STEALTHMARK · HEAD TO HEAD

All comparisons ↗

Gemini 3.8 Flash vs Inkling-Small

Gemini 3.8 Flash leads Inkling-Small by 20.3 points on StealthMark, 47.9 to 27.6. It leads on all 9 benchmarks. Gemini 3.8 Flash scores higher on Beach, with its largest category advantage in prompt & likeness.

See the difference ↘
All results ↗
All results ↗

Overall StealthMark

47.9/100Overall rank 20/53
27.6/100Overall rank 43/53

General Intelligence

43.9/100
25.5/100

Visual Intelligence

55.2/100
31.1/100

Reasoning efficiency

On every task, result quality and reasoning tokens are each compared with all measured models and weighed equally. Each dot is one model.

Single-step reasoning Result quality weighed against reasoning tokens on a single problem

Multi-step reasoning Result quality weighed against reasoning tokens across connected steps, as in agentic workflows

  • Inkling-Small

Open or local

Open modelApache 2.0

BENCHMARK BY BENCHMARK

Where each model leads

  • Gemini 3.8 Flash
  • Inkling-Small
  • Other models
  • Median

DATASHEET

Specs and pricing

Both take about 1M tokens of context.

  • Gemini 3.8 Flash
  • Inkling-Small
  • Other models
  • Median
PricePer 1M output tokens, input below
Gemini 3.8 Flash: $3.75$0.75 inputInkling-Small: No list price
Context windowTokens per request, max output below
Gemini 3.8 Flash: 1MTied64K max outputInkling-Small: 1MTied
Output speedTokens per second, our measurement
Gemini 3.8 Flash: 170tokens/sInkling-Small: Not measured
SizeTotal and active parameters
Gemini 3.8 Flash: Not disclosedInkling-Small: 276B12B active
Developer
GoogleThinking Machines Lab
Released
2 Sep 2026Not published
Origin
United StatesNot published
Input → output
Text, image, video, audio, PDF → textText, image, audio → text
Architecture
Not published42-layer decoder-only transformer with sparse mixture-of-experts feed-forward (6 of 256 routed experts plus 2 shared per token); hybrid local and global attention; natively multimodal with a hierarchical patch image encoder and discrete-token audio

Full datasheets, every price and sourceGemini 3.8 Flash ↗Inkling-Small ↗

Anticipating threats and planning ahead. Collect coins while avoiding ghosts. Ghosts move before the player each turn, and collisions cost a life. 3 levels in sequence, up to 66 turns in total. Earlier moves and outcomes carry forward, testing learning across levels.

Gemini 3.8 Flash 45.4/100Rank 21/49

Survived 1 of 3
Foresight: complete playing field
Level 311 ptsTurn 17 / 20

Inkling-Small 30.2/100Rank 29/49

Survived 0 of 3
Foresight: complete playing field
Level 38 ptsTurn 17 / 20

Points per level

LevelGemini 3.8 FlashInkling-Small
Level 1Second Thoughts
4 ptsOut of lives
9 ptsOut of lives
Level 2Pressure Pot
10 ptsSurvived
6 ptsOut of lives
Level 3Hide or Flight
11 ptsOut of lives
8 ptsOut of lives

Cooperative planning and learning from experience. Coordinate two robots to push numbered cores onto matching sockets. Pressure plates hold doors open; moving either robot uses one turn. 5 levels in sequence, up to 152 turns in total. Earlier moves and outcomes carry forward, testing learning across levels.

Gemini 3.8 Flash 72.9/100Rank 15/50

Cleared 5 of 5
Latch: complete playing field
Level 520.6 ptsTurn 27 / 40

Inkling-Small 34.7/100Rank 34/50

Cleared 3 of 5
Latch: complete playing field
Level 518 ptsTurn 40 / 40

Points per level

LevelGemini 3.8 FlashInkling-Small
Level 1Hold the door
5.2 ptsCleared
5.2 ptsCleared
Level 2Crossfeed
9.8 ptsCleared
9.8 ptsCleared
Level 3Relay vault
18.8 ptsCleared
2.8 ptsFinished early
Level 4Passing bay
17.8 ptsClearedFinished early · 1 beacon left
8 ptsFinished early
Level 5Second thoughts
20.6 ptsCleared
18 ptsCleared

Newton's Mirror

Same task instructions

Physics, perspective and recursive reflections, tested together. Explore the test ↗

The judgment

Gemini 3.8 Flash

Crimson is carried well down the camera-facing surface, supporting its earlier interaction. The depiction remains highly simplified, with imperfect material rendering. Isolated wall and floor images and a few highlights provide scant reflective evidence; displaced first reflections, missing receding chains and absent nested sphere and emitter imagery leave the room's optical structure largely unsupported.

Inkling-Small

The sphere's apparent floor support, separate dark feature and broad paint ordering justify partial state credit. The major weakness is the largely missing mirror system: isolated side images and faint floor echoes do not establish repeated virtual rooms or curved spherical mapping. Downward framing, the oversized frontal panel, unresolved paint transport and satin surface appearance remain distinct limitations.

Score breakdown

CategoryGemini 3.8 FlashInkling-Small
State at 600 ms22.5/2514.0/25
Camera and placement11.0/153.0/15
Reflections4.5/1208.0/120
Materials and scale7.0/102.5/10
Floor-damage reward0.0/100.0/10

Benchmark task

A spinning metal sphere and paint in a mirrored room test physical reasoning, perspective and consistency across repeated reflections.

Selfie

Different task instructions

Visual construction and creative interpretation.

The judgment

Gemini 3.8 Flash

The dominant four-point silhouette, luminous color progression, raised brows and enormous grin closely fulfill the brief. Attached, secondary limbs support the exuberant expression. Clean facial drawing and glossy eyes give strong character, while shallow depth, minimally articulated extremities and visible steps in the outer glow limit refinement.

Inkling-Small

The faces and dripping caps communicate a cute mushroom scene, but simple construction and weak spatial relationships limit the result. The defining foot-stamping action is unresolved, the flattering portrait is smaller than its painter, and the requested material contrasts are only partly conveyed.

Score breakdown

CategoryGemini 3.8 FlashInkling-Small
Task & likeness8.0/102.5/10
Anatomy & construction6.0/101.5/10
Space & placement6.5/103.5/10
Light & reflections7.0/103.0/10
Purposeful detail5.0/104.5/10
Artistry & character3.5/103.0/10
Materials & effects5.0/103.5/10
Visual integrity6.5/102.0/10

Benchmark task

Gemini 3.8 Flash

A luminous star-shaped creature tests expressive features, a clear silhouette and smooth colour transitions.

Inkling-Small

Character scenes test expression, anatomy, materials and coherent visual construction.

Mona Lisa

Same task instructions

Precise visual recall and portrait reconstruction.

The judgment

Gemini 3.8 Flash

The dark clothing, overlapping hands and hazy landscape make the Mona Lisa reference recognizable. Replication is limited by the frontal, elongated face, heavy mouth and chin, and poorly resolved hands, wrists and forearm. Soft shading gives some volume, but muddy transitions, blunt landscape shapes and rigid facial modeling weaken the portrait’s expression and painterly character.

Inkling-Small

A recognizable but rudimentary Mona Lisa interpretation. Facial shading and subdued colors provide coherence, while the frontal blocklike torso, unresolved wrists, fingerless hands and shallow landscape substantially limit likeness, construction and finish.

Score breakdown

CategoryGemini 3.8 FlashInkling-Small
Task & likeness3.0/102.5/10
Anatomy & construction2.0/102.5/10
Space & placement3.5/103.0/10
Light & reflections3.0/102.5/10
Purposeful detail5.0/102.0/10
Artistry & character3.0/102.5/10
Materials & effects5.0/102.0/10
Visual integrity1.0/103.0/10

Benchmark task

An SVG interpretation of the Mona Lisa tests facial likeness, anatomy and the composition of a familiar portrait.

Beach

Same task instructions

Creativity, perspective and visual beauty.

The judgment

Gemini 3.8 Flash

A vivid purple-and-gold sunset anchors an appealing beach composition with dolphins, birds, a turtle and playful accessories. Palm silhouettes frame the bright reflection effectively. Sparse animal anatomy, wirelike palm foliage, conspicuously regular reflection bands and limited surface texture keep the execution below exceptional.

Inkling-Small

A recognizable sunset beach with a clear focal sun and appealing color transitions. Connected fish silhouettes and layered scenery establish basic coherence. Primitive figures, ambiguous recreation, sparse descriptive detail and weak grounding limit construction and depth. The aligned reflection supplies a useful lighting cue, but shadows and material effects remain underdeveloped.

Score breakdown

CategoryGemini 3.8 FlashInkling-Small
Task & likeness9.0/103.5/10
Anatomy & construction7.0/103.0/10
Space & placement7.0/103.0/10
Light & reflections8.0/103.0/10
Purposeful detail7.0/103.0/10
Artistry & character7.0/103.0/10
Materials & effects7.0/102.5/10
Visual integrity8.0/102.0/10

Benchmark task

A busy shoreline at sunset tests scene composition, animal forms and the relationship between light and water reflections.

Ground Truth

Same task instructions

Physical reasoning, light and visual reconstruction.

The judgment

Gemini 3.8 Flash

This benchmark has not been assessed yet.

Inkling-Small

This benchmark has not been assessed yet.

Benchmark task

A plank, computer mouse and blueberry in a steel room test physical stability, spatial relationships, materials and lighting.

Raccoon

Same task instructions

Scene composition and interacting subjects.

The judgment

Gemini 3.8 Flash

Expressive animals, a bold diagonal hull and sweeping spray create an appealing action scene. The raccoon's support on the dog's back is unclear, and the dog lacks a readable paw-to-control grip and connected steering assembly. Clean graphic shapes and lively accessories are stronger than the anatomical construction. Sunset illumination and reflections remain largely decorative.

Inkling-Small

Recognizable animals, readable accessories and an appealing sunset support a coherent basic cartoon. Rounded construction leaves joints, riding support and steering unresolved. Decorative gradients contribute atmosphere, but directional lighting, distinct materials and convincing water displacement are weakly demonstrated.

Score breakdown

CategoryGemini 3.8 FlashInkling-Small
Task & likeness7.0/104.0/10
Anatomy & construction6.0/103.0/10
Space & placement7.0/104.0/10
Light & reflections6.5/105.0/10
Purposeful detail7.5/105.5/10
Artistry & character7.5/104.0/10
Materials & effects7.5/105.0/10
Visual integrity7.5/105.0/10

Benchmark task

A jet-ski scene pairs a canine driver with a raccoon passenger. It tests the placement and contact of interacting subjects, along with vehicle construction.

Pelican

Same task instructions

Subject construction and spatial relationships.

The judgment

Gemini 3.8 Flash

The pelican’s enormous bill, lively feathers and orange bicycle create a clear, appealing composition. Basket contents, spokes and facial details reward inspection. Both legs connect to the body, but foot-to-pedal placement and wing-to-handlebar contact are ambiguous. Bicycle mechanics and lighting remain schematic, limiting an otherwise polished illustration.

Inkling-Small

The pelican is immediately recognizable, and its sweeping neck, shaped bill and orderly spokes provide character. Riding remains only partially realized: legs, pedal engagement, steering and seat support cannot be read confidently. Controlled graphic effects add atmosphere, but simplified construction and weak grounding keep the result basic.

Score breakdown

CategoryGemini 3.8 FlashInkling-Small
Task & likeness9.0/104.0/10
Anatomy & construction7.5/103.0/10
Space & placement7.5/103.0/10
Light & reflections7.0/103.0/10
Purposeful detail8.5/104.5/10
Artistry & character8.0/105.0/10
Materials & effects7.0/104.5/10
Visual integrity8.0/103.0/10

Benchmark task

A cycling pelican tests anatomy, riding posture and contact between the bird and the bicycle.