gpt-oss-20b vs Solar Mini 4
Pricing, context window and real answers (September 2026)
gpt-oss-20b (OpenAI) and Solar Mini 4 (Upstage), 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
 gpt-oss-20b | Solar Mini 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | OpenAI | Upstage |
| Input (per 1M tokens) | ¥5.36 | ¥8.94 |
| Output (per 1M tokens) | ¥25.02 | ¥35.74 |
| Typical cost (1,000 in + 500 out tokens × 1,000 calls) | ¥18 | ¥27 |
| Context window | 131,072 tokens | 524,288 tokens |
| Release date | 8/5/2025 | 9/23/2026 |
| Input modalities | text | text |
| Throughput (p50) | — | — |
| Arena · overall | #252 · ELO 1,317 | Unranked |
| Arena · Japanese | #179 · ELO 1,256 | Unranked |
| Arena · coding | #232 · ELO 1,369 | Unranked |
Prices are FastMetal's yen rates before tax. Arena ranks are as of the latest leaderboard scrape.
Which should you pick?
- On price, gpt-oss-20b: ¥25.02 per 1M output tokens, 30% less than Solar Mini 4.
- For long documents, Solar Mini 4: a 524,288-token context window against 131,072 for gpt-oss-20b.
- 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.
gpt-oss-20b
**Count of ‘r’ in “strawberry”: 3**
---
### Step‑by‑step reasoning
1. **Write out the word in individual letters**
```
s t r a w b e r r y
```
2. **Identify each ‘r’**
- The first ‘r’: appears after the “t” → **r**
- The second ‘r’: appears in the part “berry” → **r**
- The third ‘r’: the next letter after that → **r**
3. **Verify there are no more letters left**
The remaining letters are “b”, “e”, “y”, none of which are “r”.
4. **Count the identified ‘r’s**
1 (first) + 1 (second) + 1 (third) = **3**
---
### Quick recap
- Word: **strawberry**
- Letters containing “r”: positions 3, 8, and 9.
- Total count: **3**.
11.6s371 output tokens
Solar Mini 4
Sure! Let’s count the letter **'r'** in the word **'strawberry'** step by step.
**Step 1: Write out the word and its letters**
`s t r a w b e r r y`
**Step 2: Go through each letter one by one and check if it is 'r'**
1. `s` → not 'r'
2. `t` → not 'r'
3. `r` → **yes** (1st 'r')
4. `a` → not 'r'
5. `w` → not 'r'
6. `b` → not 'r'
7. `e` → not 'r'
8. `r` → **yes** (2nd 'r')
9. `r` → **yes** (3rd 'r')
10. `y` → not 'r'
**Step 3: Tally the total**
Total 'r' count = 3
**Final answer:** There are **3** letter 'r's in the word **'strawberry'**.
2.5s239 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…
gpt-oss-20b
### Why does the error happen?
`users.map(...)` can only run when **`users` is an array**.
The stack trace shows that the crash happens on line 12 of `UserList.js`, which is the
exact spot where the code tries to call `.map`.
The value that is being passed to `UserList` (or the initial value that the parent
creates) is **`undefined`** (or it could be `null`/`{}`). When JavaScript tries to
read `users.map`, it throws:
```
TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'map')
```
Typical reasons for this are:
1. The parent component **didn’t pass the `users` prop** at all.
2. The parent passed it but the value was **`undefined` / `null`** because data
hasn’t been loaded ye…
11.4s1303 output tokens
Solar Mini 4
This error occurs because the `users` prop being passed to your `UserList` component is `undefined` (or the component is rendered without that prop), and your code tries to call `.map()` on it.
### 🔍 Why this happens
In JavaScript, `undefined.map` is not a function, so calling it throws:
```
TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'map')
```
This commonly happens when:
- The parent component doesn't pass the `users` prop at all
- The parent passes `users` as `undefined`, `null`, or a non-array value (like a promise, object, or string)
- Data hasn't finished loading yet (e.g., fetched from an API asynchronously)
### ✅ How to fix it
The most robust solution is to provide a…
9.2s701 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):…
gpt-oss-20b
Below is a quick “code‑review” style list that touches the three axes you asked for – **readability**, **performance**, and **best practices**.
After the bullet‑list I’ll paste a refactored version that incorporates the most common fixes.
---
## 1. Readability
| Issue | Why it hurts | Quick fix |
|-------|--------------|-----------|
| **Imports inside the function** | Every call recompiles the import tables and makes the module’s top‑level slower. | Move `import requests` and `import time` to the module’s global header. |
| **Bare `except:`** | Catches *everything* (KeyboardInterrupt, SystemExit, MemoryError, etc.) and swallows useful tracebacks. | Catch only the expected network-relate…
24.6s2267 output tokens
Solar Mini 4
Here’s a reviewed version of your function, followed by a breakdown of the improvements:
```python
import time
import requests
from requests.adapters import HTTPAdapter
from urllib3.util.retry import Retry
def get_data(url: str, retries: int = 3) -> list[dict]:
"""
Fetch JSON from a URL and return a list of active items with name/id.
Args:
url: The endpoint to request.
retries: Number of retry attempts on failure.
Returns:
A list of dicts matching {'name': str, 'id': any} for active items.
"""
if retries < 1:
raise ValueError("retries must be at least 1")
session = requests.Session()
retry_strategy = Retry(
total=re…
10.8s1278 output tokens
Frequently asked questions
- Which is cheaper, gpt-oss-20b or Solar Mini 4?
- Per 1M output tokens, gpt-oss-20b is ¥25.02 and Solar Mini 4 is ¥35.74 on FastMetal (yen, before tax), so gpt-oss-20b is cheaper.
- How do the context windows of gpt-oss-20b and Solar Mini 4 compare?
- gpt-oss-20b takes 131,072 tokens; Solar Mini 4 takes 524,288.
- Can I use gpt-oss-20b and Solar Mini 4 with the same API key?
- Yes. On FastMetal's OpenAI-compatible endpoint, switch by passing "gpt-oss-20b" or "solar-mini4" 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 gpt-oss-20b and Solar Mini 4 from the browser chat and the API. No monthly fee.