Step 5 Preview vs Qwen3.8 Max (0902)
Step 5 Preview took 10 min 44 s and $0.33 at list price, Qwen3.8 Max (0902) took 77 min 11 s and $1.20 at list price. Qwen3.8 Max (0902) took 7.2× as long and cost 3.7× as much.
Step 5 Preview
StepFun · $2.70/M out · 155 HN pts
Qwen3.8 Max (0902)
Alibaba · $6.00/M out · 3 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 small repair studio in Rotterdam dedicated to vintage synthesizers. We are three people who care about old instruments, their history, and the players who keep them alive. From classic analog polys to rare drum machines, we take the time to understand each machine before we touch it. Our work is practical and respectful: careful diagnosis, honest advice, and repairs that preserve the character of the instrument. We know these synths are more than circuits and knobs. They carry stories from studios, stages, and secondhand shops, and they deserve to be treated with patience. Whether a machine needs a simple clean, a full restoration, or help finding a hard-to-source part, we aim to make the process clear and personal from start to finish. Based in Rotterdam, we help musicians, collectors, and studios keep old synthesizers making sound for years to come. We do it with patience and respect.
Specs and numbers
| Step 5 Preview | Qwen3.8 Max (0902) | |
|---|---|---|
| Maker | StepFun | Alibaba |
| Made in | China | China |
| Released | 8 Oct 2026 | 3 Sep 2026 |
| Price in, per M tokens | $1.00 | $2.00 |
| Price out, per M tokens | $2.70 | $6.00 |
| Context | 1,048,576 tokens | 1,000,000 tokens |
| Weights | open | closed |
| Hacker News points | 155 | 3 |
| Time for the six prompts | 10 min 44 s | 77 min 11 s |
| List price of the six prompts | $0.33 | $1.20 |
Step 5 Preview was cheaper: $0.88 less at list price, and less on each of the 6 prompts. Step 5 Preview was faster: 66 min 27 s less in total, and faster on each of the 6 prompts.
In the recording, both Breakout games play.
Rebuild this screen experiment: Qwen3.8 Max (0902)'s rebuild matched the screenshot at 81%; Step 5 Preview was not in it. Tea Garden experiment: Qwen3.8 Max (0902)'s game passed 5 of 5 checks; Step 5 Preview was not in it.





