Google’s Cheap Model Outperforms Flagship with Gemini 3.7 Flash
Google has released Gemini 3.7 Flash with significant improvements on coding benchmarks and introductory pricing of $0.75 per million input tokens. However, its flagship model, Gemini 3.5 Pro, is months behind schedule, and Google remains tight-lipped about its future.
A Swift Release Schedule vs. Delayed Flagship
Gemini 3.7 Flash arrived just three weeks after the last release, while the Pro model it was intended to supersede has been significantly delayed. This contrast highlights a rapid release cadence for the cheaper model and a stalled flagship.
Impressive Benchmarks
The numbers speak for themselves:
- FrontierCode 1.1: Gemini 3.7 Flash achieves 43.6% compared to 34.4% of its predecessor.
- DeepSWE v1.1: It reaches 65.3% versus 49.0%.
- AutomationBench: Performance more than doubles from 17.0% to 30.4%.
Pricing and Availability
Google is offering Gemini 3.7 Flash at $0.75 per million input tokens and $3.75 per million output tokens until December, after which the prices double. It also powers Gemini Spark for AI Pro and Ultra subscribers globally.
Safety Features
The new model includes enhanced safeguards against cyber offenses and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear misuse, aligning with Google’s Frontier Safety commitments.
A Skipping Flagship?
The delay in the Pro line has been difficult for morale at DeepMind, especially as rival labs are actively hiring. Axios suggests Google might skip Gemini 3.5 Pro entirely and directly release Gemini 4 Pro. However, the company declined to confirm this.
Accelerated Development
Sundar Pichai informed investors in July that Google aims to ship models faster and is investing heavily in compute for Gemini 4. The frequent releases of the cheaper tier while the flagship stalls are a strategic move to appear faster.
Conclusion (by Ana Maria Constantin)
With expertise in digital marketing, product management, and branding & identity, Ana Maria Constantin develops strategies that resonate with our target audience in the software/SaaS industry. Collaboration and teamwork are paramount to her as she empowers colleagues to achieve outstanding results and unlock their full potential.