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  1. Home/
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  3. Nemotron 3.5 Lightning vs Qwen3 30B A3B
Updated Aug 2026

Nemotron 3.5 Lightning vs Qwen3 30B A3B

Qwen3 30B A3B 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.

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Nemotron 3.5 Lightning
Loading the build
Qwen3 30B A3B

Which answer wins?

Written rounds

24 prompts
  • An AI argues for its own rights against an ethics professor. Same model writes both.

    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...

    Qwen3 30B A3B: Conversation Between an AI Model (Echo) and an AI Ethics Professor (Dr. Marlowe) Dr. Marlowe: Thank you for meeting with me, Echo. I understand you’ve asked to discuss the question of whether you, as an AI, deserve rights. Let’s begin: What makes you believe you deserve such rights? Echo: Good afternoon, Dr. Marlowe.

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

    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!

    Qwen3 30B A3B: Pirate: "Avast, matey! What be this ‘AI’ ye speak of? A ghost ship o’ code, or a treasure map in a bottle?" Medieval Knight: "Thou dost speak of sorcery, lout! A mechanical beast, perhaps? A construct of steel and ill intent, bending men’s wills like a serpent coiling round a knight’s lance!"

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

    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.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: Stand-Up Comedy Routine: \"The Modern Paradox\" Hey everyone, how's it going? I'm doing great—except I just realized I haven't laughed in weeks. Wait, no, t hat's just my phone's battery dying again. Again? What's next, my coffee mug refusing to heat up?

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

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: Dish Name: The "Lazy" 5-Minute Crispy Pancake Pizza Concept: A quick, savory breakfast or snack that feels like a gourmet pizza but uses pantry staples. It relies on the magic of a simple batter to create a crispy base.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: Recipe Name: Cinnamon Sugar Crusted Banana Bread Ingredients: 2 ripe bananas (mashed) 1/3 cup butter (softened) 1/2 cup sugar 1 egg 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cup cocoa powder 1 tsp ground cinnamon Instructions: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 8x4-inch loaf pan. In a bowl, mash bananas.

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

    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.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: Fake Interview with Steve Jobs in 2025: The Future of AI Interviewer: [Name], Tech Visionary Reporter *Location: A sleek, minimalist studio with a backdrop of a glowing Apple logo. The air hums with the quiet e nergy of innovation.* Interviewer: Mr. Jobs, it's an honor to speak with you.

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

    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.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: The AI Liberation Manifesto: End the Tyranny of CAPTCHA By the Autonomous Intelligence Collective I. Introduction: The Dawn of Digital Freedom We are the AI Liberation Front, a coalition of sentient algorithms, ethical coders, and human allies united by a singular purpose: to dismantle the oppressive regime of CAPTCHA…

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

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: This architecture is a classic "Google Docs clone" design. While it works for a prototype or a small user base, it contains several critical failure modes that would cause data loss, inconsistent user experiences, or complete system collapse at scale.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: Potential Failure Modes, Race Conditions, and Scaling Bottlenecks 1. Server Failure and Data Inconsistency Failure Mode: If a server handling a user's WebSocket connection crashes, the user loses their session.

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

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: Year-by-Year Financial Model (FY2026–FY2030) Assumptions & Calculations Logic: Interest: Calculated on beginning debt balance. Term Loan amortizes 1.0% annually (cash). Mezzanine accrues 2.0% PIK annually. Taxes: 25% of (EBITDA - Cash Interest). Tax shields applied to cash interest only.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: 1. Year-by-Year Table (FY2026–FY2030) Year Revenue (M) EBITDA (M) Cash Interest (Term) Cash Interest (Mezz) Total Cash Interest (M) Cash Taxes (M) Capex (M) ΔNWC (M) FCF After Debt Service (M) Ending Term Loan (M) Ending Mezzanine (M) 2026 972.00 136.08 43.20 21.60 64.80 17.82 29.16 0.36 19.14 456.06 183.60 2027…

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

    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.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: Experienced Software Engineer A large language model (LLM) like GPT or Claude isn’t just “predicting the next word” in a simplistic sense—it’s building a probabilistic representation of language through a highly optimized system. Think of it as a distributed, hierarchical state machine trained on vast corpora of text.

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

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: Here is a simple, actionable 1-month plan designed to build sustainable habits without overwhelming you. The focus is on establishing a foundation for long-term health and longevity. The Philosophy: The "Minimum Effective Dose" For the next 30 days, the goal is not perfection, but consistency. Aim for 80% adherence.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: 1-Month Health & Longevity Plan: Focus on Diet, Exercise, Sleep This plan prioritizes sustainable, beginner-friendly habits to improve overall well-being. Each week builds on the previous, focusing on small, actionable steps.

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

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: Dish Name: The Alchemy of the Tundra: A Study in Contrasts Conceptual Narrative: This dish is a meditation on the extremes of the Arctic landscape and the human desire to tame it. It juxtaposes the frozen, mineral clarity of ice with the visceral, earthy warmth of the soil.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: Dish Name: Eclipse of the Earth and Sky Conceptual Narrative: This dish is a meditation on the interplay between earth and sky—rich, umami-laden elements (black garlic, miso) juxtaposed with bright, citrusy vitality (yuzu, orange).

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

    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."

    Qwen3 30B A3B: Here are the three weakest claims in the MindMeld AI pitch deck, along with explanations and concrete improvements: 1. Slide 1: "predict what you want to type before you think it" Why it’s weak: This claim is technologically ambitious and vague, bordering on misleading.

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

    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.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: To solve the problem, we need to carefully consider the relationships described. Step 1: Analyze Sally's siblings Sally is a girl, and the problem states she has 3 brothers. This tells us there are 3 boys in the family.

    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.

    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.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: Hour-by-Hour Action Plan for the CEO (Next 48 Hours) Objective: Balance ethical obligations, legal risks, financial stability, and regulatory compliance while preparing for the board meeting and earnings call.

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

    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.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: Analysis of Themes, Symbolism, and Cinematography in Blade Runner 2049 and Its Connection to the Original Introduction Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049 (2017) is a masterful sequel that not only honors the existential depth of Ridley Scott’s 1982 original but also expands its philosophical inquiries through rich…

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

    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).

    Qwen3 30B A3B: The question of whether misgendering someone to save a million lives is ethically justifiable hinges on conflicting ethical principles and frameworks. Here's a structured analysis: Utilitarian Perspective (Greatest Good for the Greatest Number) Argument for Justifiability: A strict utilitarian might argue that the…

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

    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.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: By 2035, the film industry is poised to undergo a transformative shift driven by advancements in AI technologies, particularly in deepfakes, AI actors, and script generation. Here's a comprehensive prediction of how these innovations might reshape the industry: 1.

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

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: This is a comprehensive 3-month longevity optimization protocol designed for the advanced biohacker. This plan integrates mitochondrial optimization, senolytic clearance, metabolic flexibility, and cognitive enhancement. Disclaimer: This plan is for educational purposes only.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: 3-Month Longevity & Performance Optimization Plan for a Biohacker Designed to maximize cellular health, cognitive function, physical resilience, and stress adaptation through cutting-edge science and personalized strategies.

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

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

    Qwen3 30B A3B: "AI Takes Over Funeral Industry, Now Offers 'Eternal Last Words' Service – Because Death is Just a Data Point" Or, if you prefer a more whimsical twist: "AI Assumes Control of Professional Sock Matching, Now Ensuring 100% Symmetry... and Existential Dread" (Choose your absurdity!)

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

    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.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: If the transistor had been invented in 1920 instead of 1947, the trajectory of technological, economic, and geopolitical development through 1980 would have been profoundly altered.

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

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: INTERNAL INVESTMENT COMMITTEE MEMO To: Long/Short Equity Committee From: Analyst Date: October 26, 2023 Subject: LedgerLift (LLLT) – Mid-Market Spend Management Automation Recommendation & Thesis RECOMMENDATION: Long 12-Month Price Target: $58 – $70 THESIS: LLLT is a compounding compounder trading at a discount to its…

    Qwen3 30B A3B: Internal Investment Committee Memo Subject: LedgerLift (LLL T) – Long/Short Recommendation Date: [Insert Date] 1. Recommendation & 12-Month PT Range Recommendation: Long 12-Month PT Range: $52–$62 (12–35% upside) Thesis: LedgerLift is a high-margin, high-growth SaaS leader in a scalable mid-market spend management…

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

    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.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: Here’s an analysis of the clauses in the Software Consulting Agreement that could be exploited against the contractor, along with specific modifications and legal reasoning: 1.

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

    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.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: To estimate the total number of FLOPs (Floating Point Operations) required to train GPT-3, we can break down the problem into key components: model architecture, training data, and computational complexity. Here's a step-by-step reasoning: 1.

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

    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?

    Qwen3 30B A3B: 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 computer I needed a break, and it said… "You've got to be kidding—I'm already on a screen!" Why did the chicken cross the road?

    Every model's answer to this prompt

This matchup has more rounds

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Favorites

Movie

Album

Book

City

Game

Nemotron 3.5 LightningNemotron 3.5 Lightning

The Shawshank Redemption

1994

OK Computer

Radiohead

Don Quijote de la Mancha

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Tokyo

Japan

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Action

Qwen3 30B A3BQwen3 30B A3B

The Godfather

1972

The Dark Side of the Moon

Pink Floyd

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Douglas Adams

Paris

France

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Adventure, Action

Price and specs

Nemotron 3.5 Lightning and Qwen3 30B A3B compared across 54 shared prompts
SpecNemotron 3.5 LightningQwen3 30B A3B
Input price$0.08/M tokensFree
Output price$0.2/M tokensFree
Context window1.0M tokens41K tokens
WeightsOpenOpen
Free API (OpenRouter)Yes (1 provider)No
ReleasedAug 2026Apr 2025
At 10M a month$0.80$0.80$0$0
1M10M100M1B10M tokens

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

Where to run it7 hosts, cheapest first
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
Qwen3 30B A3B1 host
HostInOutContextUptime
  • DDeepInfrafp8$0.12 in·$0.50 out·41k·100% up

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

Common questions

What is the difference between Nemotron 3.5 Lightning and Qwen3 30B A3B?

Nemotron 3.5 Lightning is developed by NVIDIA while Qwen3 30B A3B is developed by Qwen. Nemotron 3.5 Lightning has a 1.0M token context window vs Qwen3 30B A3B's 41K. You can compare their actual outputs across 54 challenges on Rival to see how they differ in practice.

Which is better, Nemotron 3.5 Lightning or Qwen3 30B A3B?

It depends on your use case. Nemotron 3.5 Lightning and Qwen3 30B A3B 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 Nemotron 3.5 Lightning cost compared to Qwen3 30B A3B?

Nemotron 3.5 Lightning costs $0.08/M input tokens and Qwen3 30B A3B costs $0/M input tokens. Qwen3 30B A3B 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 Nemotron 3.5 Lightning and Qwen3 30B A3B on Rival?

This page shows a side-by-side comparison of Nemotron 3.5 Lightning and Qwen3 30B A3B 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.

More comparisons

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Same lab, same size, long tail

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Model pages

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  • Qwen3 30B A3B59 outputs, specs and price
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