MiniMax M3.1 Flash vs DeepSeek V4.1 Flash on the same Three.js lighthouse prompt
Same prompt test: M3.1 Flash produced a cinematic scene with fog beams, in-cloud lightning and sea foam, while DeepSeek V4.1 Flash just built a lighthouse; both start at $0.15/$0.60 per million tokens but DeepSeek doubles at weekday peak hours.
Gave two Flash models the same prompt: build a storm at sea with a lighthouse in Three.js. DeepSeek V4.1 Flash went for a lighthouse. MiniMax M3.1 Flash went for a movie scene: a sweeping beam through the fog, lightning inside the clouds, foam breaking on the crests. Then there's the bill. Both start at the same price: $0.15 per million input tokens and $0.60 per million output. But DeepSeek doubles to $0.30 and $1.20 at peak hours on weekdays. MiniMax M3.1 Flash stays flat, any hour, any day. That sounds small until you run agents. For a single prompt, nobody cares. For agents that run for hours, it's the difference between leaving it on overnight or babysitting the clock. With flat pricing you can iterate, retry and leave it running without checking the clock. Quick tip for existing M Plan subscribers: you can use MiniMax Code without limits until October 25. I'd use that window to stress test M3.1 Flash on a real project before deciding anything. Links below.