MiniMax M3.1 Flash vs Beam 1.0
MiniMax M3.1 Flash took 23 min 37 s and $0.095 at list price, Beam 1.0 took 2 min 35 s and $0.063 at list price. MiniMax M3.1 Flash took 9.1× as long and cost 1.5× as much.
MiniMax M3.1 Flash
MiniMax · $0.60/M out · 550 HN pts
Beam 1.0
Reflection AI · $1.00/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 studio in Rotterdam dedicated to bringing vintage synthesizers back to life. We repair analog and digital instruments that shaped the sound of music, from classic drum machines and polyphonic synths to quirky, characterful machines that rarely leave a musician’s side. Our work combines technical knowledge with respect for each instrument’s history, because a synth is more than a circuit board: it carries the decisions, compromises, and personality of its original design.
We diagnose faults, restore unreliable voices, and carefully service aging components without erasing the character that made an instrument worth keeping. Whether a machine has been silent for years or simply needs a thoughtful tune-up, we treat every repair as a careful act of restoration.
Based in Rotterdam, Patchbay works with musicians, studios, collectors, and anyone who believes electronic instruments deserve another chapter. We restore them to sound as they should, preserving the details that make each one unique.
Patchbay is a three-person studio in Rotterdam devoted to repairing vintage synthesizers and keeping electronic instruments alive. We work with analog and digital keyboards, drum machines, and modular systems, restoring worn circuits, replacing fragile components, and returning each machine to reliable musical use. Our small team combines careful technical work with genuine respect for the instruments that shaped decades of music. Whether an instrument needs a routine service, a difficult diagnosis, or a full restoration, we approach it with patience, clear communication, and attention to detail. We believe these machines are not just equipment; they are tools with history, character, and sound worth preserving. Based in Rotterdam, we serve musicians, collectors, and studios who want their gear maintained properly and played again. At Patchbay, every repair is treated as a collaboration between craft and music, ensuring that classic synthesizers continue to inspire new sounds for years to come.
Specs and numbers
| MiniMax M3.1 Flash | Beam 1.0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Maker | MiniMax | Reflection AI |
| Made in | China | US |
| Released | 19 Oct 2026 | 16 Oct 2026 |
| Price in, per M tokens | $0.15 | $0.25 |
| Price out, per M tokens | $0.60 | $1.00 |
| Context | 1,048,576 tokens | 1,048,576 tokens |
| Weights | open | open |
| Hacker News points | 550 | — |
| Time for the six prompts | 23 min 37 s | 2 min 35 s |
| List price of the six prompts | $0.095 | $0.063 |
Beam 1.0 was cheaper: $0.031 less at list price, and less on 5 of the 6 prompts. Beam 1.0 was faster: 21 min 2 s less in total, and faster on each of the 6 prompts.
In the recording, both Breakout games play.
Rebuild this screen experiment: MiniMax M3.1 Flash's rebuild matched the screenshot at 78%; Beam 1.0 was not in it. Tea Garden experiment: MiniMax M3.1 Flash's game passed 5 of 5 checks; Beam 1.0 was not in it.