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Granite 3.3 8B Base vs Grok-2 mini

Both models are evenly matched across the benchmarks.

IBM · xAI · Updated for 2026

Which is better?

Granite 3.3 8B Base outperforms in 1 benchmarks (HumanEval), while Grok-2 mini is better at 1 benchmark (MMLU). Both models are evenly matched across the benchmarks.

Based on current benchmark, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.

Choose Granite 3.3 8B Base

  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Apr 2025
  • you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune

Choose Grok-2 mini

  • you are already invested in the xAI ecosystem

At a glance

The differences that matter most.

Granite 3.3 8B Base
IBM
Grok-2 mini
xAI
Benchmark wins
1 of 2
1 of 2
Input price
— / M
— / M
Output price
— / M
— / M
Context window
—
—
Released
Apr 2025
Aug 2024
License
Apache 2.0
Proprietary

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

2 benchmarks

Granite 3.3 8B Base outperforms in 1 benchmarks (HumanEval), while Grok-2 mini is better at 1 benchmark (MMLU).

Both models are evenly matched across the benchmarks.

Thu Aug 27 2026 • llm-stats.com

Arena Performance

Playground indexes and blind preference scores

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

Both Granite 3.3 8B Base and Grok-2 mini support multimodal inputs.

They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.

Granite 3.3 8B Base

Text
Images
Audio
Video

Grok-2 mini

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

Granite 3.3 8B Base is licensed under Apache 2.0, while Grok-2 mini uses a proprietary license.

License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.

Granite 3.3 8B Base

Apache 2.0

Open weights

Grok-2 mini

Proprietary

Closed source

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

Granite 3.3 8B Base was released on 2025-04-16, while Grok-2 mini was released on 2024-08-13.

Granite 3.3 8B Base is 8 months newer than Grok-2 mini.

Granite 3.3 8B Base

Apr 16, 2025

1.4 years ago

8mo newer
Grok-2 mini

Aug 13, 2024

2.0 years ago

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

Granite 3.3 8B Base has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2024-04-01, while Grok-2 mini's cutoff date is not specified.

We can confirm Granite 3.3 8B Base's training data extends to 2024-04-01, but cannot make a direct comparison without Grok-2 mini's cutoff date.

Granite 3.3 8B Base

Apr 2024

Grok-2 mini

—

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion→

Judge for yourself.

Run your own prompts against Granite 3.3 8B Base and Grok-2 mini side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.

Granite 3.3 8B Base
✓ Preferred
Grok-2 mini
Open in Playground

FAQ

Common questions about Granite 3.3 8B Base vs Grok-2 mini.

Which is better, Granite 3.3 8B Base or Grok-2 mini?

Both models are evenly matched across the benchmarks. Granite 3.3 8B Base is made by IBM and Grok-2 mini is made by xAI. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does Granite 3.3 8B Base compare to Grok-2 mini in benchmarks?

Granite 3.3 8B Base scores HumanEval: 89.7%, AttaQ: 88.5%, HumanEval+: 86.1%, AIME 2024: 81.2%, HellaSwag: 80.1%. Grok-2 mini scores DocVQA: 93.2%, MMLU: 86.2%, HumanEval: 85.7%, MATH: 73.0%, MMLU-Pro: 72.0%.

What are the main differences between Granite 3.3 8B Base and Grok-2 mini?

Key differences include licensing (Apache 2.0 vs Proprietary). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes Granite 3.3 8B Base and Grok-2 mini?

Granite 3.3 8B Base is developed by IBM and Grok-2 mini is developed by xAI.

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