Step 5 Preview vs Nemotron 3.5 Lightning
Step 5 Preview took 10 min 44 s and $0.33 at list price, Nemotron 3.5 Lightning took 10 min 9 s and $0.012 at list price. Step 5 Preview took 1.1× as long and cost 28× as much.
Step 5 Preview
StepFun · $2.70/M out · 155 HN pts
Nemotron 3.5 Lightning
NVIDIA · $0.20/M out · free route · 399 HN pts
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 based in Rotterdam, dedicated to keeping vintage synthesizers alive and playable. We are technicians, musicians, and obsessive tinkerers who believe that classic analog instruments deserve better than silence. From temperamental Jupiter-8s to worn-out ARP Odysseys, we restore, repair, and maintain the machines that shaped the sound of modern music. Every repair starts with listening—both to the instrument and to the person who plays it. Whether you are chasing a rare fault, need a full calibration, or simply want your old synth to feel new again, our bench is open. We understand that no two synthesizers arrive with the same story, and we treat each circuit, slider, and key with the care its history deserves. At Patchbay, we are here to make sure the sounds of tomorrow are built on those that came before.
Patchbay is a three-person studio in Rotterdam devoted to the restoration and repair of vintage synthesizers. We believe analog gear holds a living voice, and our purpose is to safeguard that sound for musicians, collectors, and creators who value authenticity. With hands-on experience in circuitry, voltage calibration, and component preservation, we treat every console, drum machine, or modular voice with meticulous care. Rotterdam’s eclectic artistic community fuels our commitment to keeping analog heritage alive, bridging past technology with present music. Whether rescuing a neglected lab unit or reviving a cherished polysynth, we approach each instrument as a unique piece of musical history, ensuring it performs as intended for years ahead. We love helping artists reconnect with the warmth and character only vintage hardware can offer. Our workshop sits in the heart of the city, where dusty circuit boards meet fresh compositions, and every repaired synth becomes part of a new musical story.
Specs and numbers
| Step 5 Preview | Nemotron 3.5 Lightning | |
|---|---|---|
| Maker | StepFun | NVIDIA |
| Made in | China | US |
| Released | 8 Oct 2026 | 11 Aug 2026 |
| Price in, per M tokens | $1.00 | free route (list $0.07/M) |
| Price out, per M tokens | $2.70 | free route (list $0.20/M) |
| Context | 1,048,576 tokens | 262,144 tokens |
| Weights | open | open |
| Hacker News points | 155 | 399 |
| Time for the six prompts | 10 min 44 s | 10 min 9 s |
| List price of the six prompts | $0.33 | $0.012 |
Nemotron 3.5 Lightning was cheaper: $0.32 less at list price, and less on each of the 6 prompts. Nemotron 3.5 Lightning was faster: 35 s less in total, and faster on 3 of the 6 prompts.
In the recording, both Breakout games play.





