Kimi Linear 48B A3B Instruct (instruction-tuned, non-reasoning)

High-speed, high-context, instruction-tuned powerhouse

Kimi Linear 48B A3B Instruct (instruction-tuned, non-reasoning)

A fast and intelligent open-licensed model with a massive context window, ideal for verbose content generation and complex instruction following, though its pricing requires careful management.

Open License1M Context WindowText-to-TextHigh SpeedAbove Average IntelligenceVerbose Output

The Kimi Linear 48B A3B Instruct model emerges as a compelling option for developers and enterprises seeking a powerful, instruction-tuned language model with an open license. Benchmarked primarily through Parasail, this model demonstrates an impressive blend of speed and intelligence, positioning it favorably against many contemporaries. Its standout feature is arguably the colossal 1 million token context window, enabling it to process and generate exceptionally long and complex sequences of text, a capability that opens doors for advanced applications in content creation, summarization, and intricate data handling.

Performance metrics reveal Kimi Linear 48B A3B Instruct to be a swift performer, boasting a median output speed of 61 tokens per second and a low time-to-first-token (TTFT) latency of just 0.42 seconds. This speed, combined with its above-average intelligence score of 26 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index (ranking #10 out of 33 models), makes it a strong candidate for real-time applications and high-throughput workloads where rapid, intelligent responses are paramount. However, this performance comes with a notable characteristic: verbosity. The model generated 130 million tokens during its Intelligence Index evaluation, significantly higher than the average of 8.5 million, indicating a tendency for detailed and extensive outputs.

From a cost perspective, Kimi Linear 48B A3B Instruct is positioned as somewhat expensive, particularly when compared to other open-weight, non-reasoning models of similar scale. With an input token price of $0.30 per 1 million tokens and an output token price of $0.60 per 1 million tokens on Parasail, its blended rate (3:1 input to output) comes to $0.38 per 1 million tokens. While these prices are above the observed averages, the model's high intelligence and speed can justify the investment for use cases where quality and performance are critical. Users will need to carefully manage prompt engineering and output length to optimize cost-efficiency, especially given its verbose nature.

Overall, Kimi Linear 48B A3B Instruct is a robust, open-source model from Kimi, designed for demanding text-based tasks. Its combination of an expansive context window, high speed, and strong intelligence makes it suitable for applications requiring deep contextual understanding and detailed generative capabilities. While its pricing and verbosity require strategic consideration, its strengths offer significant value for advanced AI deployments.

Scoreboard

Intelligence

26 (#10 / 33 / 33)

Scores above average on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, outperforming many peers. Rated 3 out of 4 units for Intelligence.
Output speed

61 tokens/s

Faster than the average model, ensuring quick response times. Rated 3 out of 4 units for Speed.
Input price

$0.30 / 1M tokens

Somewhat expensive compared to the average input token price of $0.20. Rated 3 out of 4 units for Input Price.
Output price

$0.60 / 1M tokens

Somewhat expensive, exceeding the average output token price of $0.54. Rated 3 out of 4 units for Output Price.
Verbosity signal

130M tokens

Extremely verbose, generating significantly more tokens than the average of 8.5M during evaluation. Rated 4 out of 4 units for Verbosity.
Provider latency

0.42 seconds

Excellent time to first token, contributing to a responsive user experience.

Technical specifications

Spec Details
Owner Kimi
License Open
Context Window 1M tokens
Input Type Text
Output Type Text
Intelligence Index Score 26
Intelligence Index Rank #10 / 33
Output Speed (median) 61 tokens/s
Latency (TTFT) 0.42 seconds
Input Token Price $0.30 / 1M tokens
Output Token Price $0.60 / 1M tokens
Blended Price (3:1) $0.38 / 1M tokens
Verbosity (Intelligence Index) 130M tokens
Model Type Instruction-tuned, non-reasoning

What stands out beyond the scoreboard

Where this model wins
  • Exceptional Context Handling: With a 1 million token context window, it excels at processing and generating extremely long documents, complex code, or extensive conversational histories.
  • Above-Average Intelligence: Scores 26 on the Intelligence Index, placing it in the top tier for understanding and generating nuanced responses among its peers.
  • High Output Speed: A median output speed of 61 tokens/s ensures rapid content generation, crucial for real-time applications and high-volume tasks.
  • Low Latency: A time-to-first-token of 0.42 seconds provides a highly responsive user experience, minimizing perceived delays.
  • Open License Flexibility: Being an open-licensed model from Kimi offers greater control, customization potential, and freedom from vendor lock-in for deployment.
  • Strong Instruction Following: As an 'Instruct' model, it's finely tuned to follow complex instructions, making it highly effective for specific task execution.
Where costs sneak up
  • Somewhat Expensive Token Prices: Both input ($0.30/1M) and output ($0.60/1M) token prices are above average, requiring careful cost management.
  • High Verbosity Impact: The model's tendency for verbose outputs (130M tokens in evaluation) can significantly inflate output token costs if not actively controlled.
  • Blended Price Considerations: The blended price of $0.38/1M tokens, while competitive for its performance, is higher than some alternatives, especially for output-heavy tasks.
  • Scaling Output-Heavy Workloads: For applications that generate vast amounts of text, the higher output token price can lead to rapidly escalating operational costs.
  • Evaluation Cost: The $89.48 cost to evaluate on the Intelligence Index highlights that even benchmark usage can be substantial, indicating potential for high costs in production.
  • Potential for Over-Generation: Without strict output constraints, the model might generate more text than necessary, leading to wasted tokens and increased expenses.

Provider pick

Choosing the right provider for Kimi Linear 48B A3B Instruct involves balancing performance, cost, and specific operational needs. Currently, Parasail is the primary benchmarked provider, offering a robust platform for deploying this model. When evaluating providers, consider your priorities:

Priority Pick Why Tradeoff to accept
Priority Pick Why Tradeoff
Performance & Speed Parasail Demonstrated low latency (0.42s TTFT) and high output speed (61 tokens/s) in benchmarks. Optimized infrastructure for rapid inference. May not be the absolute cheapest option for every use case, especially if verbosity is unmanaged.
Cost-Efficiency (Balanced) Parasail Offers a competitive blended rate ($0.38/1M tokens) for its performance tier. Good for workloads with a balanced input/output ratio. Requires diligent prompt engineering and output control to prevent cost overruns due to verbosity.
Reliability & Uptime Parasail As an established API provider, Parasail typically offers strong uptime guarantees and robust infrastructure. Reliance on a single provider can introduce vendor lock-in; multi-cloud strategies might be more complex.
Ease of Integration Parasail Standardized API access and documentation simplify integration into existing applications and workflows. Less direct control over underlying hardware and software stack compared to self-hosting.
Large Context Workloads Parasail Optimized to handle the model's 1M token context window efficiently, crucial for complex tasks. Processing very large contexts can still incur higher costs due to increased token counts, regardless of provider.

Note: Provider recommendations are based on available benchmark data and general industry practices. Specific performance and pricing may vary based on your unique usage patterns and negotiated terms.

Real workloads cost table

Understanding the real-world cost implications of Kimi Linear 48B A3B Instruct requires examining typical use cases. The following scenarios illustrate estimated costs based on its input ($0.30/1M) and output ($0.60/1M) token prices, highlighting how its verbosity and context window can influence expenses.

Scenario Input Output What it represents Estimated cost
Scenario Input Output What it represents Estimated Cost
Long-Form Content Generation 1,000 tokens 5,000 tokens Drafting a detailed blog post, article, or marketing copy. Leverages verbosity for rich output. $0.0003 + $0.003 = $0.0033
Extensive Document Summarization 50,000 tokens 2,000 tokens Condensing a large report or legal document into a concise summary. Utilizes the large context window. $0.015 + $0.0012 = $0.0162
Multi-Turn Chatbot Interaction 3,000 tokens 800 tokens A complex customer service dialogue with historical context. Balances input context with concise responses. $0.0009 + $0.00048 = $0.00138
Code Generation & Explanation 2,000 tokens 1,500 tokens Generating a complex function and providing detailed comments/explanation. Benefits from intelligence and verbosity. $0.0006 + $0.0009 = $0.0015
Data Extraction (Structured) 10,000 tokens 1,000 tokens Extracting specific entities from a long unstructured text into JSON. Relies on context and instruction following. $0.003 + $0.0006 = $0.0036
Creative Writing (Story Plot) 500 tokens 3,000 tokens Developing a detailed plot outline or character backstory. Leverages generative capabilities. $0.00015 + $0.0018 = $0.00195

These scenarios highlight that while Kimi Linear 48B A3B Instruct's capabilities are powerful, its cost is heavily influenced by output length. Tasks requiring extensive generation or processing of very long inputs will naturally incur higher costs. Strategic prompt engineering to control output verbosity and efficient management of context are crucial for optimizing expenses.

How to control cost (a practical playbook)

Leveraging Kimi Linear 48B A3B Instruct effectively means not just understanding its capabilities, but also mastering strategies to optimize its cost. Given its somewhat higher token prices and verbose nature, a proactive approach to cost management is essential.

1. Master Prompt Engineering for Brevity

The model's verbosity is a double-edged sword. While it can provide rich, detailed outputs, it can also lead to unnecessary token consumption. Crafting precise prompts is key.

  • Explicitly state desired length: Use phrases like "Summarize in 3 sentences," "Provide a concise answer," or "Limit output to 200 words."
  • Use negative constraints: Instruct the model on what not to include, e.g., "Do not include introductory pleasantries."
  • Iterate and refine: Test prompts with varying constraints to find the sweet spot between detail and conciseness for your specific task.
2. Implement Output Token Management

Beyond prompt engineering, programmatic controls can prevent excessive output generation, especially in dynamic or user-facing applications.

  • Max token limits: Always set a max_tokens parameter in your API calls to cap the response length.
  • Post-processing for truncation: If the model still generates too much, implement server-side truncation or summarization on the output before presenting it to the end-user.
  • Streaming for early termination: Utilize streaming APIs to monitor output in real-time and terminate generation once sufficient information is received.
3. Optimize Context Window Usage

The 1M token context window is powerful, but filling it unnecessarily can increase input costs. Be strategic about what context you provide.

  • Summarize historical context: For long conversations, summarize previous turns rather than sending the entire transcript with each new prompt.
  • Retrieve only relevant information: When using RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation), ensure your retrieval system fetches only the most pertinent documents or snippets, not entire databases.
  • Dynamic context sizing: Adjust the amount of context provided based on the complexity of the current query, rather than always sending the maximum.
4. Batching and Asynchronous Processing

For non-real-time workloads, batching requests and processing them asynchronously can improve efficiency and potentially reduce costs, depending on the provider's pricing model.

  • Group similar requests: Combine multiple independent prompts into a single API call if the provider supports batching.
  • Process offline: For tasks like document analysis or content generation that don't require immediate responses, queue them for processing during off-peak hours or as background jobs.
  • Leverage provider-specific features: Some providers offer specific batch processing endpoints or cost optimizations for asynchronous tasks.
5. Monitor and Analyze Usage Patterns

Continuous monitoring of token usage and costs is crucial for identifying inefficiencies and areas for optimization.

  • Track token counts: Implement logging to record input and output token counts for every API call.
  • Analyze cost per feature: Attribute token usage and costs to specific features or user interactions within your application.
  • Set up alerts: Configure alerts for unusual spikes in token usage or cost to quickly identify and address issues.

FAQ

What is Kimi Linear 48B A3B Instruct?

Kimi Linear 48B A3B Instruct is an instruction-tuned, open-licensed large language model developed by Kimi. It's designed for text-to-text generation, excels at following complex instructions, and features an exceptionally large 1 million token context window.

How does its intelligence compare to other models?

It scores 26 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, placing it above the average of 22 and ranking #10 out of 33 models. This indicates strong capabilities in understanding and generating high-quality, relevant text, particularly for a non-reasoning model of its size.

Is Kimi Linear 48B A3B Instruct cost-effective?

While its input ($0.30/1M) and output ($0.60/1M) token prices are somewhat above average, its high intelligence, speed, and massive context window can make it cost-effective for tasks where these features are critical. However, its verbose nature means careful prompt engineering and output management are essential to control costs.

What are its main strengths?

Its primary strengths include an industry-leading 1 million token context window, above-average intelligence, high output speed (61 tokens/s), low latency (0.42s TTFT), and its open-license status, offering flexibility and control to developers.

What kind of tasks is it best suited for?

It's ideal for applications requiring deep contextual understanding, long-form content generation, complex instruction following, detailed summarization of extensive documents, and any task where a large memory of previous interactions or source material is beneficial.

How does its speed compare to other models?

With a median output speed of 61 tokens per second, Kimi Linear 48B A3B Instruct is faster than the average model. This makes it well-suited for applications demanding quick responses and high throughput.

What is the context window size of this model?

Kimi Linear 48B A3B Instruct boasts an impressive 1 million token context window. This allows it to process and generate extremely long pieces of text, maintaining coherence and relevance over vast amounts of information.

What does 'verbose' mean in this context?

The model is described as 'very verbose' because it generated 130 million tokens during its Intelligence Index evaluation, significantly more than the average of 8.5 million. This means it tends to produce detailed and extensive outputs, which can be beneficial for rich content but also increases token usage and cost.


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