GLM-5.3 (Max) vs Inkling 2 Small
Which is better for the money: GLM-5.3 (Max) by Z AI or Inkling 2 Small by Thinking Machines? Intelligence, total benchmark cost, and end-to-end time from Artificial Analysis & other sources, snapshot 2026-11-06.
Trade-off
Verdict
Depends on your budget
GLM-5.3 (Max) scores 1.1 points higher (31.7 vs 30.6) but costs 4.4× as much to run the benchmark ($3496 vs $792; flagship vs premium cost classes). They are not alternatives at one budget: pick GLM-5.3 (Max) when you need intelligence above 30.6, and Inkling 2 Small when 30.6 is enough.
| Metric | GLM-5.3 (Max) | Inkling 2 Small | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intelligence (higher is better) | 31.7 | 30.6 | −3.5% Inkling 2 Small is 3.5% less intelligent |
| Total AA cost (lower is better) | $3,495.62 | $791.81 | −77.3% Inkling 2 Small is 77.3% cheaper |
| End-to-end time (lower is better) | 35.88s | 20.92s | −41.7% Inkling 2 Small is 41.7% faster |
| Price per 1M tokens (in / out) | $1.40 / $4.40 | $0.30 / $1.00 | |
| Input modalities | Text | Text, Image |
Inkling 2 Small vs GLM-5.3 (Max): 3.5% less intelligence, 77.3% less cost to run the AA benchmark, and 41.7% faster end-to-end.
Today's Pareto frontier
Against the frontier
- GLM-5.3 (Max) is off the frontier: at the same or lower cost, GPT-6 Astra (High) scores 54.80 for $3204.
- Inkling 2 Small is off the frontier: at the same or lower cost, GPT-6.1 Sol (Xhigh) scores 52.50 for $718.
GLM-5.3 (Max)Inkling 2 SmallToday's Pareto frontierOpen-weights frontierEvery other model
Matchup
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