Ember-1 vs Qwen3.8 Max Prime
Ember-1 took 25 min 56 s and $1.78 at list price, Qwen3.8 Max Prime took 37 min 2 s and $2.29 at list price. Qwen3.8 Max Prime took 1.4× as long and cost 1.3× as much.
Ember-1
Fireworks · $15.00/M out · 589 HN pts
Qwen3.8 Max Prime
Alibaba · $12.00/M out
Pelican
Generate an SVG of a pelican riding a bicycle
Watch
Draw a mechanical wristwatch that shows the current local time, with a sweeping seconds hand and a date window. Make it look expensive.
Landing
Build the landing page for Lumen Cycles, a Copenhagen workshop that builds custom cargo bikes to order. Make it look like a real brand you would trust with 4,000 euros.
Breakout
Make a Breakout game I can play right now with the keyboard or the mouse. Give it several levels, a score and some juice.
Logo
Design a logo for Night Heron, an independent bookshop that only opens after dark.
About
Write the opening of the About us page for Patchbay, a three-person studio in Rotterdam that repairs vintage synthesizers. About 150 words.
Patchbay is a three-person workshop in Rotterdam dedicated to keeping vintage synthesizers alive. We work on the machines that shaped electronic music — analog polysynths, temperamental drum machines, early digital oddities — replacing tired capacitors, rebuilding keybeds, and coaxing silent oscillators back into tune.
Between us we bring decades of experience in electronics, instrument design, and music-making, but what unites us is simpler: we believe these machines were built to be played, not displayed. Every repair happens by hand at our benches, with period-correct components wherever possible and thoughtful modern solutions where reliability demands it. We test everything the only way that matters — by listening.
Whether your Juno has lost a voice, your 808 has lost its kick, or a flea-market find needs a full restoration, we treat each instrument as if it were heading back to a studio, a stage, and a long life of making noise. Because it is.
Patchbay is a small studio in Rotterdam dedicated to the repair and care of vintage synthesizers. Run by three people who share a deep love for these instruments, we work hands-on with analog circuits, voices, keyboards, and aging components to bring old machines back to reliable musical life. Every synthesizer that enters the studio has a history, and we treat that history with respect, preserving original character while making sure the instrument can be played with confidence today. Our work ranges from routine servicing and calibration to careful troubleshooting and restoration of rare or badly worn gear. We work patiently, because these machines ask for time, attention, and understanding. We believe these instruments deserve to be heard, not stored away, and that good repair is a form of listening. From our bench in Rotterdam, we serve musicians, collectors, and studios who value craftsmanship, honesty, and the enduring sound of classic electronic instruments.
Specs and numbers
| Ember-1 | Qwen3.8 Max Prime | |
|---|---|---|
| Maker | Fireworks | Alibaba |
| Made in | US | China |
| Released | 24 Sep 2026 | 23 Sep 2026 |
| Price in, per M tokens | $3.00 | $4.00 |
| Price out, per M tokens | $15.00 | $12.00 |
| Context | 1,048,576 tokens | 1,000,000 tokens |
| Weights | closed | closed |
| Hacker News points | 589 | — |
| Time for the six prompts | 25 min 56 s | 37 min 2 s |
| List price of the six prompts | $1.78 | $2.29 |
Ember-1 was cheaper: $0.51 less at list price, and less on each of the 6 prompts. Ember-1 was faster: 11 min 6 s less in total, and faster on 5 of the 6 prompts.
In the recording, both Breakout games play.
Rebuild this screen experiment: Ember-1's rebuild matched the screenshot at 67%; Qwen3.8 Max Prime was not in it. Tea Garden experiment: Ember-1's game passed 5 of 5 checks; Qwen3.8 Max Prime was not in it.