Hy4 vs Mercury 2.5
Pricing, context window and real answers (November 2026)
Hy4 (Tencent) and Mercury 2.5 (Inception), 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
 Hy4 | Mercury 2.5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Tencent | Inception |
| Input (per 1M tokens) | $0.8799 | $0.044 |
| Output (per 1M tokens) | $2.64 | $0.165 |
| Typical cost (1,000 in + 500 out tokens × 1,000 calls) | $2.20 | $0.1265 |
| Context window | 1,000,000 tokens | 260,000 tokens |
| Release date | 11/4/2026 | 9/8/2026 |
| Input modalities | text | text |
| Throughput (p50) | — | — |
| Arena · overall | Unranked | Unranked |
| Arena · Japanese | Unranked | Unranked |
| Arena · coding | Unranked | Unranked |
Prices are FastMetal's rates, before tax.
Rankings: LMArena leaderboard dataset (lmarena-ai/leaderboard-dataset), CC BY 4.0, snapshot 2026-10-28; category names mapped and ratings rounded by FastMetal.
Which should you pick?
- On price, Mercury 2.5: $0.165 per 1M output tokens, 94% less than Hy4.
- For long documents, Hy4: a 1,000,000-token context window against 260,000 for Mercury 2.5.
- 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.
Hy4
The word **“strawberry”** is spelled:
**s t r a w b e r r y**
Step by step:
1. Check each letter: s, t, **r**, a, w, b, e, **r**, **r**, y
2. Mark the **r**’s: one after **t**, and two near the end before **y**.
3. Count them: 1 + 1 + 1 = **3**
So, there are **3** ‘r’s in **“strawberry”**.
4.2s343 output tokens
Mercury 2.5
To determine the number of 'r's in the word "strawberry", we can examine each letter in sequence:
1. **s** - Not 'r'
2. **t** - Not 'r'
3. **r** - First 'r' found
4. **a** - Not 'r'
5. **w** - Not 'r'
6. **b** - Not 'r'
7. **e** - Not 'r'
8. **r** - Second 'r' found
9. **r** - Third 'r' found
10. **y** - Not 'r'
Counting these occurrences, there are **3** 'r's in "strawberry".
1.8s968 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…
Hy4
The error is caused by this line:
```js
{users.map(user => <li key={user.id}>{user.name}</li>)}
```
At render time, `users` is `undefined`. Since `.map()` only exists on arrays, JavaScript tries to read `map` from `undefined` and throws:
```txt
Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'map')
```
Even though this is in a Node.js app, this specific error is happening during React rendering, likely server-side rendering or a Node-based build/render process.
Common causes:
1. The parent component is not passing `users`.
2. The prop name is misspelled.
3. `users` comes from async data and is `undefined` on the first render.
4. Your API returns something like `{ users: [...] }`, but you…
20.3s1951 output tokens
Mercury 2.5
This error occurs because the `users` prop is `undefined` when the component renders. Since the code calls `.map()` on `users`, JavaScript throws a TypeError when `users` is not an array.
Here is how to fix it:
1. **Set a Default Value**
Update the function signature to default `users` to an empty array if it is not provided:
```javascript
function UserList({ users = [] }) {
// ...
}
```
2. **Add a Conditional Check**
If `users` might be null or undefined during data loading, guard the map operation:
```javascript
{users && users.map(user => <li key={user.id}>{user.name}</li>)}
```
3. **Verify Parent Props**
Ensure the parent component pas…
2.4s1028 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):…
Hy4
Here are the main improvement areas, followed by a possible rewrite.
## Key issues
### Readability / style
- Move imports to the top of the module.
- Use descriptive names: `response` instead of `r`, `attempt` instead of `i`.
- `if item["active"] == True:` should be `if item.get("active") is True:` or simply `if item.get("active"):`, depending on intent.
- The filtering loop can be a list comprehension.
- Add type hints and a docstring.
### Performance
- Repeated imports are cached by Python, so not a major cost, but top-level imports are cleaner.
- Avoid sleeping after the final failed attempt.
- Use `requests.Session` for connection pooling if this function may be called repeatedly or i…
110.2s10761 output tokens
Mercury 2.5
Here is a review of the function with suggestions for improvement.
### Key Observations
1. **Imports:** Libraries should be imported at the module level, not inside functions.
2. **Exception Handling:** Bare `except:` clauses catch system exits and interrupts. Use specific exceptions like `requests.exceptions.RequestException`.
3. **Logic & Pythonicity:**
* Avoid `== True`; rely on truthiness or `item.get("active")`.
* List comprehensions are more concise and efficient than manual appending.
4. **Retry Strategy:** Implement exponential backoff instead of fixed sleeps, and avoid sleeping after the final failed attempt.
5. **Documentation:** Add type hints and a docstring fo…
4.6s1999 output tokens
Frequently asked questions
- Which is cheaper, Hy4 or Mercury 2.5?
- Per 1M output tokens, Hy4 is $2.64 and Mercury 2.5 is $0.165 on FastMetal (US dollars, before tax), so Mercury 2.5 is cheaper.
- How do the context windows of Hy4 and Mercury 2.5 compare?
- Hy4 takes 1,000,000 tokens; Mercury 2.5 takes 260,000.
- Can I use Hy4 and Mercury 2.5 with the same API key?
- Yes. On FastMetal's OpenAI-compatible endpoint, switch by passing "hy4" or "mercury-2.5" 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 Hy4 and Mercury 2.5 from the browser chat and the API. No monthly fee.