DeepSeek R1 0528 vs Nova Lite

Side-by-side benchmark comparison across coding, math, reasoning, speed, and pricing.

DeepSeek R1 0528 by DeepSeek wins on 9 of 14 benchmarks against Nova Lite by Amazon, which leads on 5. This head-to-head comparison covers coding, math, reasoning, speed, and pricing metrics from the AI Value Index.

Category-by-Category Breakdown

General Intelligence: In general intelligence, DeepSeek R1 0528 scores 1375 on Chatbot Arena ELO compared to Nova Lite's 1110, while DeepSeek R1 0528 scores 84.0% on MMLU-Pro compared to Nova Lite's 45.0%.

Coding: In coding, DeepSeek R1 0528 scores 88.0% on HumanEval+ compared to Nova Lite's 55.0%, while DeepSeek R1 0528 scores 55.0% on SWE-bench Verified compared to Nova Lite's 10.0%, while DeepSeek R1 0528 scores 58.0% on LiveCodeBench compared to Nova Lite's 14.0%.

Math: In math, DeepSeek R1 0528 scores 96.0% on MATH compared to Nova Lite's 40.0%, while DeepSeek R1 0528 scores 97.5% on GSM8K compared to Nova Lite's 68.0%.

Reasoning: In reasoning, DeepSeek R1 0528 scores 81.0% on GPQA Diamond compared to Nova Lite's 20.0%, while DeepSeek R1 0528 scores 15.0% on ARC-AGI compared to Nova Lite's 3.0%.

Context: In context, Nova Lite scores 300K on Context Length compared to DeepSeek R1 0528's 131K.

Pricing Comparison

DeepSeek R1 0528 costs $0.55/1M input tokens and $2.2/1M output tokens, while Nova Lite costs $0.06/1M input and $0.24/1M output. Nova Lite is the more affordable option for API usage.

Speed Comparison

DeepSeek R1 0528 generates output at 40 tok/s compared to Nova Lite's 150 tok/s, and the time to first token is 900 ms for DeepSeek R1 0528 versus 150 ms for Nova Lite. Nova Lite delivers faster throughput.

Verdict

For developers prioritizing coding and general intelligence and math, DeepSeek R1 0528 has the edge. For those who value affordability and speed, Nova Lite is the stronger choice.

DeepSeek R1 0528 vs Nova Lite — FAQ

Which is better, DeepSeek R1 0528 or Nova Lite?

DeepSeek R1 0528 wins on more benchmarks overall (9 vs 5). However, the best choice depends on your specific needs — each model excels in different areas.

How does DeepSeek R1 0528 compare to Nova Lite for coding?

DeepSeek R1 0528 is better for coding, scoring 55.0% on SWE-bench Verified compared to 10.0%. SWE-bench tests real-world software engineering by resolving actual GitHub issues.

Is DeepSeek R1 0528 cheaper than Nova Lite?

Yes, Nova Lite is cheaper. DeepSeek R1 0528 costs $0.55/1M input and $2.2/1M output tokens. Nova Lite costs $0.06/1M input and $0.24/1M output tokens.

Which is faster, DeepSeek R1 0528 or Nova Lite?

Nova Lite is faster, generating output at 150 tok/s compared to 40 tok/s. Faster output speed means shorter wait times for API responses.

What benchmarks does the DeepSeek R1 0528 vs Nova Lite comparison cover?

This comparison covers 14 benchmarks including Chatbot Arena ELO, MMLU-Pro, HumanEval+, MATH, SWE-bench Verified, GPQA Diamond, Output Speed, Time to First Token, and more. Metrics span general intelligence, coding, math, reasoning, speed, and cost categories.