Hermes 4 405B (Reasoning)

A reasoning powerhouse with a premium price tag.

Hermes 4 405B (Reasoning)

Hermes 4 405B is a large, open-licensed model built on Llama-3.1, optimized for complex reasoning tasks with an exceptionally large context window, though it comes with a higher cost and moderate speed.

Llama-3.1 Base405B ParametersReasoning FocusOpen License128k ContextText-to-Text

Hermes 4 405B, developed by Nous Research and powered by the Llama-3.1 405B architecture, positions itself as a formidable contender in the realm of large language models, particularly for applications demanding sophisticated reasoning. This model distinguishes itself with an expansive 128k token context window, enabling it to process and synthesize vast amounts of information, making it suitable for intricate analytical tasks, long-form content generation, and complex problem-solving scenarios. Its open license further enhances its appeal, offering developers and organizations greater flexibility and control over its deployment and customization.

Despite its impressive capabilities, Hermes 4 405B presents a nuanced performance profile. While it scores 42 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, placing it below the average for comparable models, it achieves this with remarkable conciseness, generating significantly fewer tokens (5.8M vs. an average of 22M) during evaluation. This conciseness can be a double-edged sword: it reduces output token costs for specific tasks but might also indicate a need for more precise prompting to elicit desired detail, or a different approach to evaluating its 'intelligence' given its unique output style.

From a cost perspective, Hermes 4 405B operates at the higher end of the spectrum. With an input token price of $1.00 per 1M tokens and an output token price of $3.00 per 1M tokens, it is notably more expensive than the average for its class. This premium pricing, coupled with a median output speed of 37 tokens per second (slower than the average of 45 tokens/s), suggests that users must carefully weigh its reasoning prowess and large context against potential budget and latency constraints. The blended price of $1.50 per 1M tokens (based on a 3:1 output to input ratio) reflects this elevated cost structure.

The model's latency, measured at 0.77 seconds for time to first token (TTFT) on Nebius (FP8), is within an acceptable range for many applications, though not exceptionally fast. This combination of high cost, moderate speed, and specialized reasoning capabilities makes Hermes 4 405B a strategic choice for specific, high-value use cases where the depth of analysis and the ability to handle extensive context outweigh the financial and speed considerations. Its deployment on Nebius (FP8) indicates a focus on robust, enterprise-grade infrastructure.

Scoreboard

Intelligence

42 (#28 / 51 / 405B)

Below average intelligence for its class, but highly concise in its output.
Output speed

37 tokens/s

Slower than average, impacting real-time or high-volume generation tasks.
Input price

$1.00 per 1M tokens

Significantly above average, making input-heavy tasks costly.
Output price

$3.00 per 1M tokens

Very high output token cost, impacting generation-intensive workloads.
Verbosity signal

5.8M tokens

Extremely concise, generating fewer tokens during intelligence evaluation compared to peers.
Provider latency

0.77 seconds

Moderate time to first token, acceptable for many interactive applications.

Technical specifications

Spec Details
Model Name Hermes 4 405B
Base Model Llama-3.1 405B
Primary Use Case Reasoning, Complex Analysis
Owner Nous Research
License Open
Context Window 128k tokens
Input Type Text
Output Type Text
API Provider (Benchmarked) Nebius (FP8)
Median Output Speed 37 tokens/s
Latency (TTFT) 0.77 seconds
Blended Price (3:1) $1.50 per 1M tokens
Input Token Price $1.00 per 1M tokens
Output Token Price $3.00 per 1M tokens
Intelligence Index Score 42 / 51

What stands out beyond the scoreboard

Where this model wins
  • Exceptional Context Handling: A 128k token context window allows for processing and reasoning over very large documents and complex conversations.
  • Specialized Reasoning: Optimized for intricate analytical tasks, making it suitable for applications requiring deep understanding and logical inference.
  • Highly Concise Outputs: Generates fewer tokens for intelligence tasks, potentially reducing output costs for specific use cases where brevity is key.
  • Open License Flexibility: Being an open-licensed model provides significant freedom for customization, fine-tuning, and deployment in diverse environments.
  • Robust Infrastructure: Benchmarked on Nebius (FP8), indicating availability on high-performance, enterprise-grade platforms.
Where costs sneak up
  • High Input Token Price: At $1.00 per 1M tokens, processing large inputs can quickly become expensive, especially for document analysis or extensive prompt engineering.
  • Very High Output Token Price: The $3.00 per 1M output tokens makes generation-heavy tasks, like long-form content creation or detailed explanations, significantly more costly.
  • Slower Output Speed: A median speed of 37 tokens/s can lead to longer wait times and higher operational costs for real-time or high-throughput applications.
  • Below-Average Intelligence Rank: While concise, its intelligence score suggests it might require more sophisticated prompting or iterative refinement compared to higher-ranked models, potentially increasing overall interaction costs.
  • Blended Price Impact: The blended price of $1.50 per 1M tokens (3:1 ratio) reflects a generally expensive model, requiring careful budget planning.

Provider pick

Choosing the right provider for Hermes 4 405B involves balancing performance, cost, and specific operational needs. While Nebius (FP8) is the benchmarked provider, offering a solid foundation for this model, exploring alternatives or understanding Nebius's specific advantages is crucial for optimal deployment.

Consider your primary objective: is it raw performance, cost efficiency, or ease of integration? Each priority might lead to a different provider strategy, even if the underlying model remains the same.

Priority Pick Why Tradeoff to accept
Priority Pick Why Tradeoff
Balanced Performance & Stability Nebius (FP8) Benchmarked provider, offers reliable performance and infrastructure for the model's capabilities. Higher cost structure compared to some alternatives; moderate speed.
Cost-Efficiency (Hypothetical) Provider X (Optimized Inferencing) May offer more aggressive pricing tiers or specialized inference optimizations for high volume, lower margin tasks. Potentially less mature infrastructure or fewer advanced features; might require more integration effort.
Low Latency (Hypothetical) Provider Y (Edge Deployment) Focuses on minimizing time-to-first-token, critical for real-time interactive applications. Could come with a higher per-token cost or limited geographic availability.
Developer Flexibility Self-Hosted (Open License) Leverages the open license for full control over deployment, fine-tuning, and data privacy. Significant operational overhead, requires expertise in infrastructure management and model deployment.
Enterprise Integration Provider Z (Managed Service) Offers comprehensive support, security, and seamless integration with existing enterprise systems. Highest cost, potentially less flexibility in model customization.

Note: Provider X, Y, and Z are illustrative examples for different priorities. Nebius (FP8) is the only provider explicitly benchmarked for Hermes 4 405B in the provided data.

Real workloads cost table

Understanding the real-world cost implications of Hermes 4 405B requires analyzing typical usage scenarios. Given its high token prices and moderate speed, strategic application is key to managing expenses. Below are estimated costs for common tasks, assuming the benchmarked Nebius (FP8) pricing.

These estimates highlight how input and output token counts directly influence the total cost, emphasizing the need for efficient prompting and output management.

Scenario Input Output What it represents Estimated cost
Scenario Input (tokens) Output (tokens) What it represents Estimated Cost
Complex Document Summarization 50,000 2,000 Summarizing a detailed report or research paper. $0.050 + $0.006 = $0.056
Advanced Code Generation 10,000 1,500 Generating a complex function or script from detailed requirements. $0.010 + $0.0045 = $0.0145
Long-form Content Creation 5,000 5,000 Drafting a blog post or marketing copy based on a brief. $0.005 + $0.015 = $0.020
Multi-turn Reasoning Chatbot 15,000 1,000 Handling a complex user query over several turns. $0.015 + $0.003 = $0.018
Data Extraction & Analysis 80,000 1,000 Extracting key insights from a large dataset or log file. $0.080 + $0.003 = $0.083
Legal Document Review 100,000 3,000 Identifying critical clauses or summarizing legal precedents. $0.100 + $0.009 = $0.109

The estimated costs reveal that Hermes 4 405B, while powerful, demands careful consideration of token usage. Tasks involving large inputs or substantial outputs quickly accumulate costs, underscoring the importance of optimizing prompts and managing output verbosity.

How to control cost (a practical playbook)

Given Hermes 4 405B's premium pricing, implementing a robust cost optimization strategy is essential. The model's unique characteristics, such as its conciseness and large context window, offer specific avenues for efficiency.

By focusing on prompt engineering, output management, and strategic task allocation, you can maximize the value derived from this powerful reasoning model while keeping expenses in check.

Optimize Prompts for Conciseness

Since Hermes 4 405B is inherently concise, leverage this trait. Design prompts that explicitly ask for brief, to-the-point answers, or specify maximum word/sentence counts. Avoid open-ended prompts that might encourage unnecessary verbosity.

  • Use directives like "Summarize in 3 sentences."
  • Specify output format to reduce extraneous text (e.g., JSON, bullet points).
  • Pre-process inputs to remove redundant information before sending to the model.
Leverage the 128k Context Window Strategically

The large context window is a strength, but using it indiscriminately will incur high input costs. Only include necessary information in the prompt. For iterative tasks, consider summarizing previous turns or using retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) to fetch only relevant snippets.

  • Employ RAG to provide only highly relevant context, rather than entire documents.
  • For long conversations, summarize past interactions to keep the active context smaller.
  • Batch related queries to utilize the context window efficiently across multiple requests.
Monitor and Control Output Length

With output tokens being three times more expensive than input tokens, strict control over generated content is paramount. Implement post-processing to trim unnecessary text or set hard limits on output length at the application level.

  • Set `max_tokens` parameters in your API calls to prevent overly long responses.
  • Implement client-side truncation if the model exceeds desired length.
  • Analyze common output patterns to identify and prune repetitive phrases or boilerplate.
Batch Processing for Throughput

While the model's speed is moderate, batching multiple independent requests can improve overall throughput and potentially reduce per-request overhead. This is particularly useful for offline processing or tasks where immediate real-time responses aren't critical.

  • Group similar, non-urgent tasks together for a single API call if the provider supports it.
  • Process large datasets in chunks, optimizing for the model's context window and speed.
  • Schedule batch jobs during off-peak hours if pricing tiers vary.
Consider Tiered Model Usage

For tasks that don't require Hermes 4 405B's full reasoning power or large context, consider using a smaller, more cost-effective model for initial drafts or simpler queries. Reserve Hermes 4 405B for the most complex, high-value reasoning tasks.

  • Use a cheaper model for initial content generation, then refine with Hermes 4 405B.
  • Employ smaller models for basic summarization or classification, saving Hermes 4 405B for deep analysis.
  • Implement a routing layer that directs queries to the most appropriate (and cost-effective) model.

FAQ

What is Hermes 4 405B?

Hermes 4 405B is a large language model developed by Nous Research, based on the Llama-3.1 405B architecture. It is specifically designed for advanced reasoning tasks and features an extensive 128k token context window, making it suitable for processing and analyzing large volumes of text.

How does its intelligence compare to other models?

Hermes 4 405B scores 42 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, placing it below the average for comparable models in its class. However, it achieves this score with remarkable conciseness, generating significantly fewer tokens during evaluation, which suggests a different approach to its 'intelligence' output.

Is Hermes 4 405B cost-effective?

Hermes 4 405B is positioned at the higher end of the cost spectrum. With input tokens at $1.00 and output tokens at $3.00 per 1M, it is more expensive than the average. Its cost-effectiveness depends heavily on the specific use case and the ability to optimize token usage, especially for output generation.

What are the primary use cases for Hermes 4 405B?

Its strengths lie in complex reasoning, deep analysis, and tasks requiring a large context window. Ideal applications include detailed document summarization, advanced code generation, intricate problem-solving, and long-form content creation where quality and contextual understanding are paramount.

What is its context window size?

Hermes 4 405B boasts an impressive 128k token context window. This allows the model to process and maintain context over very long inputs, enabling it to handle extensive documents, multi-turn conversations, and complex data analysis without losing track of earlier information.

Who owns and licenses Hermes 4 405B?

The model is owned by Nous Research. It operates under an open license, which provides users with significant flexibility for deployment, customization, and integration into various applications without restrictive proprietary constraints.

What does 'highly concise' mean in this context?

Being 'highly concise' means that Hermes 4 405B tends to generate fewer tokens to convey information, particularly during intelligence evaluations. While this can reduce output costs, it also implies that users might need to be more explicit in their prompts if they require detailed or verbose responses.

How does its output speed compare?

Hermes 4 405B has a median output speed of 37 tokens per second, which is slower than the average of 45 tokens/s for comparable models. This moderate speed means it might not be the fastest choice for applications requiring extremely rapid, high-volume text generation.


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