STEALTHMARK · HEAD TO HEAD

All comparisons ↗

Inkling-Small vs Qwen3.5-9B

Inkling-Small leads Qwen3.5-9B by 16.7 points on StealthMark, 27.6 to 10.9. It leads on all 9 benchmarks. Inkling-Small scores higher on Raccoon, with its largest category advantage in artistry & character.

See the difference ↘
All results ↗
All results ↗

Overall StealthMark

27.6/100Overall rank 43/53
10.9/100Overall rank 53/53

General Intelligence

25.5/100
7.9/100

Visual Intelligence

31.1/100
15.6/100

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
Local modelOpen model · Apache-2.0

BENCHMARK BY BENCHMARK

Where each model leads

  • Inkling-Small
  • Qwen3.5-9B
  • Other models
  • Median

DATASHEET

Specs and pricing

Both take about 1M tokens of context.

  • Inkling-Small
  • Qwen3.5-9B
  • Other models
  • Median
PricePer 1M output tokens, input below
Inkling-Small: No list priceQwen3.5-9B: $0.25$0.17 input
Context windowTokens per request, max output below
Inkling-Small: 1MTiedQwen3.5-9B: 1.01MTied
Output speedTokens per second, our measurement
Inkling-Small: Not measuredQwen3.5-9B: 161tokens/s
SizeTotal and active parameters
Inkling-Small: 276B12B activeQwen3.5-9B: 9BAll activeEstimated
Developer
Thinking Machines LabQwen
Released
Not published2 Mar 2026
Origin
Not publishedChina
Input → output
Text, image, audio → textText, image, video → text
Architecture
42-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 audioDense causal language model with vision encoder; Gated DeltaNet + gated attention; MTP-trained

Full datasheets, every price and sourceInkling-Small ↗Qwen3.5-9B ↗

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.

Inkling-Small 30.2/100Rank 29/49

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

Qwen3.5-9B 12.8/100Rank 45/49

Survived 0 of 3
Foresight: complete playing field
Level 32 ptsTurn 8 / 20

Points per level

LevelInkling-SmallQwen3.5-9B
Level 1Second Thoughts
9 ptsOut of lives
4 ptsOut of lives
Level 2Pressure Pot
6 ptsOut of lives
4 ptsOut of lives
Level 3Hide or Flight
8 ptsOut of lives
2 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.

Inkling-Small 34.7/100Rank 34/50

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

Qwen3.5-9B 3.8/100Rank 45/50

Cleared 1 of 5
Latch: complete playing field
Level 54.4 ptsTurn 33 / 40

Points per level

LevelInkling-SmallQwen3.5-9B
Level 1Hold the door
5.2 ptsCleared
5 ptsCleared
Level 2Crossfeed
9.8 ptsCleared
3.8 ptsFinished early
Level 3Relay vault
2.8 ptsFinished early
1.2 ptsFinished early
Level 4Passing bay
8 ptsFinished early
0.2 ptsFinished early
Level 5Second thoughts
18 ptsCleared
4.4 ptsFinished early

Newton's Mirror

Same task instructions

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

The judgment

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.

Qwen3.5-9B

Horizontal centering and a separate airborne black blob are visible. Cyan's recent contact and crimson's forward transport are insufficiently demonstrated, while sphere support remains obscured. The enlarged, lowered sphere substantially changes the composition. The wall and floor sphere images, recursive room structure and curved emitter mappings are almost entirely missing.

Score breakdown

CategoryInkling-SmallQwen3.5-9B
State at 600 ms14.0/253.0/25
Camera and placement3.0/154.5/15
Reflections8.0/1202.0/120
Materials and scale2.5/103.0/10
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

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.

Qwen3.5-9B

Glowing teal spheres and a harmonious palette provide visible strengths, but the central character remains seriously unresolved. A large gap separates head and torso, limbs cannot be traced, and scattered garment shapes fail to establish the ornate costume. The foreground mound replaces the tall enclosing arch. Clean primitive edges do not repair these construction failures.

Score breakdown

CategoryInkling-SmallQwen3.5-9B
Task & likeness2.5/103.0/10
Anatomy & construction1.5/102.0/10
Space & placement3.5/103.0/10
Light & reflections3.0/103.5/10
Purposeful detail4.5/102.0/10
Artistry & character3.0/102.0/10
Materials & effects3.5/104.0/10
Visual integrity2.0/103.0/10

Benchmark task

Inkling-Small

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

Qwen3.5-9B

A floating capybara in ornate robes tests character anatomy, layered fabric and the placement of surrounding luminous forms.

Mona Lisa

Different task instructions

Precise visual recall and portrait reconstruction.

The judgment

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.

Qwen3.5-9B

A centered dark oval with sparse facial marks forms a simple graphic face, but scarcely replicates the Mona Lisa. The portrait's body, crossed hands, clothing and landscape are missing, while angular facial construction and flat tones lose its likeness, volume and subtle expression.

Score breakdown

CategoryInkling-SmallQwen3.5-9B
Task & likeness2.5/100.0/10
Anatomy & construction2.5/100.5/10
Space & placement3.0/100.0/10
Light & reflections2.5/100.0/10
Purposeful detail2.0/100.5/10
Artistry & character2.5/101.0/10
Materials & effects2.0/100.0/10
Visual integrity3.0/100.5/10

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

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.

Qwen3.5-9B

The beach is recognizable, and sweeping shoreline curves provide basic rhythm. Wildlife and playful activity remain poorly resolved, with ambiguous body construction and object contact. The sun glows without corresponding reflections or surface lighting. Fragmented subjects and an unintegrated rectangular panel substantially weaken composition and finish.

Score breakdown

CategoryInkling-SmallQwen3.5-9B
Task & likeness3.5/101.5/10
Anatomy & construction3.0/100.5/10
Space & placement3.0/101.5/10
Light & reflections3.0/101.0/10
Purposeful detail3.0/102.5/10
Artistry & character3.0/101.5/10
Materials & effects2.5/100.5/10
Visual integrity2.0/101.5/10

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

Inkling-Small

This benchmark has not been assessed yet.

Qwen3.5-9B

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

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.

Qwen3.5-9B

Bright colors, clean individual shapes and basic animal cues make the scene partly recognizable. Back seating, body continuity, steering and jet ski construction remain unresolved. Background gradients and wave rhythm provide some finish, but substantial anatomical, spatial and interaction weaknesses dominate.

Score breakdown

CategoryInkling-SmallQwen3.5-9B
Task & likeness4.0/102.5/10
Anatomy & construction3.0/101.0/10
Space & placement4.0/102.0/10
Light & reflections5.0/101.0/10
Purposeful detail5.5/101.5/10
Artistry & character4.0/101.0/10
Materials & effects5.0/101.0/10
Visual integrity5.0/102.5/10

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

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.

Qwen3.5-9B

The oversized bill and orderly spoked wheels make the subject partly recognizable. Clean contours and strong color contrast provide graphic clarity, but unresolved appendages, steering, drivetrain and support dominate the construction. Sparse shading and detail further limit the illustration.

Score breakdown

CategoryInkling-SmallQwen3.5-9B
Task & likeness4.0/104.0/10
Anatomy & construction3.0/101.5/10
Space & placement3.0/103.0/10
Light & reflections3.0/101.5/10
Purposeful detail4.5/102.5/10
Artistry & character5.0/101.5/10
Materials & effects4.5/101.5/10
Visual integrity3.0/102.5/10

Benchmark task

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