Nova Lite is a high-speed, image-input capable model from Amazon, offering above-average intelligence and conciseness, though positioned at a premium price point.
Nova Lite, developed by Amazon, emerges as a compelling option in the landscape of non-reasoning AI models, particularly for applications demanding rapid processing and multimodal capabilities. Benchmarked extensively on Amazon Bedrock, this model distinguishes itself with an impressive median output speed of 157 tokens per second, significantly outpacing the average model performance. Its low latency of 0.40 seconds to first token further solidifies its position as a strong contender for real-time or near real-time interactive applications where responsiveness is paramount.
Beyond raw speed, Nova Lite demonstrates an above-average intelligence, scoring 21 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, which places it comfortably above the average of 15 for comparable models. This intelligence is delivered with remarkable conciseness; during its Intelligence Index evaluation, Nova Lite generated 5.3 million tokens, considerably less verbose than the average of 8.1 million tokens. This combination of speed, intelligence, and conciseness makes it well-suited for tasks requiring efficient summarization, content generation, or rapid information extraction without excessive verbosity.
However, Nova Lite's premium performance comes with a corresponding price tag. With an input token price of $0.06 per 1 million tokens and an output token price of $0.24 per 1 million tokens, it is positioned at the higher end of the spectrum, especially when compared to models that might offer similar capabilities at a lower cost. The blended price, calculated at $0.10 per 1 million tokens (based on a 3:1 input-to-output ratio), reflects this premium. While its pricing is notably higher than the reported average of $0.00 for both input and output tokens (which often signifies models with extremely low costs or free tiers), its performance metrics, particularly in speed and intelligence, may justify the investment for specific use cases.
A significant feature of Nova Lite is its support for image input, expanding its utility into multimodal applications such as image captioning, visual question answering, or document analysis. Coupled with a substantial 300,000-token context window, it can process and understand extensive textual and visual information, making it adaptable for complex, long-form content analysis or interactive sessions. This blend of multimodal input, expansive context, and high-speed, intelligent output positions Nova Lite as a powerful, albeit premium, tool for developers leveraging the Amazon Bedrock ecosystem.
21 (#28 / 93 / 93)
157 tokens/s
$0.06 per 1M tokens
$0.24 per 1M tokens
5.3M tokens
0.40 seconds
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Owner | Amazon |
| License | Proprietary |
| Context Window | 300,000 tokens |
| Image Input | Supported |
| Intelligence Index Score | 21 (Rank #28/93) |
| Output Speed (Median) | 157 tokens/s (Rank #10/93) |
| Latency (TTFT) | 0.40 seconds |
| Input Token Price | $0.06 per 1M tokens (Rank #83/93) |
| Output Token Price | $0.24 per 1M tokens (Rank #86/93) |
| Blended Price (3:1) | $0.10 per 1M tokens |
| Verbosity (Intelligence Index) | 5.3M tokens (Rank #12/93) |
| Model Type | Non-reasoning |
Choosing the right model often comes down to balancing performance, features, and cost against specific application requirements. For Nova Lite, its strengths lie in speed, intelligence, and multimodal capabilities, making it a strong contender within the Amazon Bedrock ecosystem. However, its premium pricing necessitates careful consideration of usage patterns and budget constraints.
Given that Nova Lite is an Amazon proprietary model, the primary provider is Amazon Bedrock. The following recommendations assume you are operating within or considering the Amazon Bedrock environment, focusing on how to best leverage Nova Lite for different priorities.
| Priority | Pick | Why | Tradeoff to accept |
|---|---|---|---|
| Priority | Pick | Why | Tradeoff |
| Maximum Responsiveness | Nova Lite (Amazon Bedrock) | Exceptional 0.40s TTFT and 157 tokens/s output speed ensure a fluid, real-time user experience. | Higher per-token cost for both input and output. |
| Multimodal Content Generation | Nova Lite (Amazon Bedrock) | Supports image input alongside a large text context, ideal for visual content analysis and generation. | Cost can escalate quickly with complex multimodal prompts and extensive outputs. |
| Concise & Intelligent Summarization | Nova Lite (Amazon Bedrock) | Above-average intelligence (21) combined with low verbosity (5.3M tokens) delivers efficient, high-quality summaries. | More expensive than models that might offer similar summarization quality at a lower cost per token. |
| High Throughput Applications | Nova Lite (Amazon Bedrock) | Its top-tier output speed makes it suitable for processing large volumes of requests quickly. | The cumulative cost for high-volume processing will be substantial due to premium pricing. |
| Long-Context Document Analysis | Nova Lite (Amazon Bedrock) | 300k context window is excellent for analyzing lengthy documents or complex datasets. | Filling the large context window frequently will significantly increase input token costs. |
Note: These recommendations are based on Nova Lite's benchmarked performance within the Amazon Bedrock ecosystem. Alternative models from other providers might offer different cost-performance profiles.
Understanding the real-world cost implications of Nova Lite requires looking beyond per-token prices and considering typical usage scenarios. Below are estimated costs for common AI workloads, assuming usage on Amazon Bedrock. These estimates highlight how Nova Lite's speed and intelligence can be leveraged, while also pointing out where its premium pricing becomes most apparent.
For these calculations, we assume a 3:1 input-to-output token ratio for blended pricing where applicable, and use Nova Lite's benchmarked speeds and prices. Actual costs may vary based on specific prompt engineering, output length, and API call patterns.
| Scenario | Input | Output | What it represents | Estimated cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scenario | Input | Output | What it represents | Estimated cost |
| Short Chatbot Interaction | 500 tokens | 150 tokens | A single turn of a concise, interactive customer support chatbot. | $0.000039 |
| Article Summarization | 10,000 tokens | 1,000 tokens | Summarizing a medium-length article into a brief overview. | $0.00084 |
| Long Document Q&A | 200,000 tokens | 500 tokens | Extracting specific answers from a large legal document or research paper. | $0.01212 |
| Image Captioning (Complex) | Image + 100 tokens text | 200 tokens | Generating a detailed description for a complex image based on a short prompt. | $0.000054 |
| Content Generation (Marketing) | 2,000 tokens | 5,000 tokens | Drafting a marketing email or social media post from bullet points. | $0.00132 |
| Daily Report Generation | 50,000 tokens | 10,000 tokens | Automated daily summary of business metrics or news feeds. | $0.0054 |
| High-Volume API Calls (1M tokens/day) | 750,000 tokens | 250,000 tokens | Continuous stream of short requests, e.g., real-time data processing. | $0.10 per day |
Nova Lite's costs are manageable for individual, short interactions, but scale rapidly with increased token usage, especially for output-heavy or long-context tasks. Its premium pricing means that while performance is excellent, cost optimization strategies are crucial for high-volume or extensive deployments.
Optimizing costs with Nova Lite, given its premium pricing, requires a strategic approach. While its performance is top-tier, careful management of token usage, prompt engineering, and output generation can significantly impact your operational expenses. The following playbook outlines key strategies to maximize value while keeping costs in check.
These tactics are particularly relevant for applications deployed on Amazon Bedrock, where Nova Lite's capabilities are leveraged. Implementing these practices can help ensure that you benefit from Nova Lite's speed and intelligence without incurring unnecessary expenditures.
Given Nova Lite's $0.06/1M input token price, every token in your prompt counts. Focus on providing only essential information.
At $0.24/1M output tokens, controlling the length of Nova Lite's responses is paramount. While Nova Lite is naturally concise, explicit instructions can further refine output.
Nova Lite's image input capability is powerful but can be resource-intensive. Use it judiciously to avoid hidden costs.
Continuous monitoring of your token consumption is vital for identifying cost-saving opportunities.
Nova Lite's primary strengths lie in its exceptional speed (157 tokens/s output, 0.40s latency) and its ability to handle multimodal inputs, particularly images, alongside a large 300k token context window. It also offers above-average intelligence with concise outputs.
While Nova Lite offers premium performance, its pricing ($0.06/1M input, $0.24/1M output) is on the higher side. For extremely cost-sensitive applications with high volume, it might be more expensive than alternatives. However, its conciseness can help mitigate some costs by reducing output token usage.
Nova Lite scores 21 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, which is above the average of 15 for comparable models. This indicates a strong capability in understanding and generating relevant, high-quality content, positioning it as an intelligent choice for many tasks.
Applications requiring real-time interaction (chatbots, virtual assistants), high-throughput content generation, multimodal analysis (e.g., image captioning, visual Q&A), and processing of very long documents (due to its 300k context window) will benefit significantly from Nova Lite.
Yes, Nova Lite supports image input, making it a multimodal model. This allows it to understand and respond to queries that involve both textual and visual information, expanding its utility for diverse use cases.
A 300,000-token context window means Nova Lite can process and retain a vast amount of information within a single interaction or document. This is particularly useful for tasks like summarizing entire books, analyzing extensive legal contracts, or maintaining very long, complex conversations without losing context.
Despite its higher per-token price, Nova Lite's conciseness (generating 5.3M tokens during evaluation compared to an 8.1M average) means it often provides necessary information with fewer output tokens. This can partially offset its premium pricing, making it more cost-effective for tasks where brevity is desired and valued.