Kimi K3 Low vs Beam 1.0: which is faster?

Kimi K3 Low and Beam 1.0 are level on the intelligence index (17.4 and 17.7). Compare price, speed, latency and a clear verdict.

Metric	Kimi K3 (Low)	Beam 1.0
Intelligence Index	17.4	17.7
Input price (per 1M tokens)	$3.00	$0.40
Output price (per 1M tokens)	$15.00	$1.20
Output speed (tokens/s)	49	344
Time to first token	3.6s	0.70s
Release date	2026-07-16	2026-10-16

Metric

Kimi K3 (Low)

Beam 1.0

Intelligence Index

17.4

17.7

Input price (per 1M tokens)

$3.00

$0.40

Output price (per 1M tokens)

$15.00

$1.20

Output speed (tokens/s)

344

Time to first token

3.6s

0.70s

Release date

2026-07-16

2026-10-16

On the headline score, Kimi's Kimi K3 (Low) and Reflection's Beam 1.0 are almost level. Throughput is the standout difference: 344 tokens per second for Beam 1.0 against 49 tokens per second for Kimi K3 Low. This page is written automatically from catalogue numbers only: benchmark scores, list prices and measured speed.

Beam 1.0 is the faster writer

Once a response is under way, Kimi K3 Low produces roughly 49 tokens per second against 344 tokens per second for Beam 1.0. On long outputs, that is a real advantage for Beam 1.0. Time to first token is 3.6 seconds for Kimi K3 Low and 0.70 seconds for Beam 1.0. In an interactive app, Beam 1.0 will feel noticeably more responsive.

Add the two numbers up for a 600-token reply and Beam 1.0 finishes first: 16 seconds for Kimi K3 Low, 2.4 seconds for Beam 1.0.

Which is newer

Beam 1.0 arrived on October 16, 2026, about 3 months after Kimi K3 Low (July 16, 2026).

Cost: Beam 1.0 is cheaper

The list prices are $3.00 in and $15.00 out for Kimi K3 Low, and $0.40 in and $1.20 out for Beam 1.0, per million tokens. That makes Beam 1.0's output 92% cheaper.

For a sample workload of 1 million input tokens and 200,000 output tokens, Kimi K3 Low would cost $6.00 and Beam 1.0 $0.64, a difference of $5.36. Scale it up to a chat app with 50,000 sessions of 800 input and 300 output tokens and the bill is $345 for Kimi K3 Low against $34.00 for Beam 1.0.

A dead heat on the headline index

With 17.4 for Kimi K3 Low and 17.7 for Beam 1.0, the headline index barely separates them. A gap that small is inside the range where one aggregate cannot name a winner.

Across the 109 active models with an intelligence score in the catalogue, Kimi K3 Low ranks 86th and Beam 1.0 ranks 84th.

For coding or maths work specifically, the catalogue has no dedicated index on either side yet.

Is the price in proportion?

Dividing the blended price by the intelligence index gives a rough cost per point: $0.34 for Kimi K3 Low and $0.034 for Beam 1.0, per million tokens. With scores this close, Beam 1.0 is simply the cheaper way to buy the same capability.

Frequently asked questions

Is Kimi K3 Low better than Beam 1.0?

Beam 1.0 comes out ahead on every measure the data separates: they are level on the intelligence index (17.4 and 17.7); Beam 1.0 is 90% cheaper on blended price; and Beam 1.0 streams output 7 times as fast.

Where do these numbers come from?

The figures are the recorded benchmark, price and speed data in Franklin AI's model catalogue. This page is written from that data automatically; neither model was tested by hand for it.

Which is newer, Kimi K3 Low or Beam 1.0?

Beam 1.0 is newer. It was released on October 16, 2026, about 3 months after Kimi K3 Low (July 16, 2026).

Which model has lower latency?

Beam 1.0 generates output faster, at 344 tokens per second against 49 tokens per second. Beam 1.0 reaches its first token sooner (0.70 seconds against 3.6 seconds).

Is Beam 1.0 cheaper than Kimi K3 Low?

Beam 1.0 is cheaper on a blended basis. Kimi K3 Low lists $3.00 per million input tokens and $15.00 per million output tokens; Beam 1.0 lists $0.40 and $1.20. For 1 million input and 200,000 output tokens that is $6.00 against $0.64.

Final whistle

Beam 1.0 comes out ahead on every recorded measure where they differ, so it is the easier choice unless something outside this data matters to you. Pick Beam 1.0 if cost matters ($1.20 against $15.00 per million output tokens) and long outputs need to finish quickly. Pick Kimi K3 Low only if your own tests show an advantage the recorded data does not.

Where the numbers come from

The scores, speed and prices in this comparison come from independent third-party model evaluations that Franklin AI syncs each day, and the article was written from a snapshot of them. For the latest results, open the Kimi K3 (Low) and Beam 1.0 pages. The AI Benchmark methodology explains how that data is collected and shown.