Updated LLM Benchmark (Gemini 3 Flash) (entropicthoughts.com)

A recent benchmark evaluation has tested the performance of various language models in text adventure games following the release of Google’s Gemini 3 Flash. This new testing methodology introduces a fixed budget of $0.15 per evaluation run, which allows for a more equitable comparison among models with varying costs. Gemini 3 Flash emerged as a standout performer, offering concise, effective responses that allow it to excel within budget constraints, while other models like Grok 4.1 Fast showcased a unique strength in being cost-effective yet verbose. The significance of this benchmark lies in its focus on performance per dollar spent, providing crucial insights for the AI/ML community on how different models stack up against each other in practical scenarios. Notably, the evaluation shows that while more expensive models like Claude 4.5 Sonnet can achieve high scores when costs are unfettered, they struggle under budget limits. This shift toward a budget-based evaluation reveals crucial performance dynamics, reinforcing the idea that efficiency and economy play vital roles in the applicability of language models across various tasks.