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  5. Grok 4.3vsMercury 2.5 Preview
Updated Aug 2026

Grok 4.3vsMercury 2.5 Preview

Mercury 2.5 Preview is cheaper than Grok 4.3 at $0.04/M vs $1.25/M input tokens.

Grok 4.3 and Mercury 2.5 Preview compared across 54 shared prompts
SpecGrok 4.3Mercury 2.5 Preview
Input price$1.25/M tokens$0.04/M tokens
Output price$2.5/M tokens$0.15/M tokens
Context window1.0M tokens260K tokens
WeightsClosed—
Free API (OpenRouter)NoNo
ReleasedMay 2026Aug 2026
Side by side

Same prompt, both answers

Opening lines from 6 of the 54 prompts both answered. Formatting stripped, words untouched.

Generate a Stand-Up Routine

Write a 3-minute stand-up comedy routine that isn't based on puns.

Grok 4.3407 words
Alright, so I decided this year I was finally going to become one of those organized people. You know, the ones who meal prep on Sundays and have matching Tupperware. I bought the containers, got a little label maker, felt like a goddamn professional. Cooked enough chicken and rice to feed a small army.
Read the full answer
Mercury 2.5 Preview483 words
(Hey, thanks for coming out.) I’ve been thinking a lot about my house lately. Specifically, how it’s trying to run my life. I bought a smart speaker. Just a little cylinder. I thought it would be nice. Play music when I ask. But now it talks back. Not in a creepy way, just in a passive-aggressive way.
Read the full answer

Futuristic Prediction

Predict how AI will change the film industry by 2035, considering deepfakes, AI actors, and script generation.

Grok 4.3844 words
By 2035, AI will have integrated into nearly every stage of filmmaking, shifting the industry from a high-cost, labor-intensive craft toward a hybrid model of human-AI collaboration. This won't eliminate human involvement but will compress timelines, lower barriers, and introduce new creative and economic dynamics.
Read the full answer
Mercury 2.5 Preview84 words
By 2035, cinema will undergo a profound transformation. Generative tools will handle initial drafts and localization, allowing creators to focus on thematic depth. Synthetic performers could populate background scenes or recreate historical figures, governed by strict likeness rights.
Read the full answer

Character Voice Test

Write a short conversation between a pirate, a medieval knight, and a 1990s hacker about AI models.

Grok 4.3161 words
Pirate: Arrr, what be these "AI models" the scallywags keep yappin' about? Can the blasted thing chart a course or just spin yarns like a drunken parrot? Knight: Verily, 'tis a strange sorcery. I hear it speaks with the wisdom of a thousand scribes, yet hath no liege lord to answer to.
Read the full answer
Mercury 2.5 Preview144 words
Pirate: "Arrgh! This ship sails faster than any wind I know, matey. It cuts the waves without a single sail." Knight: "By my oath, it moves with uncanny speed. But does it possess the strength to stand against a dragon's fire?" Hacker: "It's not about strength, it's about architecture.
Read the full answer

Beginner's Longevity Plan

Outline a simple, actionable 1-month plan for someone starting their journey towards better health and longevity. Focus on 3 key areas…

Grok 4.3598 words
1-Month Health & Longevity Starter Plan This plan focuses on three foundational areas: Nutrition, Exercise, and Sleep. It is designed for beginners and builds gradually across four weeks. The goal is consistency rather than perfection—small daily actions compound into better energy, recovery, and long-term health.
Read the full answer
Mercury 2.5 Preview176 words
Here is a straightforward 4-week roadmap designed to build sustainable habits without overwhelming you. Core Pillars Nutrition: Focus on whole foods and hydration. Activity: Prioritize consistent movement over intensity. Restoration: Protect sleep quality and manage energy.
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Historical Counterfactual Analysis

If the transistor had been invented in 1920 instead of 1947, trace the likely technological, economic, and geopolitical implications through…

Grok 4.31,173 words
Technological Acceleration (1920–1939) The transistor’s 1920 invention (assume U.S./Bell Labs context for continuity with real history, with rapid diffusion to Western Europe) replaces bulky, fragile vacuum tubes decades earlier. Key first-order effects: Radio and telephony miniaturize and cheapen immediately.
Read the full answer
Mercury 2.5 Preview683 words
Shifting the invention of the solid-state switch to 1920 accelerates the Information Age by roughly three decades. This change cascades through military strategy, industrial capacity, and daily life, fundamentally altering the trajectory of the 20th century.
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Michelin Star Recipe Design

Design an innovative recipe for a multi-component dish worthy of a Michelin 3-star restaurant. The recipe should feature an unusual…

Grok 4.3937 words
Abyssal Reverie This dish draws from the liminal space where the ocean’s briny depths meet the roasted intensity of the earth. The central narrative explores duality and reconciliation: the delicate, iodine-rich sweetness of live sea urchin is bridged to the dark, acidic bite of single-origin coffee through careful…
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Mercury 2.5 Preview748 words
Dish Title: Lithospheric Tides Conceptual Narrative This dish explores the geological convergence of the deep ocean and the subterranean earth. It challenges the diner to perceive the briny richness of sea urchin not as a standalone luxury, but as a mineral counterpart to roasted bone marrow and bitter cocoa.
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Our Verdict
Grok 4.3
Grok 4.3
Mercury 2.5 Preview
Mercury 2.5 PreviewRunner-up

Not enough votes to call it. On the specs, Grok 4.3 has the edge: bigger model tier, bigger context window, major provider backing.

Mercury 2.5 Preview costs 17x less per token.

Too close to call

Reviewing agent-written code?See a Brief PR report

API pricing

Cost per 1M tokens

Grok 4.3
Input
$1.25
Output
$2.50
Mercury 2.5 Preview
Input
$0.04
31× cheaper
Output
$0.15
17× cheaper

Mercury 2.5 Preview is cheaper on both: 31× input, 17× output.

Where to run it

2 hosts

Grok 4.31 host
HostInOutContextUptime
xAI$1.25 in·$2.50 out·1M·99% up
Mercury 2.5 Preview1 host
HostInOutContextUptime
Inception$0.04 in·$0.15 out·260k·100% up

Per million tokens. Prices and uptime via OpenRouter, checked 16 Sep 2026.

Writing DNA

Style Comparison

Similarity
83%

Mercury 2.5 Preview uses 2.3x more headings

Grok 4.3
Mercury 2.5 Preview
62%Vocabulary65%
16wSentence Length14w
0.46Hedging0.44
2.3Bold4.9
2.5Lists3.3
0.00Emoji0.00
0.34Headings0.79
0.14Transitions0.20
Based on 27 + 26 text responses
Research

What we learned reading every model

FAQ

Common questions

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Model pages

Grok 4.3 logo
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Mercury 2.5 Preview logo
Mercury 2.5 Preview58 outputs, specs and price
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