Model Comparison

Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) vs DeepSeek-R1 (May 28)

Compare the listed model data for Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) by Qwen and DeepSeek-R1 (May 28) by DeepSeek. Benchmark and pricing records are not a controlled test and may change.

Data last updated: 2026-10-16. Verify current model details with each provider.

What the listed data says

Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE): 128K tokens; DeepSeek-R1 (May 28): 128K tokens. The listed context-window values are equal. Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) is listed for coding, reasoning, agentic workflows, long-context tasks; DeepSeek-R1 (May 28) is listed for coding, reasoning, long-context tasks. Shared catalog benchmark entries: LiveCodeBench: Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) 70.7%; DeepSeek-R1 (May 28) 69.5%; AIME 2025: Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) 85.7%; DeepSeek-R1 (May 28) 87.5%; GPQA Diamond: Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) 71.7%; DeepSeek-R1 (May 28) 75.7%. These records are reference data, not a controlled head-to-head test; verify current pricing and specifications with each provider.

Computed differences from catalog data

  • The listed context windows are 128K tokens and 128K tokens; the larger is 1× the smaller.
  • On shared numeric benchmark entries, LiveCodeBench: Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) − DeepSeek-R1 (May 28) = +1.2 percentage points (70.7% vs 69.5%); AIME 2025: Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) − DeepSeek-R1 (May 28) = -1.8 percentage points (85.7% vs 87.5%); GPQA Diamond: Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) − DeepSeek-R1 (May 28) = -4 percentage points (71.7% vs 75.7%).
  • The first listed parameter quantities are 235B total (22B active via MoE) and 671B total (37B active via MoE); the larger quantity is 2.86× the smaller. Total and active MoE parameters are not directly equivalent.
  • The catalog release dates are April 2025 and May 28, 2025, about 1 month apart at the precision supplied.

Cost example: 1M input and 1M output tokens

A cost example for 1M input plus 1M output tokens cannot be calculated reliably because separate numeric input and output rates are not listed for both models.

Choose Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) if…

Choose Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) when your task aligns with catalog-listed uses or strengths such as Frontier-level coding: production systems, open-source contributions, Leetcode hard, Competition mathematics, physics, and chemistry at graduate level, Enterprise AI applications requiring highest available open-model quality, Long-form technical writing: whitepapers, research papers, documentation.

Choose DeepSeek-R1 (May 28) if…

Choose DeepSeek-R1 (May 28) when your task aligns with catalog-listed uses or strengths such as Software engineering tasks requiring real-world code changes, Competition mathematics at AIME/Olympiad level, Drop-in improvement wherever R1 was previously used, Significant improvement over original R1 — SWE-bench 49.2% → 57.6%.

Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE)

Browse Qwen models

Flagship Qwen3 — 235B total, 22B active. World-class reasoning, elite coding, 100+ languages. Rivals GPT-4o on most benchmarks.

Parameters: 235B total (22B active via MoE)

Context: 128K tokens

Catalog pricing: Open source — free to self-host. Third-party API ~$0.30-0.80/MTok

Qwen Coding · Reasoning · Agentic · Long Context Open Source

View Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) model profile

DeepSeek-R1 (May 28)

Browse DeepSeek models

May 2025 update to DeepSeek-R1 — improved reasoning depth, better code generation, and enhanced benchmark scores.

Parameters: 671B total (37B active via MoE)

Context: 128K tokens

Catalog pricing: MIT open source. DeepSeek API: ~$0.55/MTok input, $2.19/MTok output

DeepSeek Coding · Reasoning · Long Context Open Source

View DeepSeek-R1 (May 28) model profile

Feature Comparison — Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) vs DeepSeek-R1 (May 28)

Catalog specifications for Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) and DeepSeek-R1 (May 28)
Specification Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) DeepSeek-R1 (May 28)
Provider Qwen DeepSeek
Parameters 235B total (22B active via MoE) 671B total (37B active via MoE)
Context window 128K tokens 128K tokens
Maximum output Not listed Not listed
Catalog pricing Open source — free to self-host. Third-party API ~$0.30-0.80/MTok MIT open source. DeepSeek API: ~$0.55/MTok input, $2.19/MTok output
Listed input/output cost per 1M tokens Separate numeric input/output rates not listed input $0.55, output $2.19 per 1M tokens
License Apache 2.0 MIT
Coding support Listed Listed
Reasoning support Listed Listed
Vision input Not listed Not listed
Multimodal Not listed Not listed
Open weights Yes Yes
Benchmark: LiveCodeBench 70.7% 69.5%
Benchmark: AIME 2025 85.7% 87.5%
Benchmark: GPQA Diamond 71.7% 75.7%

Figures are transcribed from LITHOVEX model records. Benchmark versions and evaluation setups may differ; pricing and specifications can change. Check each provider's current documentation before making a decision.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is different between Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) and DeepSeek-R1 (May 28)?
Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE): 128K tokens; DeepSeek-R1 (May 28): 128K tokens. The listed context-window values are equal. Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) is listed for coding, reasoning, agentic workflows, long-context tasks; DeepSeek-R1 (May 28) is listed for coding, reasoning, long-context tasks. Shared catalog benchmark entries: LiveCodeBench: Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) 70.7%; DeepSeek-R1 (May 28) 69.5%; AIME 2025: Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) 85.7%; DeepSeek-R1 (May 28) 87.5%; GPQA Diamond: Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) 71.7%; DeepSeek-R1 (May 28) 75.7%. These records are reference data, not a controlled head-to-head test; verify current pricing and specifications with each provider.
What benchmark values are listed for Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) and DeepSeek-R1 (May 28)?
LiveCodeBench: Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) 70.7%; DeepSeek-R1 (May 28) 69.5%; AIME 2025: Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) 85.7%; DeepSeek-R1 (May 28) 87.5%; GPQA Diamond: Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) 71.7%; DeepSeek-R1 (May 28) 75.7%. The catalog values may use different versions and evaluation setups, so they are reference points rather than a controlled head-to-head result.
Which model has the larger listed context window?
Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE): 128K tokens; DeepSeek-R1 (May 28): 128K tokens. The listed context-window values are equal.
What are the listed costs per million tokens for Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) and DeepSeek-R1 (May 28)?
Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE): Separate numeric input/output rates not listed (Open source — free to self-host. Third-party API ~$0.30-0.80/MTok). DeepSeek-R1 (May 28): input $0.55, output $2.19 per 1M tokens (MIT open source. DeepSeek API: ~$0.55/MTok input, $2.19/MTok output). Where separate numeric input and output rates are available, the worked example uses 1M input plus 1M output tokens. Confirm current terms with each provider.
How far apart are the listed release dates for Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) and DeepSeek-R1 (May 28)?
The catalog lists Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) as April 2025 and DeepSeek-R1 (May 28) as May 28, 2025, about 1 month apart at the precision supplied.
When was the comparison data last updated?
The model catalog records 2026-10-16 as its data update date. Provider specifications and prices may have changed since then.
How should I choose between Qwen3 235B-A22B (MoE) and DeepSeek-R1 (May 28)?
Compare the listed specifications and capabilities, review the benchmark notes, then test both with the same representative prompt for your task. This page does not claim a universal winner.

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