Gemma 3 12B vs Pixtral Large
Wins 1 of 5 areas
Following instructions
Wins 3 of 5 areas
Coding · Images and charts · Long documents
Pixtral Large is the stronger all-rounder.Gemma 3 12B is better at following instructions.
Scores updated · 14 tests both models report · How we compare
Where each one wins
Tests won in each of the five areas where both have results. Each piece is one test, so a longer bar means more evidence; grey means the two scored within a point of each other.
- Images and chartsUnderstanding pictures, charts and video03Pixtral Large3 of 3 tests
- CodingWriting and fixing software01Pixtral Large1 of 1 test
- Long documentsFinding answers in very long texts01Pixtral Large1 of 1 test
- Following instructionsDoing exactly what it is asked10Gemma 3 12B1 of 1 test
- ReasoningHard problems that need careful thinking11Even1 each
Coding, long documents and following instructions rest on a single test each.
What it costs
Prices per million tokens, roughly 750,000 words. The bars show the cost of a million tokens read plus a million written.
The biggest differences
The tests each model wins by the widest margin, up to three each. Scores are out of 100.
Where Pixtral Large pulls ahead
- Graduate-level biology, physics and chemistry questionsGPQA Diamond+15.6points ahead
- Harder college exam questions with imagesMMMU-Pro+13.1points ahead
- Code for real scientific research problemsSciCode+12.8points ahead
Where Gemma 3 12B pulls ahead
- Follows unfamiliar, precisely checkable instructionsIFBench+2.2points ahead
- Very hard expert questions across many subjectsHumanity's Last Exam+1.4points ahead
Every test, side by side
All 14 tests both models report. The winning score is in its model's colour; marks a score checked independently.
ReasoningEven
- GPQA DiamondPixtral Large by 15.634.950.5+15.6
- Humanity's Last ExamGemma 3 12B by 1.44.22.8+1.4
Images and chartsPixtral Large
Following instructionsGemma 3 12B
- IFBenchGemma 3 12B by 2.236.734.5+2.2
Other results6 tests, not counted
Tests outside the eight areas. They are not counted above: several are summary scores built from other tests, or the same test under another name.
- τ²-Bench Telecom (AA run)Pixtral Large by 25.710.836.5+25.7
- ChartQAPixtral Large by 12.475.788.1+12.4
- AI2DPixtral Large by 9.684.293.8+9.6
- DocVQAPixtral Large by 6.287.193.3+6.2
- MM MTBenchGemma 3 12B by 66.70.7+6
- AA IntelligencePixtral Large by 3.33.87.1+3.3
Questions people ask
Which is better, Gemma 3 12B or Pixtral Large?
Pixtral Large wins three of the five areas where both have results: coding, images and charts and long documents. Gemma 3 12B wins following instructions. They are level on reasoning.
Which is better for coding?
Pixtral Large. It wins the one coding test both models report.
How do you compare the two?
We use the 14 benchmark tests both models have published scores on. The verdict counts the 8 tests in the eight capability areas, and a gap under one point (ten on rating-style scales) counts as a tie. The other 6 are listed but not counted, because several are summary scores or repeat a test. Each score is the one shown on the model's own page.