Mixtral 8x7B vs Phi-4 Mini Reasoning
Mixtral 8x7B (2023) and Phi-4 Mini Reasoning (2026) are frontier reasoning models from MistralAI and Microsoft Research. Mixtral 8x7B ships a 32k-token context window, while Phi-4 Mini Reasoning ships a 128k-token context window. On Google-Proof Q&A, Mixtral 8x7B leads by 2.8 pts. This comparison covers specs, pricing, API access, capabilities, benchmarks, input and output token costs, and production fit for coding and agent workloads.
Phi-4 Mini Reasoning fits 4x more tokens; pick it for long-context work and Mixtral 8x7B for tighter calls.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | Mixtral 8x7B | Phi-4 Mini Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | provider-routed production | reasoning-heavy apps |
| Decision fit | Coding and Classification | Long context |
| Context window | 32k | 128k |
| Cheapest output | $0.45/1M tokens | - |
| Provider routes | 18 tracked | 0 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | Google-Proof Q&A leader | 1 rows |
Decision tradeoffs
- Mixtral 8x7B holds a shared-benchmark lead on Google-Proof Q&A, ahead by 2.8 points.
- Mixtral 8x7B has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- Local decision data tags Mixtral 8x7B for Coding and Classification.
- Phi-4 Mini Reasoning has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Phi-4 Mini Reasoning uniquely exposes Reasoning in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Phi-4 Mini Reasoning for Long context.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output route or tier on this page.
Mixtral 8x7B
$233
Cheapest tracked route/tier: Mistral AI Studio
Phi-4 Mini Reasoning
Unavailable
No complete token price in local provider data
Cost delta unavailable until both models have sourced input and output token prices.
Switch friction
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Mixtral 8x7B and Phi-4 Mini Reasoning; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Phi-4 Mini Reasoning adds Reasoning in local capability data.
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Phi-4 Mini Reasoning and Mixtral 8x7B; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Check replacement coverage for Reasoning before moving production traffic.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2023-12-11 | 2026-05-16 |
| Context window | 32k | 128k |
| Parameters | 8x7B | 3.8B |
| Architecture | mixture of experts | - |
| License | Apache 2.0(OSI) | MIT(OSI) |
| Openness | Open source | Open source |
| Commercial use | Commercial use allowed | Commercial use allowed |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2023-12 | 2025-02 |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | Mixtral 8x7B | Phi-4 Mini Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.15/1M tokens | - |
| Output price | $0.45/1M tokens | - |
| Providers | - |
Capabilities
| Capability | Mixtral 8x7B | Phi-4 Mini Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | No |
| Multimodal | No | No |
| Reasoning | No | Yes |
| Function calling | No | No |
| Tool use | No | No |
| Structured outputs | No | No |
| Code execution | No | No |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | Mixtral 8x7B | Phi-4 Mini Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Google-Proof Q&A | 54.8 | 52.0 |
Deep dive
On shared benchmark coverage, Google-Proof Q&A has Mixtral 8x7B at 54.8 and Phi-4 Mini Reasoning at 52, with Mixtral 8x7B ahead by 2.8 points. The largest visible gap is 2.8 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: Phi-4 Mini Reasoning. 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.
Pricing coverage is uneven: Mixtral 8x7B has $0.15/1M input tokens and Phi-4 Mini Reasoning has no token price sourced yet. Provider availability is 18 tracked routes versus 0. Treat unknown pricing as an integration gap, then verify the route you will actually call before estimating production spend.
Choose Mixtral 8x7B when provider fit and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose Phi-4 Mini Reasoning when reasoning depth and larger context windows 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, Mixtral 8x7B or Phi-4 Mini Reasoning?
Phi-4 Mini Reasoning supports 128k tokens, while Mixtral 8x7B supports 32k tokens. That gap matters most for long documents, large codebases, retrieval-heavy agents, and conversations where earlier context must remain visible.
Is Mixtral 8x7B or Phi-4 Mini Reasoning open source?
Mixtral 8x7B is listed under Apache 2.0. Phi-4 Mini Reasoning is listed under MIT. 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, Mixtral 8x7B or Phi-4 Mini Reasoning?
Phi-4 Mini Reasoning 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.
Where can I run Mixtral 8x7B and Phi-4 Mini Reasoning?
Mixtral 8x7B is available on Databricks Foundation Model Serving, NVIDIA NIM, GCP Vertex AI, AWS Bedrock, and OctoAI API (Deprecated). Phi-4 Mini Reasoning is available on the tracked providers still being sourced. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
When should I pick Mixtral 8x7B over Phi-4 Mini Reasoning?
Phi-4 Mini Reasoning fits 4x more tokens; pick it for long-context work and Mixtral 8x7B for tighter calls. If your workload also depends on provider fit, start with Mixtral 8x7B; if it depends on reasoning depth, run the same evaluation with Phi-4 Mini Reasoning.
Continue comparing
Last reviewed: 2026-05-22. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.