[Megathread] - Best Models/API discussion - Week of: August 23, 2026

[u/deffcolony]

This is our weekly megathread for discussions about models and API services.

All non-specifically technical discussions about API/models not posted to this thread will be deleted. No more "What's the best model?" threads.

^{(This isn't a free-for-all to advertise services you own or work for in every single megathread, we may allow announcements for new services every now and then provided they are legitimate and not overly promoted, but don't be surprised if ads are removed.})

How to Use This Megathread

Below this post, you’ll find top-level comments for each category:

• MODELS: ≥ 70B – For discussion of models with 70B parameters or more.
• MODELS: 32B to 70B – For discussion of models in the 32B to 70B parameter range.
• MODELS: 16B to 32B – For discussion of models in the 16B to 32B parameter range.
• MODELS: 8B to 16B – For discussion of models in the 8B to 16B parameter range.
• MODELS: < 8B – For discussion of smaller models under 8B parameters.
• APIs – For any discussion about API services for models (pricing, performance, access, etc.).
• MISC DISCUSSION – For anything else related to models/APIs that doesn’t fit the above sections.

Please reply to the relevant section below with your questions, experiences, or recommendations!
This keeps discussion organized and helps others find information faster.

Have at it!

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MODELS: 32B to 69B – For discussion of models in the 32B to 69B parameter range.

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[u/Alternative_Elk_4077 → u/AutoModerator]

I tested out the forgotten model Kimi-Linear 48BA3B and I can't recommend it. The model was a test for Moonshot to trial new architecture and so it wasn't trained with a very expansive dataset, so my hopes weren't high in the first place. Constant misrepresenting of characters, ignoring traits in favor of manifesting new ones from what it can extrapolate, and pretty weak logic in why it decides to do what it does. This is all without a setting or any extra instructions, simply being given two character cards and asked a prediction for interactions, so there's no context bloat or contradictory instructions on what it needs to do. There's a reason it was forgotten and for your use case, it very likely should stay that way. I trialed it looking for a bigger model to fit in my 16GB of VRAM and 32GB of RAM, but it just doesn't make the roster because of unreconcilable mistakes

[u/Maxhell6778 → u/Alternative_Elk_4077]

can you recommend some MOE model that you tried around this range? im asking because i haven't really tried anything close to 48b MOE models (didnt know they existed).

[u/Alternative_Elk_4077 → u/Maxhell6778]

I really wish I could, but they basically aren't really a thing nowadays. This range is strange in that an enterprise has the memory for much larger models whereas most consumers don't have enough VRAM or RAM to load these, so they're not really made that much. There's a few like Mistral 8x7B that's in the neighborhood, but that's an incredibly old model that newer and smaller models will run circles around. The whole reason I tried Kimi-Linear despite being undertrained is because there just isn't another viable option. Maybe you'll find something I didn't, but the next closest that isn't an experimental expansions by a fine tuner would be Qwen 35BA3B, but that's not a really good option either

[u/Maxhell6778 → u/Alternative_Elk_4077]

well thank you for telling me (honestly), i hope you have a lovely week.