MiniMax M2.7 vs MiniMax M3.1 Flash
Pricing, context window and real answers (October 2026)
MiniMax M2.7 (MiniMax) and MiniMax M3.1 Flash (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
 MiniMax M2.7 | MiniMax M3.1 Flash | |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | MiniMax | MiniMax |
| Input (per 1M tokens) | $0.3165 | $0.1583 |
| Output (per 1M tokens) | $1.27 | $0.633 |
| Typical cost (1,000 in + 500 out tokens × 1,000 calls) | $0.9495 | $0.4748 |
| Context window | 204,800 tokens | 1,048,576 tokens |
| Release date | 3/18/2026 | 10/19/2026 |
| Input modalities | text | text, image |
| Throughput (p50) | — | — |
| Arena · overall | #140 · ELO 1,415 | Unranked |
| Arena · Japanese | #185 · ELO 1,273 | Unranked |
| Arena · coding | #110 · ELO 1,480 | Unranked |
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, MiniMax M3.1 Flash: $0.633 per 1M output tokens, 50% less than MiniMax M2.7.
- For long documents, MiniMax M3.1 Flash: 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.
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
MiniMax M3.1 Flash
1. Spell **strawberry**:
**s – t – r – a – w – b – e – r – r – y**
2. Count the letter **r**: it appears at positions **3, 8, and 9**.
**Total: 3 “r”s.**
3.0s193 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…
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
MiniMax M3.1 Flash
The error occurs because `users` is `undefined` when `UserList` renders. Calling `.map()` on `undefined` causes the `TypeError`.
This commonly happens when:
- `<UserList />` is rendered without passing the `users` prop.
- The prop has a different name, such as `user`.
- Data is still loading and the parent initializes its state as `undefined`.
- An API response is accessed before it exists.
### Immediate fix
Provide a default empty array:
```jsx
function UserList({ users = [] }) {
return (
<ul>
{users.map(user => (
<li key={user.id}>{user.name}</li>
))}
</ul>
);
}
```
Then pass the actual data from the parent:
```jsx
const [users, setUsers] = useState([…
7.3s744 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):…
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
MiniMax M3.1 Flash
The function is understandable, but it has a few important issues:
- `except:` catches programming errors such as `KeyError`, `TypeError`, and even `KeyboardInterrupt`.
- Every non-200 response is retried, including permanent failures such as 400, 401, and 404.
- It sleeps after the final failed attempt.
- Returning `[]` makes a failed request indistinguishable from a successful response containing no active records.
- A fixed delay can cause clients to retry simultaneously; exponential backoff and `Retry-After` are preferable.
- `item["active"] == True` should be `item.get("active") is True` if the API contract says it is a JSON boolean.
- A `Session` can reuse connections, while `requests…
146.5s
Frequently asked questions
- Which is cheaper, MiniMax M2.7 or MiniMax M3.1 Flash?
- Per 1M output tokens, MiniMax M2.7 is $1.27 and MiniMax M3.1 Flash is $0.633 on FastMetal (US dollars, before tax), so MiniMax M3.1 Flash is cheaper.
- How do the context windows of MiniMax M2.7 and MiniMax M3.1 Flash compare?
- MiniMax M2.7 takes 204,800 tokens; MiniMax M3.1 Flash takes 1,048,576.
- Can I use MiniMax M2.7 and MiniMax M3.1 Flash with the same API key?
- Yes. On FastMetal's OpenAI-compatible endpoint, switch by passing "minimax-m2.7" or "minimax-m3.1-flash" 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 MiniMax M2.7 and MiniMax M3.1 Flash from the browser chat and the API. No monthly fee.