Beam 1.0 501B A23B vs GPT-5.6 Terra
Pricing, context window and real answers (October 2026)
Beam 1.0 501B A23B (Reflection AI) and GPT-5.6 Terra (OpenAI), compared as you can actually call them on FastMetal. Both are served from the same OpenAI-compatible endpoint and API key; switching is a change to the model string.
Specs and pricing
| Beam 1.0 501B A23B |  GPT-5.6 Terra | |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Reflection AI | OpenAI |
| Input (per 1M tokens) | $0.422 | $2.11 |
| Output (per 1M tokens) | $1.27 | $12.66 |
| Typical cost (1,000 in + 500 out tokens × 1,000 calls) | $1.06 | $8.44 |
| Context window | 1,048,576 tokens | 1,050,000 tokens |
| Release date | 10/16/2026 | 7/9/2026 |
| Input modalities | text | file, image, text |
| Throughput (p50) | — | 203 tokens/s (n=26) |
| Arena · overall | Unranked | #51 · ELO 1,466 |
| Arena · Japanese | Unranked | #24 · ELO 1,475 |
| Arena · coding | Unranked | #43 · ELO 1,517 |
Prices are FastMetal's rates, before tax.
Rankings: LMArena leaderboard dataset (lmarena-ai/leaderboard-dataset), CC BY 4.0, snapshot 2026-10-15; category names mapped and ratings rounded by FastMetal.
Which should you pick?
- On price, Beam 1.0 501B A23B: $1.27 per 1M output tokens, 90% less than GPT-5.6 Terra.
- For long documents, GPT-5.6 Terra: a 1,050,000-token context window against 1,048,576 for Beam 1.0 501B A23B.
- If in doubt, try both on the same key. Switching is a change to the model string, and each is billed at its own rate.
Real answers to the same prompts
Exactly what the FastMetal gateway returned, side by side. Not benchmark scores: actual output.
Count the number of 'r's in 'strawberry'
Count the number of 'r's in 'strawberry'. Explain your reasoning step by step.
Beam 1.0 501B A23B
The word “strawberry” is spelled:
s - t - r - a - w - b - e - r - r - y
The letter “r” appears in these positions:
- s**r**awberry (1st r)
- strawbe**r**ry (2nd r)
- strawber**r**y (3rd r)
Therefore, there are **3** r's in “strawberry.”
7.6s278 output tokens
GPT-5.6 Terra
“strawberry” is spelled:
s t **r** a w b e **r** **r** y
There are **3** occurrences of the letter **r**.
3.6s71 output tokens
Debug This Error
I'm getting the following error in my Node.js application: TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'map') at UserList (/app/components/UserList.js:12:25) at renderWithHooks (/app/node_modules/rea…
Beam 1.0 501B A23B
The error means `users` is `undefined` when `UserList` renders, so calling `.map` on `undefined` throws.
### Common causes
1. Parent renders `<UserList />` without a `users` prop.
2. Parent passes `users={data}` where `data` is still `undefined` (e.g., fetch not resolved).
3. Destructured prop name mismatch.
### Fixes
**1. Default the prop**
```js
function UserList({ users = [] }) {
return (
<ul>
{users.map(user => <li key={user.id}>{user.name}</li>)}
</ul>
);
}
```
**2. Guard in JSX**
```js
{Array.isArray(users) && users.map(user => <li key={user.id}>{user.name}</li>)}
```
**3. Optional chaining**
```js
{users?.map(user => <li key={user.id}>{user.name}</li>)}
```
Note…
12.8s414 output tokens
GPT-5.6 Terra
The error means `users` is `undefined` when `UserList` renders, so React tries to evaluate:
```js
users.map(...)
```
But `.map()` only exists on arrays.
Common causes:
- The parent component does not pass a `users` prop.
- The user data is loaded asynchronously and has not arrived on the first render.
- The API response shape differs from what you expect, e.g. data is in `response.data.users` rather than `response.data`.
- The parent initializes its user state as `undefined` or `null`.
## Fix options
### 1. Initialize users as an empty array
In the parent component:
```jsx
const [users, setUsers] = useState([]);
```
Then pass it normally:
```jsx
<UserList users={users} />
```
An e…
5.8s559 output tokens
Code Review
Please review the following Python function and suggest improvements for readability, performance, and best practices: def get_data(url, retries=3): import requests import time for i in range(retries):…
Beam 1.0 501B A23B
Here are some key issues and improvements:
### Main issues in the original
- **Imports inside the function** run on every call and hurt readability.
- **Bare `except:`** catches `KeyboardInterrupt`, `SystemExit`, and programming errors.
- **Retries every non-200 response**, including `404`/`400`, which usually should not be retried.
- **`item["active"] == True`** can raise `KeyError` and is stricter than necessary unless you truly need exact boolean equality.
- **Fixed sleep and unnecessary final sleep** before returning.
- **Repeated `item["name"]` / `item["id"]`** lookups are slightly slower and less clean than a comprehension.
- No handling/validation for malformed JSON or non-list respo…
16.8s1927 output tokens
GPT-5.6 Terra
Here are the main areas to improve:
### Issues in the original code
- **Imports inside the function**: Move `requests` and `time` imports to module scope.
- **Bare `except:`**: This catches everything, including `KeyboardInterrupt` and programming errors. Catch `requests.RequestException` (and possibly JSON decoding errors) instead.
- **Status code check**: Prefer `response.raise_for_status()` or `response.ok` over manually checking only for `200`. Successful responses can include other 2xx status codes.
- **`== True`**: Use `if item.get("active"):` instead.
- **Potential `KeyError`**: `item["name"]`, `item["id"]`, and `item["active"]` can fail if the API response is incomplete. Use `.get(…
10.6s939 output tokens
Frequently asked questions
- Which is cheaper, Beam 1.0 501B A23B or GPT-5.6 Terra?
- Per 1M output tokens, Beam 1.0 501B A23B is $1.27 and GPT-5.6 Terra is $12.66 on FastMetal (US dollars, before tax), so Beam 1.0 501B A23B is cheaper.
- How do the context windows of Beam 1.0 501B A23B and GPT-5.6 Terra compare?
- Beam 1.0 501B A23B takes 1,048,576 tokens; GPT-5.6 Terra takes 1,050,000.
- Can I use Beam 1.0 501B A23B and GPT-5.6 Terra with the same API key?
- Yes. On FastMetal's OpenAI-compatible endpoint, switch by passing "beam-1.0" or "gpt-5.6-terra" as the model. Each is billed at its own rate from the same prepaid balance.
Try both on one API key
Create an account and add credit to call Beam 1.0 501B A23B and GPT-5.6 Terra from the browser chat and the API. No monthly fee.