DeepSeek vs 
NVIDIA
Verdict
- DeepSeek's flagship leads: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017 at 64.0 vs Nemotron 3 Ultra 550B A55B at 55.7.
- DeepSeek has the better model in 4 of 4 price bands.
- NVIDIA's fastest ranked model (Nemotron 3.5 Lightning, 288 tok/s) beats DeepSeek's (DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017, 195 tok/s).
- DeepSeek publishes more open-weights models (24 vs 20).
- NVIDIA ships more often: one model every 36 days against every 37.
Best model per price band
Each provider’s highest-index model below the price ceiling. Purple marks the winner of the band.
| Price band | DeepSeek | NVIDIA |
|---|---|---|
| Under $0.50/M | DeepSeek V4 Flash max 59.4$0.175/M | Nemotron 3 Super 120B A12B thinking 50.6$0.450/M |
| Under $2/M | DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017 max 64.0$0.525/M | Nemotron 3 Ultra 550B A55B thinking 55.7$1.13/M |
| Under $10/M | DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017 max 64.0$0.525/M | Nemotron 3 Ultra 550B A55B thinking 55.7$1.13/M |
| Any price | DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017 max 64.0$0.525/M | Nemotron 3 Ultra 550B A55B thinking 55.7$1.13/M |
Line-up
| Metric | DeepSeek | NVIDIA |
|---|---|---|
| Flagship index | 64.0 | 55.7 |
| Ranked models | 22 | 16 |
| Open-weights models | 24 | 20 |
| Cheapest ranked, $/M | $0.068 | $0.070 |
| Fastest ranked, tok/s | 195 | 288 |
| Release cadence, days | 37 | 36 |
| Last release | 17 Oct 2026 | 23 Oct 2026 |
| Next expected | 8 Nov 2026 – 7 Dec 2026 | 13 Nov 2026 – 12 Dec 2026 |