Gemini 3.1 Pro vs Gemini 4 Argon
Google · US | Google · US · Updated June 2026
Quick verdict
Both are Google models. Gemini 4 Argon is the newer, generally stronger default; reach for Gemini 3.1 Pro when a specific cost or latency profile matters more than the latest capabilities.
Gemini 3.1 Pro and Gemini 4 Argon are both Google models, so the real question is not which lab to trust but which tier fits your workload and budget. Gemini 3.1 Pro is a 1M-token multimodal workhorse — huge breadth across text, image, audio and video, but recall fades deep in the window. Gemini 4 Argon is google's Gemini 4 Argon, broadly available October 13, 2026 - a 1M-context model at $2/$10 introductory pricing (doubling December 1). Since both come from the same lab, the comparison below focuses on the tier-and-cost trade-offs that actually separate them.
Key differences at a glance
- ▸Context window: both advertise 1M (~1,573 pages). Tie on paper — test on your own long inputs, since usable recall varies by model.
- ▸Recency: Gemini 4 Argon is the newer model by about 8 months (released October 13, 2026), usually meaning fresher training data and capabilities.
Side-by-side specs
| Spec | Gemini 3.1 Pro | Gemini 4 Argon |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Google (US) | Google (US) |
| Released | February 19, 2026 | October 13, 2026 |
| Context window | 1M (~1,573 pages) | 1M tokens (~1,573 pages) |
| Price (in/out) | $2/$12 per 1M tokens | $2/$10 per 1M tokens |
| Open weight? | No — API only | No — API only |
| Modalities | text, image, audio, video, code | text, image, audio, video, code |
| SWE-Bench Verified | Not published | Not published |
| MRCR v2 @ 1M | 26.3% | Not published |
Who wins what
Full multimodal input — text, image, audio and video in one 1M-token window
Gemini 3.1 Pro
Gemini 4 Argon is comparatively weak here — verbose: about 62K output tokens per Artificial Analysis task, so cost per task is high
Long video and document analysis
Gemini 3.1 Pro
Gemini 3.1 Pro lists long video and document analysis among its strengths; Gemini 4 Argon does not.
Agentic reasoning (high ARC-AGI-2)
Gemini 3.1 Pro
Gemini 3.1 Pro lists agentic reasoning (high ARC-AGI-2) among its strengths; Gemini 4 Argon does not.
1,048,576-token unified context shared by input, thinking and output, with 'long decode' for very long responses
Gemini 4 Argon
Gemini 3.1 Pro is comparatively weak here — long-context recall drops sharply past 256K (26.3% on MRCR v2 at 1M)
Google-reported DeepSWE v1.1 of 77.9% and LVBench long-video understanding of 91.7%
Gemini 4 Argon
Gemini 3.1 Pro is comparatively weak here — superseded within Google's own line by the newer 3.5/3.6 Flash releases for cost-sensitive work
Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index of 53 at high effort (AI Weekly)
Gemini 4 Argon
Google's Gemini 4 Argon, broadly available October 13, 2026 - a 1M-context model at $2/$10 introductory pricing (doubling December 1) — and it is the newer of the two.
Which should you pick?
Anyone whose priority is full multimodal input — text, image, audio and video in one 1m-token window
→ Gemini 3.1 Pro
It is specifically built for that.
Anyone whose priority is 1,048,576-token unified context shared by input, thinking and output, with 'long decode' for very long responses
→ Gemini 4 Argon
That is its strongest area.
Gemini 3.1 Pro: where it fits
A 1M-token multimodal workhorse — huge breadth across text, image, audio and video, but recall fades deep in the window. Released February 19, 2026 by Google, it is built for full multimodal input — text, image, audio and video in one 1M-token window, long video and document analysis, agentic reasoning (high ARC-AGI-2), and broad multimodal understanding across formats.
Its trade-offs are real: long-context recall drops sharply past 256K (26.3% on MRCR v2 at 1M), premium price per token at $2/$12, and superseded within Google's own line by the newer 3.5/3.6 Flash releases for cost-sensitive work. At $2 in / $12 out per million tokens, it sits in the mid price band.
Gemini 4 Argon: where it fits
Google's Gemini 4 Argon, broadly available October 13, 2026 - a 1M-context model at $2/$10 introductory pricing (doubling December 1). Released October 13, 2026 by Google, it is built for 1,048,576-token unified context shared by input, thinking and output, with 'long decode' for very long responses, google-reported DeepSWE v1.1 of 77.9% and LVBench long-video understanding of 91.7%, and artificial Analysis Intelligence Index of 53 at high effort (AI Weekly).
Its trade-offs: introductory $2/$10 pricing ends November 30; from December 1 it doubles to $4/$20, verbose: about 62K output tokens per Artificial Analysis task, so cost per task is high, and announced September 30 for trusted cyber defenders only; broad paid-tier availability followed October 13 (not on the free tier). At $2 in / $10 out per million tokens, it sits in the mid price band.
The bottom line for this matchup
Because Gemini 3.1 Pro and Gemini 4 Argon come from the same lab (Google), they share the same training philosophy and ecosystem — the decision is purely tier vs. cost. Gemini 4 Argon is the more capable, more recent option; the other earns its place only when its price or latency profile fits a specific job better. Most teams should default to Gemini 4 Argon and drop down only with a concrete reason.
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See pricingFrequently asked questions
Is Gemini 3.1 Pro or Gemini 4 Argon better for coding?
Public SWE-Bench figures are not available for either model, so the honest test is your own repository — run an identical real bug through both. By design, Gemini 3.1 Pro leans toward full multimodal input — text, image, audio and video in one 1m-token window while Gemini 4 Argon leans toward 1,048,576-token unified context shared by input, thinking and output, with 'long decode' for very long responses, and that positioning usually predicts which feels better on your codebase.
Which is cheaper, Gemini 3.1 Pro or Gemini 4 Argon?
They are priced almost identically, so cost will not decide between them.
Which has the bigger context window?
Both advertise 1M (~1,573 pages). Remember advertised ≠ usable: recall typically degrades before the ceiling.
Should I upgrade from Gemini 3.1 Pro to Gemini 4 Argon?
Since both are Google models, the newer one (Gemini 4 Argon) is usually the better default unless you need a specific cost or latency profile from the other.
Which is newer, Gemini 3.1 Pro or Gemini 4 Argon?
Gemini 4 Argon — released October 13, 2026, about 8 months after Gemini 3.1 Pro.
Related comparisons
Specifications and benchmarks reflect publicly reported figures as of June 2026 and may change as providers release updates. Always verify on your own workload.