Model Comparison

North Mini Code 1.0 vs Gemma 4 12BWhich is better in 2026?

Gemma 4 12B significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Verdict: North Mini Code 1.0 vs Gemma 4 12B — which is better?

North Mini Code 1.0 (by Cohere) and Gemma 4 12B (by Google) 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.

North Mini Code 1.0 outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Gemma 4 12B is better at 1 benchmark (LiveCodeBench v6). Gemma 4 12B significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Choose North Mini Code 1.0 if…

  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Jun 2026

Choose Gemma 4 12B if…

  • you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 1 of 1 shared benchmarks

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

1 benchmarks

North Mini Code 1.0 outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Gemma 4 12B is better at 1 benchmark (LiveCodeBench v6).

Gemma 4 12B significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Fri Jul 17 2026 • llm-stats.com

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Model Size

Parameter count comparison

18.0B diff

North Mini Code 1.0 has 18.0B more parameters than Gemma 4 12B, making it 150.8% larger.

Cohere
North Mini Code 1.0
30.0Bparameters
Google
Gemma 4 12B
12.0Bparameters
30.0B
North Mini Code 1.0
12.0B
Gemma 4 12B

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

Gemma 4 12B supports multimodal inputs, whereas North Mini Code 1.0 does not.

Gemma 4 12B can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.

North Mini Code 1.0

Text
Images
Audio
Video

Gemma 4 12B

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

Both models are licensed under Apache 2.0.

Both models share the same licensing terms, providing consistent usage rights.

North Mini Code 1.0

Apache 2.0

Open weights

Gemma 4 12B

Apache 2.0

Open weights

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

North Mini Code 1.0 was released on 2026-06-09, while Gemma 4 12B was released on 2026-05-23.

North Mini Code 1.0 is 1 month newer than Gemma 4 12B.

North Mini Code 1.0

Jun 9, 2026

1 months ago

2w newer
Gemma 4 12B

May 23, 2026

1 months ago

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

Gemma 4 12B has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2025-01-01, while North Mini Code 1.0's cutoff date is not specified.

We can confirm Gemma 4 12B's training data extends to 2025-01-01, but cannot make a direct comparison without North Mini Code 1.0's cutoff date.

North Mini Code 1.0

Gemma 4 12B

Jan 2025

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion

Key Takeaways

No standout differentiators in the data we have for this pair.

Supports multimodal inputs
Higher LiveCodeBench v6 score (72.0% vs 70.3%)

Detailed Comparison

Interactive Arena

Judge for yourself.

Run your own prompts against North Mini Code 1.0 and Gemma 4 12B side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.

North Mini Code 1.0
✓ Preferred
Gemma 4 12B
Open in Playground
AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
Cohere
North Mini Code 1.0
Google
Gemma 4 12B

FAQ

Common questions about North Mini Code 1.0 vs Gemma 4 12B.

Which is better, North Mini Code 1.0 or Gemma 4 12B?

Gemma 4 12B significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. North Mini Code 1.0 is made by Cohere and Gemma 4 12B is made by Google. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does North Mini Code 1.0 compare to Gemma 4 12B in benchmarks?

North Mini Code 1.0 scores LiveCodeBench v6: 70.3%, SWE-Bench Verified: 67.6%, SWE-Bench Pro: 40.2%, SciCode: 38.2%, Terminal-Bench 2.0: 36.0%. Gemma 4 12B scores FLEURS: 93.1%, MMMLU: 83.4%, MathVision: 79.7%, GPQA: 78.8%, AIME 2026: 77.5%.

What are the main differences between North Mini Code 1.0 and Gemma 4 12B?

Key differences include multimodal support (no vs yes). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes North Mini Code 1.0 and Gemma 4 12B?

North Mini Code 1.0 is developed by Cohere and Gemma 4 12B is developed by Google.