IBM Granite 3.1 2B vs Dolphin 2.9.3 72B

Compare IBM Granite 3.1 2B 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 IBM Granite 3.1 2B Dolphin 2.9.3 72B
CategoryCompactOpen Source
Parameters2B72B
Context Window128K128K
Input Price$0.004/1M tokens$0.04/1M tokens
Output Price$0.008/1M tokens$0.08/1M tokens
Latency~30ms~350ms

Choose IBM Granite 3.1 2B when:

  • ✓ Edge enterprise
  • ✓ Compliance-required
  • ✓ Fast classification
Key Strengths:

Enterprise-grade, Tiny, 128K context

Choose Dolphin 2.9.3 72B when:

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

Uncensored, Strong instruction following, Versatile

Verdict: IBM Granite 3.1 2B vs Dolphin 2.9.3 72B

For cost efficiency, IBM Granite 3.1 2B wins at $0.004/1M input tokens. For speed, IBM Granite 3.1 2B is faster at ~30ms. IBM Granite 3.1 2B excels at Edge enterprise 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

IBM Granite 3.1 2B costs $0.004/1M input tokens and $0.008/1M output tokens. Dolphin 2.9.3 72B costs $0.04 input and $0.08 output. IBM Granite 3.1 2B is 10.0x cheaper on input tokens. XALEN offers batch processing at 50% discount on both models.

Performance & Context

IBM Granite 3.1 2B has a 128K context window with ~30ms latency. Dolphin 2.9.3 72B offers 128K context at ~350ms. Both have identical context windows.

Best For

IBM Granite 3.1 2B (Compact) is optimized for: Edge enterprise, Compliance-required, Fast classification. 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 IBM Granite 3.1 2B
response_a = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="granite-3-1-2b",
    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, IBM Granite 3.1 2B or Dolphin 2.9.3 72B?

IBM Granite 3.1 2B (Compact, 2B) offers Enterprise-grade. Dolphin 2.9.3 72B (Open Source, 72B) offers Uncensored. Choose IBM Granite 3.1 2B for Edge enterprise or Dolphin 2.9.3 72B for Creative writing.

How much does IBM Granite 3.1 2B cost vs Dolphin 2.9.3 72B?

IBM Granite 3.1 2B: $0.004/1M input, $0.008/1M 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 IBM Granite 3.1 2B 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.