MiniMax M2.7 vs Qwen3.5-397B-A17B
MiniMax M2.7 (2026) and Qwen3.5-397B-A17B (2026) are frontier-tier reasoning models from MiniMax and Alibaba. MiniMax M2.7 ships a 205K-token context window, while Qwen3.5-397B-A17B ships a 262K-token context window. On Google-Proof Q&A, Qwen3.5-397B-A17B leads by 1.9 pts. On pricing, MiniMax M2.7 costs $0.3/1M input tokens versus $0.39/1M for the alternative. This comparison covers specs, pricing, capabilities, benchmarks, provider availability, and production fit.
MiniMax M2.7 is safer overall; choose Qwen3.5-397B-A17B when long-context analysis matters.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | MiniMax M2.7 | Qwen3.5-397B-A17B |
|---|---|---|
| Decision fit | RAG, Agents, and Long context | Coding, RAG, and Agents |
| Context window | 205K | 262K |
| Cheapest output | $1.2/1M tokens | $2.34/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 2 tracked | 3 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 1 rows | Google-Proof Q&A leader |
Decision tradeoffs
- MiniMax M2.7 has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $1.2/1M tokens.
- Local decision data tags MiniMax M2.7 for RAG, Agents, and Long context.
- Qwen3.5-397B-A17B leads the largest shared benchmark signal on Google-Proof Q&A by 1.9 points.
- Qwen3.5-397B-A17B has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Qwen3.5-397B-A17B has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- Qwen3.5-397B-A17B uniquely exposes Multimodal in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Qwen3.5-397B-A17B for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output prices on this page.
MiniMax M2.7
$540
Cheapest tracked route: OpenRouter
Qwen3.5-397B-A17B
$897
Cheapest tracked route: OpenRouter
Estimated monthly gap: $357. Batch, cache, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
- Qwen3.5-397B-A17B is $1.14/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- Qwen3.5-397B-A17B adds Multimodal in local capability data.
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
- MiniMax M2.7 is $1.14/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for Multimodal before moving production traffic.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026-03-18 | 2026-02-16 |
| Context window | 205K | 262K |
| Parameters | 10B active | 397B |
| Architecture | decoder only | MoE |
| License | Proprietary | Apache 2.0 |
| Knowledge cutoff | - | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | MiniMax M2.7 | Qwen3.5-397B-A17B |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.3/1M tokens | $0.39/1M tokens |
| Output price | $1.2/1M tokens | $2.34/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | MiniMax M2.7 | Qwen3.5-397B-A17B |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | No |
| Multimodal | No | Yes |
| Reasoning | Yes | Yes |
| Function calling | Yes | Yes |
| Tool use | Yes | Yes |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | No | No |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | MiniMax M2.7 | Qwen3.5-397B-A17B |
|---|---|---|
| Google-Proof Q&A | 87.4 | 89.3 |
Deep dive
On shared benchmark coverage, Google-Proof Q&A has MiniMax M2.7 at 87.4 and Qwen3.5-397B-A17B at 89.3, with Qwen3.5-397B-A17B ahead by 1.9 points. The largest visible gap is 1.9 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 multimodal input: Qwen3.5-397B-A17B. Both models share reasoning mode, function calling, tool use, and structured outputs, 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, MiniMax M2.7 lists $0.3/1M input and $1.2/1M output tokens, while Qwen3.5-397B-A17B lists $0.39/1M input and $2.34/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts MiniMax M2.7 lower by about $0.4 per million blended tokens. Availability is 2 providers versus 3, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose MiniMax M2.7 when provider fit and lower input-token cost are central to the workload. Choose Qwen3.5-397B-A17B when long-context analysis, larger context windows, and broader provider choice 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, MiniMax M2.7 or Qwen3.5-397B-A17B?
Qwen3.5-397B-A17B supports 262K tokens, while MiniMax M2.7 supports 205K tokens. That gap matters most for long documents, large codebases, retrieval-heavy agents, and conversations where earlier context must remain visible. Use this as a quick comparison signal, then confirm the provider-specific limits before committing to production.
Which is cheaper, MiniMax M2.7 or Qwen3.5-397B-A17B?
MiniMax M2.7 is cheaper on tracked token pricing. MiniMax M2.7 costs $0.3/1M input and $1.2/1M output tokens. Qwen3.5-397B-A17B costs $0.39/1M input and $2.34/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is MiniMax M2.7 or Qwen3.5-397B-A17B open source?
MiniMax M2.7 is listed under Proprietary. Qwen3.5-397B-A17B is listed under Apache 2.0. 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 multimodal input, MiniMax M2.7 or Qwen3.5-397B-A17B?
Qwen3.5-397B-A17B has the clearer documented multimodal input signal in this comparison. If multimodal input is mission-critical, validate it against the provider endpoint because model-level support and API-level exposure can differ.
Which is better for reasoning mode, MiniMax M2.7 or Qwen3.5-397B-A17B?
Both MiniMax M2.7 and Qwen3.5-397B-A17B expose reasoning mode. The better choice depends on benchmark fit, context budget, pricing, and whether your provider route exposes the same capability surface. Use this as a quick comparison signal, then confirm the provider-specific limits before committing to production.
Where can I run MiniMax M2.7 and Qwen3.5-397B-A17B?
MiniMax M2.7 is available on OpenRouter and Fireworks AI. Qwen3.5-397B-A17B is available on OpenRouter, Together AI, and Alibaba Cloud PAI-EAS. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
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Last reviewed: 2026-05-11. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.