Google releases Gemma 4 open models
2mon 15d ago by aussie.zone/u/Eyekaytee in localllama@sh.itjust.works from ai.google.dev
cross-posted from: https://lemmus.org/post/21296613
I've done some testing with the two large models and my initial impression is that they seem very similar in quality to Qwen3.5 35B and 27B. Some notable exceptions:
- llama.cpp has speculative decode support on day 1 and it speeds performance noticeably.
- Day 1 base model release will undoubtedly lead to faster finetunes
Can't wait for the inevitable Claude/Gemini distils.
My verdict is that even though these models benchmark slightly lower then their Qwen equivalents, their performance and support will likely drive me to pick them.
Are there open Claude models? I thought they were proprietary only
Not exactly. Some people have used Claude's thinking patterns to train other open models.
This one has been in the top 5 on huggingface for weeks https://huggingface.co/Jackrong/Qwen3.5-27B-Claude-4.6-Opus-Reasoning-Distilled
What hardware are you running them on? I am interested in selfhosting a llm myself but I am not sure which hardware I need. How do you think do these self hosted variants compare to for example claude sonnet 4.6?
Very interesting! Thank you for your detailed answer! :)
Rookie question, forgive me:
How are the scores generated? How do you get 7/8.5 on a complicated ethical question? How are these scales even defined?
Ok, I really really appreciate the depth you've put into your answers.
I always look at these grading rubrics people post for models and I've never seen an example of how they get ranked.
At this point I don't think I'll be ranking models myself, I'm not an enthusiast (yet) just running some ~30B models at home for various things and trying to stay afloat in what is a significantly more complicated ecosystem than I had imagined when I started.
But I really appreciate what you've written and I'm going to save all this.
Last questions - I see that you used Claude to come up with your test questions, right? How do you even validate the anchor answers if you're not an expert in the field?
Do you do this professionally?
What are your use cases for LLMs? Lots of effort to rate models if you're not seeking a specific strength or outcome in your work.
I tried the 26B searching for a product to buy from a photo. It did significantly worse than Qwen 3.5 35B as well as 9B. It seems like it did not recognize the item from the photo too well. Another search from text also did worse. It told me how to look it up myself. Qwen gave me a full list of prices and stores, sorted by price.
Prompt
Find the cheapest WD SN850X 2TB on sale in Canada.
Gemma 4 26B
To find the cheapest WD SN850X 2TB on sale in Canada, I recommend checking the following retailers, as prices for SSDs fluctuate frequently due to sales and stock:
- PCPartPicker Canada: This is your best tool. It aggregates prices from multiple Canadian retailers (like Canada Computers, Memory Express, Amazon.ca, etc.) and will show you exactly which one is currently the cheapest.
- Canada Computers: Often runs sales on NVMe drives.
- Amazon.ca: Frequently has competitive pricing, especially during Prime Day or seasonal sales.
Pro-tip: When checking, ensure you are looking at the 2TB model specifically, as the 1TB and 4TB versions are often listed in the same search results. Always check if the price includes shipping to your location in Canada.
Qwen 3.5 35B
Based on my search, I found the WD Black SN850X 2TB NVMe SSD at several Canadian retailers. Here are the current prices:
Price Comparison:
| Retailer | Price | Condition | Shipping |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newegg.ca | $499.97 | New | FREE |
| Amazon.ca | $503.47 | New | FREE |
| Canada Computers | $683.99 | Open Box | FREE |
| Canada Computers | $759.99 | New | FREE |
| Newegg.ca (other sellers) | $549.99 | New | FREE |
Best Deal: Newegg.ca - $499.97
The cheapest option is Newegg.ca at $499.97 with free shipping. This is sold directly by Newegg with their standard return policy.
Product Details:
- Model: WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB NVMe SSD (WDS200T2X0E)
- Interface: PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe
- Form Factor: M.2 2280
- Max Read Speed: Up to 7,300 MB/s
- Max Write Speed: Up to 6,600 MB/s
- Warranty: 5-year limited warranty
Other Considerations:
- If you're comfortable with open box items, Canada Computers has it for $683.99 (but this is still more expensive than Newegg)
- All prices are in CAD and include free shipping
Newegg.ca appears to have the best current deal for a brand new WD SN850X 2TB SSD in Canada. Prices can change quickly, so I recommend checking the site directly for the most up-to-date pricing.