Ternary Bonsai 2 9B vs Gemini 3.8 Flash
Ternary Bonsai 2 9B took 7 min 4 s and $0.004 at list price, Gemini 3.8 Flash took 8 min 33 s and $0.32 at list price. Gemini 3.8 Flash took 1.2× as long and cost 72× as much.
Ternary Bonsai 2 9B
PrismML · $0.13/M out
Gemini 3.8 Flash
Google · $4.13/M out · 1,293 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.
Welcome to Patchbay. A dedicated three-person studio in Rotterdam, where analog warmth meets modern precision. Our workshop is a sanctuary for vintage synthesizers, circuit boards, and forgotten sounds. We operate on the belief that vintage gear deserves respect and careful handling. Every unit we restore is given a new life, preserving its unique character while ensuring it functions reliably. We work meticulously on instruments that shaped electronic music history. This isn't just repair; it is resurrection. Our artisans take the time to solder every connection and clean every capacitor, understanding that imperfections hold stories worth keeping. We aim to keep the legacy of analog synthesis alive. Whether you need a fix or advice on your collection's condition, we support the analog revival. Trust in our expertise to get your dreams humming again. In a digital world, we choose to sound the truth. We believe in the tangible sound of history.
Tucked away in Rotterdam, Patchbay is a three-person repair studio dedicated to the preservation and revival of vintage synthesizers. We believe that classic instruments are living machines rather than museum relics—tools built to inspire, create, and be played loud. Between the three of us, we combine decades of experience in electronics engineering, sound design, and meticulous craftsmanship. Whether tracking down elusive voice chips for an eighties polyphonic giant, rebuilding power supplies, or recalibrating the drift on a cantankerous monophonic circuit from the seventies, we treat every piece of gear with obsessive attention to detail. Our workbench is built on a deep respect for historical engineering and a refusal to cut corners. For musicians, producers, and collectors across the Netherlands and beyond, Patchbay is where forgotten circuits find their current again, keeping the tactile soul of analog synthesis alive and resonant.
Specs and numbers
| Ternary Bonsai 2 9B | Gemini 3.8 Flash | |
|---|---|---|
| Maker | PrismML | |
| Made in | US | US |
| Released | 16 Oct 2026 | 2 Sep 2026 |
| Price in, per M tokens | $0.08 | $0.825 |
| Price out, per M tokens | $0.13 | $4.13 |
| Context | 262,144 tokens | 1,048,576 tokens |
| Weights | open | closed |
| Hacker News points | — | 1,293 |
| Time for the six prompts | 7 min 4 s | 8 min 33 s |
| List price of the six prompts | $0.004 | $0.32 |
Ternary Bonsai 2 9B was cheaper: $0.32 less at list price, and less on each of the 6 prompts. Ternary Bonsai 2 9B was faster: 89 s less in total, and faster on 3 of the 6 prompts.
In the recording, Ternary Bonsai 2 9B's Breakout game stopped painting; Gemini 3.8 Flash's plays.





