Model comparison

GLM 5.3 FlashX vs MiniMax M2.7

Pricing, context window and real answers (September 2026)

GLM 5.3 FlashX (Z.ai) and MiniMax M2.7 (MiniMax), 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

z-ai logoGLM 5.3 FlashXminimax logoMiniMax M2.7
ProviderZ.aiMiniMax
Input (per 1M tokens)¥66.12¥53.61
Output (per 1M tokens)¥223.38¥214.44
Typical cost (1,000 in + 500 out tokens × 1,000 calls)¥178¥161
Context window1,048,576 tokens204,800 tokens
Release date9/18/20263/18/2026
Input modalitiestext, image, videotext
Throughput (p50)
Arena · overallUnranked#126 · ELO 1,415
Arena · JapaneseUnranked#171 · ELO 1,277
Arena · codingUnranked#98 · ELO 1,481

Prices are FastMetal's yen rates before tax. Arena ranks are as of the latest leaderboard scrape.

Which should you pick?

  • On price, MiniMax M2.7: ¥214.44 per 1M output tokens, 4% less than GLM 5.3 FlashX.
  • For long documents, GLM 5.3 FlashX: a 1,048,576-token context window against 204,800 for MiniMax M2.7.
  • 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.

GLM 5.3 FlashX

# Counting 'r's in "strawberry" **Step 1: Write out each letter with its position** | Position | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |----------|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|----| | Letter | s | t | r | a | w | b | e | r | r | y | **Step 2: Check each letter one by one** - Position 1: **s** → not an 'r' - Position 2: **t** → not an 'r' - Position 3: **r** → ✅ 'r' found (count: 1) - Position 4: **a** → not an 'r' - Position 5: **w** → not an 'r' - Position 6: **b** → not an 'r' - Position 7: **e** → not an 'r' - Position 8: **r** → ✅ 'r' found (count: 2) - Position 9: **r** → ✅ 'r' found (count: 3) - Position 10: **y** → not an 'r' **Step 3: Tally the results** The 'r's a…
4.1s549 output tokens

MiniMax M2.7

**Step‑by‑step counting** 1. Write the word **strawberry** as a sequence of its letters: `s‑t‑r‑a‑w‑b‑e‑r‑r‑y` 2. Go through each letter and check whether it is the letter **r** (case‑insensitive). | Position | Letter | Is it “r”? | |----------|--------|------------| | 1 | s | No | | 2 | t | No | | 3 | **r** | Yes → count = 1 | | 4 | a | No | | 5 | w | No | | 6 | b | No | | 7 | e | No | | 8 | **r** | Yes → count = 2 | | 9 | **r** | Yes → count = 3 | | 10 | y | No | 3. After checking all ten positions, the total number of times the letter **…
11.1s475 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…

GLM 5.3 FlashX

## What's Happening The error means `users` is `undefined` at the time `UserList` renders. You're calling `.map()` on `undefined`, which JavaScript doesn't allow. This almost always happens for one of these reasons: 1. **The parent isn't passing the prop** — `<UserList />` with no `users` prop 2. **Data hasn't loaded yet** — you're fetching asynchronously, so the first render happens before the data arrives 3. **Prop name mismatch** — e.g., passing `user` but reading `users` 4. **Parent state initialized to `undefined`** — e.g., `useState()` instead of `useState([])` ## Fixes ### Option 1: Default parameter (simplest) ```jsx function UserList({ users = [] }) { return ( <ul>…
6.8s934 output tokens

MiniMax M2.7

# Fixing the "Cannot read properties of undefined" Error ## The Problem The error occurs because `users` is `undefined` when the component renders. The `.map()` method can't be called on `undefined`. This typically happens when: - The parent component doesn't pass the `users` prop - The data is still loading/fetching - The initial state is `undefined` instead of an empty array --- ## Solutions ### 1. Add a Default Parameter (Recommended) ```javascript function UserList({ users = [] }) { return ( <ul> {users.map(user => <li key={user.id}>{user.name}</li>)} </ul> ); } ``` ### 2. Use Optional Chaining ```javascript function UserList({ users }) { return ( <ul>…
14.2s695 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):…

GLM 5.3 FlashX

# Code Review The function works, but there are several issues worth addressing — including one subtle bug caused by the bare `except`. ## Correctness issues (most important) 1. **Bare `except:` is dangerous and masks a bug.** It catches *everything*, including `KeyboardInterrupt` and `SystemExit` (so Ctrl+C during a retry sleep is swallowed). Worse: because your data-processing loop sits inside the `try`, a `KeyError` from a malformed item is treated as a network failure — triggering a pointless re-download of the URL and silently discarding the real error. Catch only `requests.RequestException` (and `ValueError` for JSON decode failures). 2. **Silent failure.** Returning `[]` on error…
36.9s5836 output tokens

MiniMax M2.7

# Code Review: `get_data` Function ## Issues Identified ### 1. **Critical Issues** ```python # ❌ Bare except clause - catches everything including KeyboardInterrupt except: time.sleep(2) ``` ```python # ❌ Comparing to True - redundant comparison if item["active"] == True: ``` ```python # ❌ No JSON error handling - r.json() can raise ValueError data = r.json() ``` ### 2. **Code Quality Issues** | Issue | Location | Problem | |-------|----------|---------| | Imports inside function | Line 2-3 | Should be at module level | | Magic numbers | `timeout=10`, `sleep(2)` | Not descriptive | | No docstring | Function | No documentation | | No type hints | Function signature | Missing type safet…
31.7s1690 output tokens

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Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper, GLM 5.3 FlashX or MiniMax M2.7?
Per 1M output tokens, GLM 5.3 FlashX is ¥223.38 and MiniMax M2.7 is ¥214.44 on FastMetal (yen, before tax), so MiniMax M2.7 is cheaper.
How do the context windows of GLM 5.3 FlashX and MiniMax M2.7 compare?
GLM 5.3 FlashX takes 1,048,576 tokens; MiniMax M2.7 takes 204,800.
Can I use GLM 5.3 FlashX and MiniMax M2.7 with the same API key?
Yes. On FastMetal's OpenAI-compatible endpoint, switch by passing "glm-5.3-flashx" or "minimax-m2.7" 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 GLM 5.3 FlashX and MiniMax M2.7 from the browser chat and the API. No monthly fee.

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