct is 10.0x cheaper per token.
Google · Meta · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
Gemma 3 27B outperforms in 4 benchmarks (GPQA, GSM8k, IFEval, MATH), while Llama 3.2 3B Instruct is better at 0 benchmarks. Gemma 3 27B significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, Llama 3.2 3B Instruct is roughly 10.0x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Gemma 3 27B 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 27B
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 4 of 4 shared benchmarks
- you process long inputs — it offers a 131,072 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Mar 2025
Choose Llama 3.2 3B Instruct
- cost matters — it's about 10.0x cheaper per token
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
Gemma 3 27B outperforms in 4 benchmarks (GPQA, GSM8k, IFEval, MATH), while Llama 3.2 3B Instruct is better at 0 benchmarks.
Gemma 3 27B 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 27B ($0.10/1M tokens) is 10.0x more expensive than Llama 3.2 3B Instruct ($0.01/1M tokens).
For output processing, Gemma 3 27B ($0.20/1M tokens) is 10.0x more expensive than Llama 3.2 3B Instruct ($0.02/1M tokens).
In conclusion, Gemma 3 27B is more expensive than Llama 3.2 3B Instruct.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Model Size
Parameter count comparison
Gemma 3 27B has 23.8B more parameters than Llama 3.2 3B Instruct, making it 741.1% larger.
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Gemma 3 27B accepts 131,072 input tokens compared to Llama 3.2 3B Instruct's 128,000 tokens. Gemma 3 27B can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while Llama 3.2 3B Instruct is limited to 128,000 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Gemma 3 27B supports multimodal inputs, whereas Llama 3.2 3B Instruct does not.
Gemma 3 27B can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
Gemma 3 27B
Llama 3.2 3B Instruct
License
Usage and distribution terms
Gemma 3 27B is licensed under Gemma, while Llama 3.2 3B Instruct uses Llama 3.2 Community License.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
Gemma
Open weights
Llama 3.2 Community License
Open weights
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
Gemma 3 27B was released on 2025-03-12, while Llama 3.2 3B Instruct was released on 2024-09-25.
Gemma 3 27B is 6 months newer than Llama 3.2 3B Instruct.
Mar 12, 2025
1.5 years ago
5mo newerSep 25, 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 27B is available from DeepInfra, Novita. Llama 3.2 3B Instruct is available from DeepInfra.
Gemma 3 27B
Llama 3.2 3B Instruct
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against Gemma 3 27B and Llama 3.2 3B Instruct side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about Gemma 3 27B vs Llama 3.2 3B Instruct.