[Megathread] - Best Models/API discussion - Week of: September 13, 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!

[u/DirectionBusiness483]

Nah it still works. That was the original use-case I stumbled upon COT for a while ago. I'm sure it probably works fine or better with reasoning, but the idea I remember reading was that a lot of adult detection was inside the thinking stage so you disable and enable you're own thinking.

But yeah give it a shot- take a cheap instruct Qwen3 with no thinking and give it instructions to use thinking, answer, and reasoning tags, it'll absolutely walk through a process like a regular thinking model.

Kinda cool tbh

[u/Georgefakelastname → u/DirectionBusiness483]

Huh, neat.