Kimi-k1.5 vs Min istral 3 (3B Reasoning 2512)
Kimi-k1.5 and Min istral 3 (3B Reasoning 2512) are closely matched at 17.1 and 11.2 on the LLM Stats Score.
Moonshot AI · Mistral AI · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
Kimi-k1.5 and Min istral 3 (3B Reasoning 2512) are closely matched on the overall LLM Stats Score at 17.1 and 11.2.
In the 1 individual benchmarks reported for both models, Min istral 3 (3B Reasoning 2512) wins 1; this is a narrower head-to-head signal than the composite indexes.
Based on current LLM Stats indexes, shared benchmarks, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.
Choose Kimi-k1.5
- you are already invested in the Moonshot AI ecosystem
Choose Min istral 3 (3B Reasoning 2512)
- you value its reported benchmark strengths — it wins 1 of 1 exact shared results
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Dec 2025
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Capability indexes
Additional strengths measured across groups of related public benchmarks
Individual benchmarks
9 reported for Kimi-k1.5 · 4 for Min istral 3 (3B Reasoning 2512)
Kimi-k1.5 outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Min istral 3 (3B Reasoning 2512) is better at 0 benchmarks.
Both models are evenly matched across the benchmarks.
Human preference
Blind head-to-head votes and playground preference scores
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Only Min istral 3 (3B Reasoning 2512) specifies input context (131,100 tokens). Only Min istral 3 (3B Reasoning 2512) specifies output context (131,100 tokens).
Input capabilities
Documented input modalities across available providers
Both Kimi-k1.5 and Min istral 3 (3B Reasoning 2512) support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
Kimi-k1.5
Min istral 3 (3B Reasoning 2512)
License
Usage and distribution terms
Kimi-k1.5 is licensed under a proprietary license, while Min istral 3 (3B Reasoning 2512) uses Apache 2.0.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
Proprietary
Closed source
Apache 2.0
Open weights
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
Kimi-k1.5 was released on 2025-01-20, while Min istral 3 (3B Reasoning 2512) was released on 2025-12-04.
Min istral 3 (3B Reasoning 2512) is 11 months newer than Kimi-k1.5.
Jan 20, 2025
1.7 years ago
Dec 4, 2025
10 months ago
10mo newerKnowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Neither model specifies a knowledge cutoff date.
Unable to compare the recency of their training data.
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against Kimi-k1.5 and Min istral 3 (3B Reasoning 2512) side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about Kimi-k1.5 vs Min istral 3 (3B Reasoning 2512).