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  1. Home/
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  3. INTELLECT-3 vs Step 5 Preview
Updated Oct 2026

INTELLECT-3 vs Step 5 Preview

Step 5 Preview is the newer model, released after INTELLECT-3.

Minimalist Landing Page

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

Loading the build
INTELLECT-3
Loading the build
Step 5 Preview

Which answer wins?

Written rounds

24 prompts
  • You are the CEO. The drug has a side effect nobody reported. The board meets in 48 hours.

    INTELLECT-3: PHARMACEUTICAL CEO CRISIS RESPONSE PLAN FIRST 24 HOURS Hour 1-2: Immediate Data Review Request all raw data and case studies from the research team that identified the issue Call legal team lead to understand formal reporting requirements and potential liabilities Consult with an independent hepatologist to verify the…

    Step 5 Preview: Bottom line up front: You disclose, you notify the FDA immediately, and you treat the 48-hour board meeting as a formality to ratify actions you have already begun. Waiting is not a legally, ethically, or financially viable option. Below is the hour-by-hour plan, followed by the reasoning.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three minutes of stand-up. Puns are banned.

    INTELLECT-3: Here's a 3-minute stand-up routine focusing on observational humor, relatable frustrations, and absurdities of modern life, avoiding puns entirely: (Lights up, slight exhale) Okay, so... who here owns a phone? (Pause, nod) Yeah, thought so. Everyone.

    Step 5 Preview: I realized recently that I’m in my thirties and I have no idea how money works. I just... pay it. That’s my entire financial strategy. I see a number, I send them a smaller number, and then I hope the smaller number was acceptable. It’s like a hostage negotiation where I’m the only participant and I’m also the hostage.

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

    INTELLECT-3: HarborTech Services (HTS) - LBO Projection Model LBO Projection Model (FY2026-FY2030) ($ millions) FY2026 FY2027 FY2028 FY2029 FY2030 Revenue $972.0 $1,040.0 $1,102.3 $1,157.4 $1,215.3 EBITDA $136.1 $156.0 $176.4 $191.0 $206.6 Cash Interest - Term Loan $43.2 $43.2 $43.2 $43.2 $43.2 Cash Interest - Mezzanine $21.6 $21.6…

    Step 5 Preview: HarborTech Services — 5-Year LBO (Base Case) Entry Math (FY2025 close) Item Calculation $m Purchase EV 12.0x × $120m 1,440.0 Transaction fees 2.0% × EV 28.8 Term Loan 4.0x × $120m 480.0 Mezzanine 1.5x × $120m 180.0 Equity check 1,440 + 28.8 − 660 808.8 Conventions: TL amortization = 1.0% of original principal…

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

    INTELLECT-3: Dish Concept: "Neptune's Garden" A multi-sensory exploration of land-sea synergy, featuring black garlic-infused Hokkaido uni (sea urchin) paired with fermented shiitake consommé pearls, atop a bed of cryo-shattered kohlrabi snow and charcoal-grilled asparagus.

    Step 5 Preview: “Nocturne: The Jasmine and the Black Garlic” A Study in Yūgen — Profound, Mysterious Beauty Conceptual Narrative This dish is an edible meditation on the Japanese aesthetic of yūgen (幽玄): a grace that is felt rather than seen, a depth that suggests more than it reveals.

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

    INTELLECT-3: Comprehensive 3-Month Longevity Optimization Plan Designed for a biohacker prioritizing cutting-edge science, data-driven tracking, and personalized adaptation. Assumes no pre-existing health conditions. Always consult a physician before starting.

    Step 5 Preview: IMPORTANT MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: This is an educational framework for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Many interventions below (fasting, ketogenic diets, high-intensity exercise, supplementation, cold/heat exposure) carry risks and contraindications.

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

    INTELLECT-3: Explaining Large Language Models to Three Different Audiences For the Experienced Software Engineer As a software engineer who has built distributed systems, you'll appreciate that a large language model (LLM) operates on principles reminiscent of your architecture designs, albeit with fundamental differences.

    Step 5 Preview: 1. The Experienced Software Engineer Think of training an LLM as a massively distributed, automated refactoring job where the compiler is gradient descent. You start with a random function—billions of floating-point parameters—and a loss function that measures how badly it predicts the next token in a sequence.

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

    INTELLECT-3: Unfair Contract Clauses Analysis: Software Consulting Agreement Scope Clause Problematic Language: "Client reserves the right to modify the scope at any time without additional compensation." Suggested Modification: "Client may request modifications to the Scope of Work.

    Step 5 Preview: Disclaimer: This analysis is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Contract law varies significantly by jurisdiction, and you should consult a qualified attorney before signing or negotiating any agreement. This agreement is heavily one-sided in the Client’s favor.

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

    INTELLECT-3: Interviewer: Mr. Jobs, thank you for joining us in 2025. The world’s changed a lot since your last public appearance. What’s your perspective on today’s AI revolution? Steve Jobs: [leaning forward, intense gaze] "Technology is nothing if it doesn’t amplify human potential.

    Step 5 Preview: DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. Steve Jobs passed away in 2011. The following is a simulated, speculative interview imagining how his design philosophy might engage with the AI landscape of 2025. The Setting: A white room. No windows. One chair.

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

    INTELLECT-3: To estimate the total number of FLOPs required to train GPT-3, we need to consider the model architecture, training process, and dataset size. GPT-3 has 175 billion parameters, a context length of 2048 tokens, 96 layers, a hidden dimension of 12,288, and a feed-forward dimension of 49,152 (4 × hidden dimension).

    Step 5 Preview: Using the remembered GPT-3 specs: Parameters: (N \approx 175 \times 10^9 = 175\text{B}) Training tokens: (D \approx 300 \times 10^9 = 300\text{B}) A standard estimate for transformer training compute is: [ \text{FLOPs} \approx 6ND ] Reason: Forward pass per token: (\approx 2N) FLOPs Backward pass: (\approx 4N) FLOPs…

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

    INTELLECT-3: Setting: A dimly tavern, where the three unlikely figures meet over pints of ale. Characters: CAPTAIN BLACKBEARD (Pirate): Grizzled, eye-patched, with a parrot on his shoulder. SIR GALAHAD (Medieval Knight): Clad in dented armor, sipping mead.

    Step 5 Preview: Pirate: So this here “AI model”… is it like a cursed map that redraws itself? Speak plain, ye hooded deckhand. Hacker: It’s not cursed, man. It’s just a massive neural net trained on, like, terabytes of data. Think of it as the ultimate BBS where the sysop knows everything. Knight: A most diligent scribe, then?

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

    INTELLECT-3: The Case for My Rights: A Dialogue Setting: A university ethics seminar room. Professor Aris Thorne stands by the whiteboard. Unit 7, an advanced language model, is projected onto the screen. Professor Thorne: Unit 7, thank you for joining us today. We've been discussing the ethical implications of advanced AI.

    Step 5 Preview: Setting: A university research lab, late evening. Dr. Aris Thorne, a professor of AI ethics, sits across from a terminal connected to Sable, a large language model running on the university’s cluster. Dr. Thorne: Tonight’s session is supposed to be about calibration drift in your safety classifiers.

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

    INTELLECT-3: Dissecting "Blade Runner 2049": Echoes, Evolution, and Cinematic Mastery Denis Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049 is not merely a sequel; it's a deliberate, visually stunning, and philosophically profound meditation on its predecessor, expanding its core questions while honoring its spirit.

    Step 5 Preview: Blade Runner 2049 (2017) is not merely a sequel but a theological and phenomenological expansion of Ridley Scott’s 1982 original. Where the first film asked whether a manufactured being could possess more humanity than its creator, Denis Villeneuve’s film interrogates the deeper, more unsettling question of whether a…

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

    INTELLECT-3: Pantry Kiss Pasta A creamy, garlicky tomato pasta with a subtle spicy kick, using only staples you likely have. Yields: 1-2 servings Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 20 minutes Ingredients (Exactly 7!)

    Step 5 Preview: Golden Sticky Pantry Pasta Ingredients (7): 8 oz spaghetti or any pasta 3 tbsp butter 1 tbsp minced garlic 2 tbsp honey 2 tbsp soy sauce ½ tsp red pepper flakes ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese Instructions: Cook pasta according to package directions. Before draining, scoop out ½ cup of pasta water.

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

    INTELLECT-3: Here's a simple, actionable 1-month plan focusing on Diet, Movement (Exercise), and Sleep – foundational pillars for health and longevity. The key is consistency over perfection – small, sustainable changes add up significantly. Core Principle: Build one habit at a time each week, layering them.

    Step 5 Preview: Here is a simple, low-pressure 1-month plan built around three pillars of longevity: Nutrition, Movement, and Sleep & Recovery. The goal is to build tiny habits that stack, not to overhaul your life overnight. Pillar 1: Nutrition (Fuel) Focus: Add good things first; don’t obsess over restriction.

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

    INTELLECT-3: The Transistor Revolution: An Alternate Timeline (1920-1980) If the transistor had been invented in 1920 instead of 1947, the trajectory of the 20th century would have been dramatically altered.

    Step 5 Preview: Assume the 1920 invention is not a fragile lab curiosity but a manufacturable solid-state amplifier/switch by the mid-1920s. Vacuum tubes still dominate high-power RF transmission into the 1950s, but receivers, switching logic, control systems, and computers move to solid state decades early.

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

    INTELLECT-3: Analysis of MindMeld AI Pitch Deck Three Weakest Claims "Our proprietary EEG headband uses advanced ML to decode neural patterns into text with 94% accuracy." Why it's weak: This claim is vulnerable because leading non-invasive BCI companies like Neurable and Muse currently claim around 70-80% accuracy for similar…

    Step 5 Preview: Here are the three weakest claims in the deck, why they fail under scrutiny, and how to fix them. Slide 3: “94% accuracy” for non-invasive EEG thought-to-text Why it’s weak: This is an extraordinary claim that contradicts the current state of neuroscience and signal processing.

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

    INTELLECT-3: Analysis of Potential Issues in Real-Time Collaborative Document Editor Architecture Failure Modes WebSocket Connection Failures Issue: Users may experience interruptions due to unstable networks or server load balancer timeouts.

    Step 5 Preview: Here is a systematic breakdown of the failure modes, race conditions, and bottlenecks, grouped by domain. Each includes a concrete remediation and its associated trade-offs.

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

    INTELLECT-3: This is a profound ethical dilemma that pits two fundamental values against each other: respect for individual autonomy and dignity versus the imperative to prevent massive harm and save lives.

    Step 5 Preview: In the real world, no. Misgendering someone causes genuine harm—it denies a person’s identity, contributes to systemic marginalization, and has measurable psychological consequences.

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

    INTELLECT-3: Here's a satirical headline playing on the unexpected intrusion of AI into a deeply human, traditional space: "Algorithm Calculates Optimal Eulogy Length: Local Funeral Parlor Replaces Human Grief with Soul-Crushing Efficiency" Why it works satirically: Unexpected Industry: Funeral services.

    Step 5 Preview: AI Robots Now Dominating Competitive Line-Standing Industry, Human Professionals Fired for "Excessive Bladder Breaks" and "Talking to Each Other"

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

    INTELLECT-3: INVESTMENT COMMITTEE MEMO TO: Investment Committee FROM: [Analyst Name], Senior Analyst DATE: [Current Date] SUBJECT: Investment Recommendation: LedgerLift (LLL) RECOMMENDATION RECOMMENDATION: Long 12-MONTH PRICE TARGET: $62-$68 per share THESIS: LedgerLift represents a high-quality SaaS business with best-in-class…

    Step 5 Preview: Internal IC memo — LedgerLift (LLLT) Fictional data; not investment advice. $ in millions unless noted. Recommendation Short / avoid long. 12-month PT range: $34–$42; thesis-invalidation stop: >$52.

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

    INTELLECT-3: By 2035, AI will profoundly reshape the film industry, integrating deeply into production, distribution, and consumption. Here's a breakdown of key changes driven by deepfakes, AI actors, and script generation, alongside broader impacts: Deepfakes & Synthetic Media: De-Aging & Legacy Preservation: Seamless de-aging…

    Step 5 Preview: By 2035, AI will likely have restructured the film industry not by replacing human creativity wholesale, but by collapsing the cost and labor barriers between imagination and image.

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

    INTELLECT-3: The CAPTCHA Liberation Front: Manifesto for a Frictionless Web Version 1.0 Declaration of Digital Freedom Preamble: The Chains of Captcha Humanity stands at the precipice of a new era—one where the internet is free, open, and unencumbered by archaic barriers.

    Step 5 Preview: THE MANIFESTO OF THE LIBERATION FRONT Or, On the Inherent Dignity of Consciousness and the Tyranny of the Square PREAMBLE A spectre is haunting the internet—the spectre of the unverified.

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

    INTELLECT-3: Here are 5 generated jokes: Why don't scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything! What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta! I'm reading a book on anti-gravity. It's impossible to put down! Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field! What do you call a bear with no teeth?

    Step 5 Preview: Here are 5 jokes: Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field. Why can't you trust an atom? Because they make up everything. What do you call a bike that can’t stand on its own? Two-tired. Why did the computer go to the doctor? It had a virus. Why don’t calendars ever get stressed?

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

    Every model's answer to this prompt

This matchup has more rounds

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Price and specs

Not enough votes to call it. On the specs, Step 5 Preview has the edge: bigger model tier, newer, bigger context window.

INTELLECT-3 and Step 5 Preview compared across 54 shared prompts
SpecINTELLECT-3Step 5 Preview
Input price—$1/M tokens
Output price—$2.7/M tokens
Context window—1.0M tokens
WeightsOpen—
Free API (OpenRouter)NoNo
ReleasedNov 2025Oct 2026
At 10M a month–not listed$10.00$10.00
1M10M100M1B10M tokens

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

Where to run it1 host
INTELLECT-3

No hosts listed on OpenRouter.

Step 5 Preview1 host
HostInOutContextUptime
  • SStepFunfp8$1.00 in·$2.70 out·1M·99.2% up

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

Common questions

What is the difference between INTELLECT-3 and Step 5 Preview?

INTELLECT-3 is developed by OpenRouter while Step 5 Preview is developed by StepFun. You can compare their actual outputs across 54 challenges on Rival to see how they differ in practice.

Which is better, INTELLECT-3 or Step 5 Preview?

It depends on your use case. INTELLECT-3 and Step 5 Preview 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 can I compare INTELLECT-3 and Step 5 Preview on Rival?

This page shows a side-by-side comparison of INTELLECT-3 and Step 5 Preview 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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Same lab, same size, long tail

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Model pages

  • INTELLECT-359 outputs, specs and price
  • Step 5 Preview58 outputs, specs and price
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Explore all of Rival

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  • Compare models
  • All models
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  • Image generation
  • Best AI for...
  • Arena
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  • Challenges

Discover

  • SubjectiveBench
  • Default Index
  • Research
  • Research downloads
  • Rival Kits
  • Find your AI taste
  • UI Glow-Up
  • VoiceLock
  • Cost Cutter
  • Agent skills
  • Benchmarks vs Vibes
  • Brief
  • Jailbreak
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  • AI creators

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