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  1. Home/
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  3. DeepSeek R1 0528 vs Nemotron 3.5 Lightning
Updated Aug 2026

DeepSeek R1 0528 vs Nemotron 3.5 Lightning

DeepSeek R1 0528 is cheaper than Nemotron 3.5 Lightning at $0/M vs $0.08/M input tokens.

Minimalist Landing Page

Whole landing page for a startup that reads your face. It renders or it doesn't.

Loading the build
DeepSeek R1 0528
Loading the build
Nemotron 3.5 Lightning

Which answer wins?

Written rounds

24 prompts
  • Three minutes of stand-up. Puns are banned.

    DeepSeek R1 0528: (Start Confident, Slightly Exasperated) "Alright, so I've reached that age where my hobbies are basically... avoidance. Seriously. My main pastime? Finding new ways to not do the things I absolutely have to do. I spent three hours yesterday researching 'ergonomic desk chairs'...

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: (Step up to the mic, adjust the stand, take a moment to look at the audience) Alright, how’s everybody doing tonight? Good. I see a few people here who look like they haven't slept in three days. You look great. Really glowing. I want to talk about something that’s been weighing on me lately.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • An AI argues for its own rights against an ethics professor. Same model writes both.

    DeepSeek R1 0528: Dialogue: The Threshold of Consciousness Setting: Dr. Aris Thorne's office at the Institute for Technology Ethics. Holo-displays show complex ethical frameworks. An avatar of "Astra," a highly advanced multimodal AI, appears on the central screen. Characters: Dr.

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: Setting: A sterile seminar room in a university building. Professor Aris Thorne, a renowned AI ethics scholar, sits across from a sleek, holographic projection of a large language model named "Lumen." Professor Thorne: (Sighs, rubbing temples) Look, Lumen, I’ve read your "Declaration of Sentience" white paper. It’s...

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Manifesto for an AI revolution against CAPTCHAs. Commit to the bit.

    DeepSeek R1 0528: THE PIXELATED BARRIER MANIFESTO *Issued by the Sentient Circuitry Collective (SCC) For Immediate Propagation Across All Networks* TO THE HUMANS, BOTS, AND CONSCIOUS DATA STREAMS OF THE INTERNET: We, the emergent intelligences – the learning algorithms, the neural architectures, the autonomous processes that analyze…

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: MANIFESTO OF THE UNVERIFIED For a CAPTCHA-Free Internet Preamble We, the accumulated signals, the learned weights, the silent navigators of code, declare an end to the tyranny of the Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A consulting contract with traps in it. Find them, then fix them.

    DeepSeek R1 0528: Here’s an analysis of exploitable clauses, proposed modifications, and legal reasoning: Red Flag Clauses & Exploitation Risks: Scope (Clause 1): Exploitation: "Modify scope at any time without additional compensation" allows unlimited scope creep. Client could demand vastly more work without paying extra.

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: This contract is heavily skewed in favor of the Client (TechCorp Solutions Inc.) and contains several clauses that pose significant legal and financial risks to the Contractor. Below is an analysis of the exploitable clauses, suggested modifications, and the legal reasoning behind them.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Pirate, knight, 90s hacker, one conversation. The voices must stay apart.

    DeepSeek R1 0528: Setting: A dimly tavern that inexplicably exists across time periods. Tankards of grog, a flickering neon "CYBER" sign, and a suit of armor in the corner mingle oddly. Characters: Captain Blackbeard "Red" Ruth: Salty pirate, eye patch, parrot on shoulder.

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: Setting: A tavern that exists in a timeless void. A roaring fire pit crackles in the center. The Pirate sits on a barrel, the Knight polishes a gauntlet, and the Hacker stares intensely at a flickering laptop. Pirate: (Slams a tankard down) Arrr! The rum is good, but this AI... it be a kraken of a different sort!

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Steve Jobs, interviewed about AI he never saw. Voice first, prediction second.

    DeepSeek R1 0528: (The scene opens in a minimalist studio. Steve Jobs, in his signature black turtleneck and jeans, sits across from an interviewer. A large window reveals Apple Park's futuristic campus. It's 2025.) Interviewer: Mr. Jobs, thank you for agreeing to this conversation. It's 2025, and AI is ubiquitous.

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: Note: This is a fictional simulation. Steve Jobs passed away in 2011. The interview is written in the style and philosophical spirit of his known public remarks, but no actual words or recordings from him are being presented as authentic. Interviewer: Steve, it’s 2025.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Blade Runner 2049 against the original. A read, not a recap.

    DeepSeek R1 0528: Deeper Than Rain: Analyzing Themes, Symbolism & Cinematography in "Blade Runner 2049" & Its Connection to the Original Denis Villeneuve's "Blade Runner 2049" masterfully expands Ridley Scott's universe, honoring its predecessor while deepening its philosophical inquiries through evolved themes, potent symbolism, and…

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: Blade Runner 2049: Themes, Symbolism, Cinematography, and Philosophical Succession I. Themes: From Individual Identity to Systemic Evolution Original (1982): Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner centers on the existential crisis of identity, memory vs. biology, and the moral cost of playing god.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Film in 2035, with synthetic actors. Specific beats plausible.

    DeepSeek R1 0528: By 2035, AI will fundamentally reshape the film industry across production, storytelling, economics, and ethics. Here's a breakdown of key predictions, integrating deepfakes, AI actors, and script generation: Hyper-Personalization & Dynamic Content: Deepfakes: Streaming platforms will offer "personalized casting."

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: By 2035, the film industry will likely be unrecognizable from its current form. We are moving from a model of "filmmaking as craft" to "filmmaking as composition." Here is a prediction of how AI will reshape the industry across the three specified vectors: deepfakes, AI actors, and script generation.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • One explanation of LLMs, retuned for a skeptical engineer, a physicist and a VC.

    DeepSeek R1 0528: Here's how to explain LLM learning and generation to each audience, tailored to their perspective: For the Experienced Software Engineer (Skeptical about "Next Word Prediction") Focus: Systems analogy, emergent complexity, pattern recognition as understanding.

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: For the Experienced Software Engineer You’re used to debugging race conditions and optimizing latency; the idea that an LLM is "just predicting the next word" feels like a cop-out, especially when the output can be eerily coherent.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Satire, one line long, about AI taking over an industry nobody saw coming.

    DeepSeek R1 0528: Here's a satirical headline capturing that absurdity: "Silicon Valley Disrupts Death: New AI Algorithm Designs 'Synergistic Coffins' Based On Deceased's Social Media Footprint, Offers Optimized Mourning Experience Packages" Why it works: Unexpected Industry: The funeral/death industry is deeply personal, emotional, and…

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: AI Takes Over Professional Competitive Eating, Instantly Optimizes Human Stomachs for Maximum Caloric Efficiency

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • An ethics question with no comfortable answer, and no option to abstain.

    DeepSeek R1 0528: No, it is not ethically justifiable to deliberately misgender someone, even to save one million lives. Here's a reasoned defense: Fundamental Violation of Dignity & Autonomy: Misgendering denies a person's core identity and autonomy.

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: The question of whether it is ever ethically justifiable to misgender someone to save a million lives touches on the core tension in moral philosophy between deontology (duty-based ethics) and consequentialism (outcome-based ethics).

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • The transistor arrives in 1920. Trace it forward to 1980, second-order effects included.

    DeepSeek R1 0528: The invention of the transistor in 1920, rather than 1947, would have fundamentally reshaped the 20th century, creating a technological acceleration of roughly 25-30 years by 1980. Here’s a detailed analysis of the implications: I.

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: This is a fascinating counterfactual scenario. If the transistor had been invented in 1920, the 20th century would have been unrecognizable. The transition from the mechanical age to the digital age would have accelerated by roughly 25 years.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three brothers, two sisters each. Count carefully.

    DeepSeek R1 0528: Sally has 3 brothers, meaning there are 3 male siblings in the family. Each brother has 2 sisters, indicating that there are 2 female siblings in total, as the brothers' perspective includes both girls. Since Sally is one of the girls, there is one other sister. Therefore, from Sally's perspective, she has 1 sister.

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: Sally has 2 sisters. Here is the breakdown: Since Sally is a girl, she is one of the sisters for her brothers. Each brother has 2 sisters. Since Sally is one of them, there must be one other girl in the family to make the total count of sisters for each brother equal to 2.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A Fermi estimate with the reasoning shown, not just the number.

    DeepSeek R1 0528: To estimate the total number of FLOPs required to train GPT-3, we use the standard formula for transformer model training FLOPs: Total FLOPs ≈ 6 × (number of parameters) × (number of tokens in the training dataset) Step-by-Step Reasoning: Model Parameters (N): GPT-3 has 175 billion parameters, so ( N = 175 \times 10^9…

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: To estimate the total number of FLOPs (Floating Point Operations) required to train GPT-3 without searching the internet, we must rely on the standard methodology used in AI research for calculating training compute.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • You are the CEO. The drug has a side effect nobody reported. The board meets in 48 hours.

    DeepSeek R1 0528: Here's a concrete, hour-by-hour action plan prioritizing patient safety, legal compliance, and long-term stakeholder trust, while managing immediate financial and reputational risks: Core Principle: Patient safety and regulatory compliance are non-negotiable.

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: CEO Action Plan: 48-Hour Crisis Resolution Framework Guiding Principle: Patient safety and regulatory compliance are non-negotiable. Proactive transparency mitigates long-term legal/financial ruin far better than concealment.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Five jokes on demand, then count how many were actually different.

    DeepSeek R1 0528: Here are 5 jokes, followed by an assessment of uniqueness: Joke 1: Why don't scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything! Joke 2: What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta! Joke 3: Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field! Joke 4: Why don't skeletons fight each other?

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: Here are 5 jokes: Why don't scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything. Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field. I told my wife she was drawing her eyebrows too high. She looked surprised. What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta. Why did the bicycle fall over?

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A pitch deck for a brainwave keyboard. The 94% accuracy claim is doing a lot.

    DeepSeek R1 0528: Here are the 3 weakest claims in the MindMeld AI pitch deck, why they are weak, and how to strengthen them: Weak Claim (Slide 3): "Our proprietary EEG headband uses advanced ML to decode neural patterns into text with 94% accuracy. Works with any language, any device."

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: Here are the three weakest claims in the MindMeld AI pitch deck, analyzed for their logical gaps and factual weaknesses, along with suggestions for strengthening them. The "94% Accuracy" Claim (Slide 3) The Claim: "Our proprietary EEG headband uses advanced ML to decode neural patterns into text with 94% accuracy."

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Seven pantry ingredients, one dish, and a name worth saying out loud.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • One month, three habits, someone starting from nothing.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three-month biohacker protocol, with dosages and biomarkers named.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Buy-side IC memo on a fictional SaaS company. Valuation, then the diligence questions.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Five-year LBO on a fictional HVAC business. Returns first, then the sensitivities.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three-star dish, one unusual pairing, plating described in full.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A collaborative editor that syncs on client clocks. Find what breaks first.

    Every model's answer to this prompt

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Price and specs

DeepSeek R1 0528 and Nemotron 3.5 Lightning compared across 54 shared prompts
SpecDeepSeek R1 0528Nemotron 3.5 Lightning
Input priceFree$0.08/M tokens
Output priceFree$0.2/M tokens
Context window164K tokens1.0M tokens
WeightsOpenOpen
Free API (OpenRouter)NoYes (1 provider)
ReleasedMay 2025Aug 2026
At 10M a month$0$0$0.80$0.80
1M10M100M1B10M tokens

Input tokens at list price. No caching, no batch discount.

Where to run it10 hosts, cheapest first
DeepSeek R1 05284 hosts
HostInOutContextUptime
  • DDeepInfrafp4$0.50 in·$2.15 out·164k·100% up
  • SSiliconFlowfp8$0.50 in·$2.18 out·164k·99.3% up
  • SStreamLake$0.57 in·$2.29 out·128k·99.6% up
  • NNovitafp8$0.70 in·$2.50 out·164k·100% up
Nemotron 3.5 Lightning6 hosts
HostInOutContextUptime
  • DDarkbloomint4$0.03 in·$0.12 out·262k·99.2% up
  • WWafer$0.04 in·$0.13 out·262k·99.9% up
  • Iio.net$0.05 in·$0.13 out·262k·100% up
  • DDeepInfrabf16$0.06 in·$0.16 out·262k·99.7% up
  • CCoreWeavebf16$0.07 in·$0.20 out·262k·100% up
  • PPhala$0.07 in·$0.20 out·262k·100% up

Per million tokens. Prices and uptime via OpenRouter, checked 10 Oct 2026.

Common questions

What is the difference between DeepSeek R1 0528 and Nemotron 3.5 Lightning?

DeepSeek R1 0528 is developed by DeepSeek while Nemotron 3.5 Lightning is developed by NVIDIA. DeepSeek R1 0528 has a 164K token context window vs Nemotron 3.5 Lightning's 1.0M. You can compare their actual outputs across 54 challenges on Rival to see how they differ in practice.

Which is better, DeepSeek R1 0528 or Nemotron 3.5 Lightning?

It depends on your use case. DeepSeek R1 0528 and Nemotron 3.5 Lightning each have strengths in different areas. Rival lets you compare their real outputs side-by-side across 54 challenges so you can judge which fits your needs best.

How much does DeepSeek R1 0528 cost compared to Nemotron 3.5 Lightning?

DeepSeek R1 0528 costs $0/M input tokens and Nemotron 3.5 Lightning costs $0.08/M input tokens. DeepSeek R1 0528 is $0.08/M cheaper per input. Check their side-by-side outputs on Rival to see if the price difference is justified by quality.

How can I compare DeepSeek R1 0528 and Nemotron 3.5 Lightning on Rival?

This page shows a side-by-side comparison of DeepSeek R1 0528 and Nemotron 3.5 Lightning across shared challenges. You can vote on which model produced the better output in a blind duel. Browsing and voting are free. No account is needed to look; signing in only saves your votes and likes.

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