Beam 1.0 501B A23B vs Grok 4.7
Pricing, context window and real answers (October 2026)
Beam 1.0 501B A23B (Reflection AI) and Grok 4.7 (xAI), 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 |  Grok 4.7 | |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Reflection AI | xAI |
| Input (per 1M tokens) | $0.422 | $2.20 |
| Output (per 1M tokens) | $1.27 | $6.60 |
| Typical cost (1,000 in + 500 out tokens × 1,000 calls) | $1.06 | $5.50 |
| Context window | 1,048,576 tokens | 500,000 tokens |
| Release date | 10/16/2026 | 9/21/2026 |
| Input modalities | text | text, image, file |
| Throughput (p50) | — | 179 tokens/s (n=25) |
| Arena · overall | Unranked | #89 · ELO 1,444 |
| Arena · Japanese | Unranked | #81 · ELO 1,409 |
| Arena · coding | Unranked | #86 · ELO 1,497 |
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, 81% less than Grok 4.7.
- For long documents, Beam 1.0 501B A23B: a 1,048,576-token context window against 500,000 for Grok 4.7.
- 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
Grok 4.7
The word "strawberry" consists of the letters S-T-R-A-W-B-E-R-R-Y.
- The 3rd letter is R.
- The 8th letter is R.
- The 9th letter is R.
This gives a total of 3 R's.
4.7s299 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
Grok 4.7
The error happens because `users` is `undefined` when `UserList` renders, so calling `.map` on it fails.
That usually means the parent rendered `<UserList />` (or `<UserList users={undefined} />`) before data was loaded, or the prop name doesn’t match.
**Fix it in the component** so it tolerates a missing list:
```jsx
function UserList({ users = [] }) {
return (
<ul>
{users.map(user => <li key={user.id}>{user.name}</li>)}
</ul>
);
}
```
Or guard the call:
```jsx
function UserList({ users }) {
return (
<ul>
{(users ?? []).map(user => <li key={user.id}>{user.name}</li>)}
</ul>
);
}
```
**Also check the parent** so you pass an array once data exists:
`…
12.8s393 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
Grok 4.7
## Review
The function works for the happy path, but it hides failures, retries the wrong errors, and is harder to read and debug than it needs to be.
### Issues
1. **Imports inside the function** — move them to module level unless you have a strong reason (circular imports, optional dependency).
2. **Bare `except`** — swallows `KeyboardInterrupt`, `SystemExit`, and programming bugs. Catch specific exceptions.
3. **Retries non-retryable failures** — 4xx (except maybe 429) will not succeed on retry. Network errors and 5xx are the usual candidates.
4. **Sleeps after the last attempt** — wastes up to 2 seconds before returning `[]`.
5. **Unused loop variable** and vague names (`r`, `i`).
6.…
22.3s1525 output tokens
Frequently asked questions
- Which is cheaper, Beam 1.0 501B A23B or Grok 4.7?
- Per 1M output tokens, Beam 1.0 501B A23B is $1.27 and Grok 4.7 is $6.60 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 Grok 4.7 compare?
- Beam 1.0 501B A23B takes 1,048,576 tokens; Grok 4.7 takes 500,000.
- Can I use Beam 1.0 501B A23B and Grok 4.7 with the same API key?
- Yes. On FastMetal's OpenAI-compatible endpoint, switch by passing "beam-1.0" or "grok-4.7" 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 Grok 4.7 from the browser chat and the API. No monthly fee.