Pairwise benchmark snapshot · Aug 16, 2026
This page compares Qwen 3 Max (Alibaba) and Seed 2.1 Turbo (ByteDance) using the latest snapshots we have as of Aug 16, 2026. On preference Elo, Qwen 3 Max is ahead by 46 points (1,518 vs 1,472; seed-bootstrap (Aug 1, 2026)). On SWE-bench coding, Qwen 3 Max resolves 67.8% versus 63.2% (seed-bootstrap (Aug 1, 2026)). Seed 2.1 Turbo streams faster (160 tok/s) while Seed 2.1 Turbo is the cheaper output token ($2.5/1M). Qwen 3 Max has the larger context window (262k 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.
ByteDance
Seed 2.1 TurboByteDance Seed 2.1 Turbo, listed on public model timelines as an Aug 10 2026 API drop.
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.
46 pts advantage
80 tok/s faster
$1.40/1M cheaper
Simulate monthly production API costs based on published $/1M tokens.
Seed 2.1 Turbo is estimated to save $30.80/month ($370/year).
Higher SWE-bench (67.8%).
Lower output list price ($2.5/1M).
Lower TTFT (120 ms).
Larger window (262k).
Both accept images. Defaulting to the higher-Elo side (Qwen 3 Max).
| Target Workload | Recommended Pick | Evaluation Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Repo / coding agents | Qwen 3 Max | Higher SWE-bench (67.8%). |
| High-volume chat | Seed 2.1 Turbo | Lower output list price ($2.5/1M). |
| Voice / low-latency UI | Seed 2.1 Turbo | Lower TTFT (120 ms). |
| Long-document RAG | Qwen 3 Max | Larger window (262k). |
| Screenshots / vision | Qwen 3 Max | Both accept images. Defaulting to the higher-Elo side (Qwen 3 Max). |
Listed on public model timelines as an Aug 10 2026 API drop. Preview-quality story, indexable because we have a full snapshot.
Closed flagship. Strong math. Compare to Sol and Opus on GPQA and SWE-bench, not on brand heat.
Sep 2025 open-weight mixture-of-experts. Self-host path. Don’t confuse it with Qwen 3 Max.
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The real PNG is generated at /compare/qwen-3-max-vs-seed-2-1-turbo/opengraph-image for crawlers.
Verified head-to-head card