Pairwise benchmark snapshot · Aug 16, 2026
This page compares GPT-5.6 Luna (OpenAI) and Qwen3.8 27B (Alibaba) using the latest snapshots we have as of Aug 16, 2026. On preference Elo, GPT-5.6 Luna is ahead by 68 points (1,466 vs 1,398; seed-bootstrap (Aug 16, 2026)). On SWE-bench coding, GPT-5.6 Luna resolves 61.8% versus 58.8% (seed-bootstrap (Aug 16, 2026)). GPT-5.6 Luna streams faster (188 tok/s) while GPT-5.6 Luna is the cheaper output token ($0.6/1M). GPT-5.6 Luna has the larger context window (1.1M tokens). Every cell below is a dated snapshot from a named public source — we do not invent missing scores, and we do not run SWE-bench ourselves.
OpenAI
GPT-5.6 LunaOpenAI 5.6 fast/cheap tier. Official API $0.20/$1.20 per 1M after the Jul 30 80% Luna cut.
Alibaba
Qwen3.8 27BAlibaba open-weight 27B drop dated Aug 14 2026. Dense enough to self-host; not a frontier MoE.
Instant pairwise benchmark recalculation across 400+ LLMs
Category wins across intelligence, speed, and pricing efficiency.
Preference Elo, Coding proficiency, SWE-bench & LiveBench accuracy
Generation throughput and time to first token responsiveness
Cost per million tokens and max context window length
Each spoke is a skill. Farther from the center is better (0–100th percentile). Tap any dot to inspect details.
68 pts advantage
36 tok/s faster
$2.60/1M cheaper
Simulate monthly production API costs based on published $/1M tokens.
GPT-5.6 Luna is estimated to save $51.25/month ($615/year).
Higher SWE-bench (61.8%).
Lower output list price ($0.6/1M).
Lower TTFT (88 ms).
Larger window (1.1M).
GPT-5.6 Luna is the side marked multimodal in the catalog.
| Target Workload | Recommended Pick | Evaluation Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Repo / coding agents | GPT-5.6 Luna | Higher SWE-bench (61.8%). |
| High-volume chat | GPT-5.6 Luna | Lower output list price ($0.6/1M). |
| Voice / low-latency UI | GPT-5.6 Luna | Lower TTFT (88 ms). |
| Long-document RAG | GPT-5.6 Luna | Larger window (1.1M). |
| Screenshots / vision | GPT-5.6 Luna | GPT-5.6 Luna is the side marked multimodal in the catalog. |
Alibaba open-weight 27B drop. Local/open-weight lists should see it. It will not win frontier-agents.
Luna is the OpenAI fast/cheap 5.6 SKU after Jul 30. It is not Sol. Sort by price and TTFT, not Elo.
High-volume agents that cannot pay Sol. Compare to Luna before you assume the new cheap SKU wins.
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The real PNG is generated at /compare/gpt-5-6-luna-vs-qwen-3-8-27b/opengraph-image for crawlers.
Verified head-to-head card