Llama 4 (405B) vs Llama 3.1 405B

Head-to-head technical comparison of intelligence, capabilities, and API pricing.

Llama 4 (405B)
Meta
AI Mastery Index90.5
LMSYS Arena1285
Technical (MMLU-Pro)90.5%
Cost per 1M Tokens$0
Llama 3.1 405B
Meta
AI Mastery Index85
LMSYS Arena1255
Technical (MMLU-Pro)88.6%
Cost per 1M Tokens$0

Architect's Verdict

When comparing Llama 4 (405B) and Llama 3.1 405B, Llama 4 (405B) edges out in overall capabilities according to the AI Mastery Index. However, for cost-sensitive workloads, Llama 3.1 405B offers a more economical API at $0 per 1M tokens. Your choice should depend heavily on whether you prioritize raw reasoning (MMLU) or scalable deployment economics.