DeepSeek R1 0528 vs Phi-3 Mini 4k
DeepSeek R1 0528 (2025) and Phi-3 Mini 4k (2024) are frontier reasoning models from DeepSeek and Microsoft Research. DeepSeek R1 0528 ships a 160K-token context window, while Phi-3 Mini 4k ships a 4K-token context window. On Google-Proof Q&A, DeepSeek R1 0528 leads by 40.1 pts. On pricing, Phi-3 Mini 4k costs $0.05/1M input tokens versus $0.1/1M for the alternative. This comparison covers specs, pricing, capabilities, benchmarks, provider availability, and production fit.
Phi-3 Mini 4k is ~100% cheaper at $0.05/1M; pay for DeepSeek R1 0528 only for coding workflow support.
Specs
| Released | 2025-01-01 | 2024-04-23 |
| Context window | 160K | 4K |
| Parameters | 671B | 3.8B |
| Architecture | decoder only | decoder only |
| License | Open Source | Open Source |
| Knowledge cutoff | - | - |
Pricing and availability
| DeepSeek R1 0528 | Phi-3 Mini 4k | |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.1/1M tokens | $0.05/1M tokens |
| Output price | $0.3/1M tokens | $0.25/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| DeepSeek R1 0528 | Phi-3 Mini 4k | |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | ||
| Multimodal | ||
| Reasoning | ||
| Function calling | ||
| Tool use | ||
| Structured outputs | ||
| Code execution |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | DeepSeek R1 0528 | Phi-3 Mini 4k |
|---|---|---|
| Google-Proof Q&A | 81.0 | 40.9 |
Deep dive
On shared benchmark coverage, Google-Proof Q&A has DeepSeek R1 0528 at 81 and Phi-3 Mini 4k at 40.9, with DeepSeek R1 0528 ahead by 40.1 points. The largest visible gap is 40.1 points on Google-Proof Q&A, which matters most when that benchmark mirrors your workload. Treat isolated benchmark wins as directional, because provider routing, prompt style, and tool access can move real application results.
The capability footprint differs most on reasoning mode: DeepSeek R1 0528, structured outputs: DeepSeek R1 0528, and code execution: DeepSeek R1 0528. Both models share the core language-model surface, so the practical split is not just feature count. Use those differences to decide whether the page is about raw model quality, agentic coding support, multimodal ingestion, or predictable structured API behavior.
For cost, DeepSeek R1 0528 lists $0.1/1M input and $0.3/1M output tokens, while Phi-3 Mini 4k lists $0.05/1M input and $0.25/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts Phi-3 Mini 4k lower by about $0.05 per million blended tokens. Availability is 5 providers versus 4, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose DeepSeek R1 0528 when coding workflow support, larger context windows, and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose Phi-3 Mini 4k when provider fit and lower input-token cost are more important. For production, rerun your own prompts through the exact provider, region, and tool stack you plan to ship.
FAQ
Which has a larger context window, DeepSeek R1 0528 or Phi-3 Mini 4k?
DeepSeek R1 0528 supports 160K tokens, while Phi-3 Mini 4k supports 4K tokens. That gap matters most for long documents, large codebases, retrieval-heavy agents, and conversations where earlier context must remain visible.
Which is cheaper, DeepSeek R1 0528 or Phi-3 Mini 4k?
Phi-3 Mini 4k is cheaper on tracked token pricing. DeepSeek R1 0528 costs $0.1/1M input and $0.3/1M output tokens. Phi-3 Mini 4k costs $0.05/1M input and $0.25/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is DeepSeek R1 0528 or Phi-3 Mini 4k open source?
DeepSeek R1 0528 is listed under Open Source. Phi-3 Mini 4k is listed under Open Source. License labels affect whether you can self-host, redistribute weights, or rely only on hosted APIs, so confirm the upstream license before deployment.
Which is better for reasoning mode, DeepSeek R1 0528 or Phi-3 Mini 4k?
DeepSeek R1 0528 has the clearer documented reasoning mode signal in this comparison. If reasoning mode is mission-critical, validate it against the provider endpoint because model-level support and API-level exposure can differ.
Which is better for structured outputs, DeepSeek R1 0528 or Phi-3 Mini 4k?
DeepSeek R1 0528 has the clearer documented structured outputs signal in this comparison. If structured outputs is mission-critical, validate it against the provider endpoint because model-level support and API-level exposure can differ.
Where can I run DeepSeek R1 0528 and Phi-3 Mini 4k?
DeepSeek R1 0528 is available on Together AI, Fireworks AI, GCP Vertex AI, Novita AI, and OpenRouter. Phi-3 Mini 4k is available on Microsoft Foundry, NVIDIA NIM, Baseten API, and Replicate API. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
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Last reviewed: 2026-04-24. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.