Intelligence
40 scoreAlibaba · Flagships Analysis
Qwen3.6 Max Preview
Intelligence, Performance & Price Analysis
Canonical slug: qwen3-6-max · Canonical model registry at build time
Speed
45.1 output tokens/secLatency
3.38s TTFTInput Price
$1.30 / 1M tokensOutput Price
$7.80 / 1M tokensExecutive Assessment
Routing Verdict & Tradeoffs
Ethen Routing Verdict
Frontier research / complex reasoning
Qwen3.6 Max Preview scores 40 (estimated) on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, placing it well above average among other reasoning models in a similar price tier (median: 28). Qwen3.6 Max Preview generates output at 45.1 tokens per second (based on Alibaba's API), which is at the lower end compared to other reasoning models in a similar price tier (median: 81.2 t/s). Qwen3.6 Max Preview costs $1.30 per 1M input tokens (better than average, median: $1.50) and $7.80 per 1M output tokens (better than average, median: $8.40), based on Alibaba's API.
Reserve this model for the hardest requests; simpler or repetitive work should stay on cheaper routes.
Task Fit Assessment
| Workload | Rating | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Complex reasoning & agentic workflows | optimal | Intelligence score 40 places this model among top performers. Suitable for multi-step analysis and agentic loops. |
| High-volume chat & customer-facing | viable | Output speed may be a bottleneck for real-time chat at scale. |
| Latency-sensitive applications | viable | TTFT 3.38s — latency may be noticeable in interactive use. |
| Cost-sensitive pipelines | viable | Output pricing at $7.80 is premium. Route high-volume simple tasks to cheaper alternatives. |
Cost Pressure Analysis
High
Pricing is premium — input $1.30, output $7.80. This model is expensive for high-volume or output-heavy workloads.
Technical Specifications
Architecture and Limits
| Specification | Value | Validation Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Model type | Proprietary | inferred |
| Reasoning | Yes | faq |
| Input modalities | Qwen3.6 Max Preview supports text input. | faq |
| Output modalities | Qwen3.6 Max Preview supports text output. | faq |
| Context window | 260k tokens | faq |
| Open weights / source | No, Qwen3.6 Max Preview is proprietary. The model weights are not publicly available. | faq |
| Parameters | Qwen3.6 Max Preview is a proprietary model and Alibaba has not disclosed the model size or parameter count. | faq |
| API availability | Yes, Qwen3.6 Max Preview is available via API through 1 provider. | faq |
Evidence charts
Profile visualizations
Charts are the same canonical evidence cards previously published for this slug, contained inside the D18D page grammar.
AA-Omniscience Index
AA-Omniscience Index (higher is better) measures knowledge reliability and hallucination. It rewards correct answers, penalizes hallucinations, and has no penalty for refusing to answer. Scores range from -100 to 100, where 0 means as many correct as incorrect answers, and negative scores mean more incorrect than correct. · Evaluation results measured independently by Artificial Analysis
Retrieved 2026-07-08
Chart source and provenance are listed in Methodology & sources below.
- Source:
- Published benchmark dataset
- Retrieval date:
- 2026-07-08
- Methodology:
- Independent test run by Artificial Analysis on dedicated hardware.
Bars intentionally show many models at once so the page feels like a benchmark report rather than a dashboard.
Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index by Open Weights / Proprietary
Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index v4.1 incorporates 9 evaluations: GDPval-AA v2, 𝜏³-Banking, Terminal-Bench v2.1, SciCode, Humanity's Last Exam, GPQA Diamond, CritPt, AA-Omniscience, AA-LCR · Evaluation results measured independently by Artificial Analysis
Retrieved 2026-07-08
Chart source and provenance are listed in Methodology & sources below.
- Source:
- Published benchmark dataset
- Retrieval date:
- 2026-07-08
- Methodology:
- Independent test run by Artificial Analysis on dedicated hardware.
Higher values indicate stronger overall capability. Bars show how models compare on composite intelligence metrics.
Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index
Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index v4.1 incorporates 9 evaluations: GDPval-AA v2, 𝜏³-Banking, Terminal-Bench v2.1, SciCode, Humanity's Last Exam, GPQA Diamond, CritPt, AA-Omniscience, AA-LCR · Evaluation results measured independently by Artificial Analysis
Retrieved 2026-07-08
Chart source and provenance are listed in Methodology & sources below.
- Source:
- Published benchmark dataset
- Retrieval date:
- 2026-07-08
- Methodology:
- Independent test run by Artificial Analysis on dedicated hardware.
Higher values indicate stronger overall capability. Bars show how models compare on composite intelligence metrics.
Intelligence
Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index · Higher is better · Evaluation results measured independently by Artificial Analysis
Retrieved 2026-07-08
Chart source and provenance are listed in Methodology & sources below.
- Source:
- Published benchmark dataset
- Retrieval date:
- 2026-07-08
- Methodology:
- Independent test run by Artificial Analysis on dedicated hardware.
Higher values indicate stronger overall capability. Bars show how models compare on composite intelligence metrics.
Output Speed
Output tokens per second · Higher is better · Evaluation results measured independently by Artificial Analysis
Retrieved 2026-07-08
Chart source and provenance are listed in Methodology & sources below.
- Source:
- Published benchmark dataset
- Retrieval date:
- 2026-07-08
- Methodology:
- Independent test run by Artificial Analysis on dedicated hardware.
Speed should be read together with latency and cost; fast output does not always mean better user-perceived performance.
Speed
Output tokens per second · Higher is better · Evaluation results measured independently by Artificial Analysis
Retrieved 2026-07-08
Chart source and provenance are listed in Methodology & sources below.
- Source:
- Published benchmark dataset
- Retrieval date:
- 2026-07-08
- Methodology:
- Independent test run by Artificial Analysis on dedicated hardware.
Speed should be read together with latency and cost; fast output does not always mean better user-perceived performance.
End-to-End Response Time
Seconds to output 500 tokens, including reasoning model 'thinking' time · Lower is better · Evaluation results measured independently by Artificial Analysis
Retrieved 2026-07-08
Chart source and provenance are listed in Methodology & sources below.
- Source:
- Published benchmark dataset
- Retrieval date:
- 2026-07-08
- Methodology:
- Independent test run by Artificial Analysis on dedicated hardware.
Bars intentionally show many models at once so the page feels like a benchmark report rather than a dashboard.
Latency: Time To First Answer Token
Seconds to first answer token received · Accounts for reasoning model 'thinking' time · Evaluation results measured independently by Artificial Analysis
Retrieved 2026-07-08
Chart source and provenance are listed in Methodology & sources below.
- Source:
- Published benchmark dataset
- Retrieval date:
- 2026-07-08
- Methodology:
- Independent test run by Artificial Analysis on dedicated hardware.
Latency includes thinking / reasoning time when applicable. Lower is better for interactive use cases.
Context Window
Context window: tokens limit · Higher is better · Evaluation results measured independently by Artificial Analysis
Retrieved 2026-07-08
Chart source and provenance are listed in Methodology & sources below.
- Source:
- Published benchmark dataset
- Retrieval date:
- 2026-07-08
- Methodology:
- Independent test run by Artificial Analysis on dedicated hardware.
Larger context windows enable complex multi-turn tasks but may increase latency and cost for long inputs.
Cost per Intelligence Index Task
Weighted average cost (USD) per Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index task, segmented by token type. Lower is better · Evaluation results measured independently by Artificial Analysis
Retrieved 2026-07-08
Chart source and provenance are listed in Methodology & sources below.
- Source:
- Published benchmark dataset
- Retrieval date:
- 2026-07-08
- Methodology:
- Independent test run by Artificial Analysis on dedicated hardware.
Higher values indicate stronger overall capability. Bars show how models compare on composite intelligence metrics.
Ethen Gateway should route away from this model when the task is simple, repetitive, or likely to generate many output tokens.
Cost per Task
Weighted average cost (USD) per Intelligence Index task · Lower is better · Evaluation results measured independently by Artificial Analysis
Retrieved 2026-07-08
Chart source and provenance are listed in Methodology & sources below.
- Source:
- Published benchmark dataset
- Retrieval date:
- 2026-07-08
- Methodology:
- Independent test run by Artificial Analysis on dedicated hardware.
Ethen Gateway should route away from this model when the task is simple, repetitive, or likely to generate many output tokens.
Cost to Run Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index
Cost (USD) to run all evaluations in the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index · Evaluation results measured independently by Artificial Analysis
Retrieved 2026-07-08
Chart source and provenance are listed in Methodology & sources below.
- Source:
- Published benchmark dataset
- Retrieval date:
- 2026-07-08
- Methodology:
- Independent test run by Artificial Analysis on dedicated hardware.
Higher values indicate stronger overall capability. Bars show how models compare on composite intelligence metrics.
Ethen Gateway should route away from this model when the task is simple, repetitive, or likely to generate many output tokens.
Pricing: Cache Hit, Input, and Output
Price (USD per M Tokens) · Evaluation results measured independently by Artificial Analysis
Retrieved 2026-07-08
Chart source and provenance are listed in Methodology & sources below.
- Source:
- Published benchmark dataset
- Retrieval date:
- 2026-07-08
- Methodology:
- Independent test run by Artificial Analysis on dedicated hardware.
Bars intentionally show many models at once so the page feels like a benchmark report rather than a dashboard.
Time per Intelligence Index Task
Weighted average decode time (minutes) per task; excludes TTFT and overhead time · Lower is better · Evaluation results measured independently by Artificial Analysis
Retrieved 2026-07-08
Chart source and provenance are listed in Methodology & sources below.
- Source:
- Published benchmark dataset
- Retrieval date:
- 2026-07-08
- Methodology:
- Independent test run by Artificial Analysis on dedicated hardware.
Higher values indicate stronger overall capability. Bars show how models compare on composite intelligence metrics.
Methodology
Methodology & Provenance
This page is rendered from the normalized profile and page JSON for Qwen3.6 Max Preview.
Benchmark values are preserved as normalized; only layout, disclosure ordering, and typography are adjusted for readability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Model FAQs & Technical Disclosures
Qwen3.6 Max Preview was released on April 20, 2026.
Qwen3.6 Max Preview was created by Alibaba.
Qwen3.6 Max Preview scores 40 (estimated) on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, placing it well above average among other reasoning models in a similar price tier (median: 28).
Qwen3.6 Max Preview generates output at 45.1 tokens per second (based on Alibaba's API), which is at the lower end compared to other reasoning models in a similar price tier (median: 81.2 t/s).
Qwen3.6 Max Preview has a time to first token (TTFT) of 3.38s (based on Alibaba's API), which is somewhat higher than average compared to other reasoning models in a similar price tier (median: 2.78s).
Qwen3.6 Max Preview costs $1.30 per 1M input tokens (better than average, median: $1.50) and $7.80 per 1M output tokens (better than average, median: $8.40), based on Alibaba's API.
Qwen3.6 Max Preview costs $1.30 per 1M input tokens and $7.80 per 1M output tokens (based on Alibaba's API). For a blended rate (7:2:1 cache hit/input/output ratio), this is $1.13 per 1M tokens. Pricing may vary by provider.
Yes, Qwen3.6 Max Preview is a reasoning model. It uses extended thinking or chain-of-thought reasoning to work through complex problems before providing an answer.
Qwen3.6 Max Preview supports text input.
Qwen3.6 Max Preview supports text output.
No, Qwen3.6 Max Preview does not support image input. It can only process text.
No, Qwen3.6 Max Preview is not multimodal. It only supports text input.
Qwen3.6 Max Preview has a context window of 260k tokens. This determines how much text and conversation history the model can process in a single request.
No, Qwen3.6 Max Preview is proprietary. The model weights are not publicly available.
Qwen3.6 Max Preview is a proprietary model and Alibaba has not disclosed the model size or parameter count.
Qwen3.6 Max Preview achieves a score of 40 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index. This composite benchmark evaluates models across reasoning, knowledge, mathematics, and coding.
Yes, Qwen3.6 Max Preview is available via API through 1 provider.
Qwen3.6 Max Preview is available through 1 API provider.