DeepSeek V3.1 vs Dolphin 2.9.3 72B

Compare DeepSeek V3.1 and Dolphin 2.9.3 72B: pricing, performance, context window, latency, and best use cases. Side-by-side comparison on XALEN.

Updated 2026-05-21 · By Abhishek Raj · Our methodology

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Feature DeepSeek V3.1 Dolphin 2.9.3 72B
CategoryOpen SourceOpen Source
Parameters685B (37B active)72B
Context Window128K128K
Input Price$0.06/1M tokens$0.04/1M tokens
Output Price$0.10/1M tokens$0.08/1M tokens
Latency~400ms~350ms

Choose DeepSeek V3.1 when:

  • ✓ Production apps
  • ✓ Content generation
  • ✓ Multi-language
Key Strengths:

Improved quality, Better safety, Stronger multilingual

Choose Dolphin 2.9.3 72B when:

  • ✓ Creative writing
  • ✓ Unrestricted generation
  • ✓ Research
Key Strengths:

Uncensored, Strong instruction following, Versatile

Verdict: DeepSeek V3.1 vs Dolphin 2.9.3 72B

For cost efficiency, Dolphin 2.9.3 72B wins at $0.04/1M input tokens. For speed, Dolphin 2.9.3 72B is faster at ~350ms. DeepSeek V3.1 excels at Production apps while Dolphin 2.9.3 72B is better for Creative writing. Both are available on XALEN through a single API — try them in the Playground to see which fits your workload.

Detailed Analysis

Pricing Comparison

DeepSeek V3.1 costs $0.06/1M input tokens and $0.10/1M output tokens. Dolphin 2.9.3 72B costs $0.04 input and $0.08 output. Dolphin 2.9.3 72B is 1.5x cheaper on input tokens. XALEN offers batch processing at 50% discount on both models.

Performance & Context

DeepSeek V3.1 has a 128K context window with ~400ms latency. Dolphin 2.9.3 72B offers 128K context at ~350ms. Both have identical context windows.

Best For

DeepSeek V3.1 (Open Source) is optimized for: Production apps, Content generation, Multi-language. Dolphin 2.9.3 72B (Open Source) works best for: Creative writing, Unrestricted generation, Research.

Try Both on XALEN

Both models are available through XALEN's OpenAI-compatible API. Switch between them by changing the model parameter:

from xalen import XALEN

client = XALEN(api_key="xln_test_YOUR_KEY")

# Use DeepSeek V3.1
response_a = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="deepseek-v3-1",
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Your question here"}]
)

# Use Dolphin 2.9.3 72B
response_b = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="dolphin-2-9-3-72b",
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Your question here"}]
)

Start Building with XALEN

200+ AI models. One API. Pay-as-you-go.

Get API Key Try in Playground

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, DeepSeek V3.1 or Dolphin 2.9.3 72B?

DeepSeek V3.1 (Open Source, 685B (37B active)) offers Improved quality. Dolphin 2.9.3 72B (Open Source, 72B) offers Uncensored. Choose DeepSeek V3.1 for Production apps or Dolphin 2.9.3 72B for Creative writing.

How much does DeepSeek V3.1 cost vs Dolphin 2.9.3 72B?

DeepSeek V3.1: $0.06/1M input, $0.10/1M output. Dolphin 2.9.3 72B: $0.04/1M input, $0.08/1M output. Both available on XALEN with batch processing at 50% discount.

Can I use both models on XALEN?

Yes. XALEN provides 200+ models through a single OpenAI-compatible API. Switch between DeepSeek V3.1 and Dolphin 2.9.3 72B by changing the model parameter. No code changes needed.

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Last updated: 2026-05-21. Pricing and specifications may change. Check pricing page for latest rates.