# Gemma 2 2b IT vs Step 3.5 Flash

> Step 3.5 Flash is the stronger model overall, scoring 41.7 to 32.5 on the Noometry Index.

- Canonical page: https://noometry.com/compare/gemma-2-2b-it-vs-step-3-5-flash
- Last updated: 2026-10-10
- Shared benchmarks: 17

## Summary

- They share 17 benchmarks with published results for both. Gemma 2 2b IT scores higher in 0 categories and Step 3.5 Flash in 8 categories; 7 gaps are clear of the uncertainty.
- The widest gap is in writing & preference, where Step 3.5 Flash leads 59.0 to 36.6.

## Snapshot

| | Gemma 2 2b IT | Step 3.5 Flash |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Google | StepFun |
| Noometry Index | 32.5 | 41.7 |
| Rank | 244 | 116 |
| Context | — | 256K |
| Input $/M | — | $0.10 |
| Output $/M | — | $0.30 |
| Weights | Open | Open |

## Coding

- Gemma 2 2b IT: 31.8 (#268)
- Step 3.5 Flash: 41.7 (#106)

| Benchmark | Gemma 2 2b IT | Step 3.5 Flash |
|---|---|---|
| LMArena Coding | 1112 | 1436 |

## Reasoning

- Gemma 2 2b IT: 20.5 (#219)
- Step 3.5 Flash: 21.2 (#202)

| Benchmark | Gemma 2 2b IT | Step 3.5 Flash |
|---|---|---|
| LMArena Hard Prompts | 1113 | 1411 |
| NYT Connections (extended) | — | 28.4% |

## Math

- Gemma 2 2b IT: 30.1 (#212)
- Step 3.5 Flash: 40.6 (#77)

| Benchmark | Gemma 2 2b IT | Step 3.5 Flash |
|---|---|---|
| LMArena Math | 1135 | 1408 |
| MathArena Final-Answer Competitions | — | 66.8% |

## Knowledge

- Gemma 2 2b IT: 29.3 (#229)
- Step 3.5 Flash: 39.0 (#127)

| Benchmark | Gemma 2 2b IT | Step 3.5 Flash |
|---|---|---|
| LMArena Expert | 1096 | 1422 |

## Multilingual

- Gemma 2 2b IT: 32.5 (#252)
- Step 3.5 Flash: 50.7 (#115)

| Benchmark | Gemma 2 2b IT | Step 3.5 Flash |
|---|---|---|
| LMArena Non-English | 1121 | 1386 |
| LMArena Chinese | 1132 | 1448 |
| LMArena French | 1156 | 1421 |
| LMArena German | 1114 | 1404 |
| LMArena Japanese | 1083 | 1353 |
| LMArena Korean | 1055 | 1350 |
| LMArena Russian | 1118 | 1385 |
| LMArena Spanish | 1140 | 1419 |

## Instruction Following

- Gemma 2 2b IT: 58.1 (#258)
- Step 3.5 Flash: 73.3 (#119)

| Benchmark | Gemma 2 2b IT | Step 3.5 Flash |
|---|---|---|
| LMArena Instruction Following | 1118 | 1385 |

## Long Context

- Gemma 2 2b IT: 34.2 (#245)
- Step 3.5 Flash: 42.8 (#112)

| Benchmark | Gemma 2 2b IT | Step 3.5 Flash |
|---|---|---|
| LMArena Longer Query | 1130 | 1402 |

## Writing & Preference

- Gemma 2 2b IT: 36.6 (#258)
- Step 3.5 Flash: 59.0 (#108)

| Benchmark | Gemma 2 2b IT | Step 3.5 Flash |
|---|---|---|
| LMArena Text | 1156 | 1403 |
| LMArena Creative Writing | 1147 | 1357 |
| LMArena Multi-Turn | 1118 | 1405 |

## FAQ

### Is Gemma 2 2b IT better than Step 3.5 Flash?

Step 3.5 Flash is the stronger model overall, scoring 41.7 to 32.5 on the Noometry Index.

### Is Gemma 2 2b IT or Step 3.5 Flash better for coding?

Step 3.5 Flash scores higher on coding benchmarks: 41.7 versus 31.8 in the Noometry coding category.

### How many benchmarks do Gemma 2 2b IT and Step 3.5 Flash share?

17 benchmarks have published results for both models. Gemma 2 2b IT has 17 scored results on Noometry and Step 3.5 Flash has 19.