Best Model Combo Guide: GLM 5.2, Kimi 2.7, DeepSeek V4 & MiniMax M3

Recently Kimi 2.7 Code and GLM 5.2 were released within a week, giving the Chinese LLM ecosystem four practical options: DeepSeek V4, MiniMax M3, Kimi 2.7 and GLM 5.2.

As an AI‑focused professional who writes articles, drafts product requirements, codes, and processes diverse data throughout the day, the author treats the models like a toolbox—each with its own strengths and weaknesses.

If you don’t write code

For writers, marketers, planners, script‑writers, interview‑summarizers and similar roles, the author recommends DeepSeek V4 Pro, which can be used for free via its web interface and excels at generating marketing copy.

If you need multimodal handling

For product, operations, consulting, market research, education, sales support, admin or HR tasks that involve mixed media (screenshots, PDFs, scans, tables, audio‑video, meeting notes), MiniMax M3 is the preferred choice. Purchasing its token plan and the desktop MiniMax Agent (or alternatives like Trae or Workbuddy) provides strong native multimodal support, 1 M‑token context length, and good cost efficiency (≈1 CNY per 200 large files).

If you write code

Developers, independent creators and technical product leads should use GLM 5.2 as the primary coding model when a token plan is available; otherwise Kimi 2.7 Code serves as a stable backup with consistent speed and fewer service interruptions.

High‑throughput batch tasks

For automated pipelines, bulk content generation, classification, information extraction or format conversion, the author suggests combining DeepSeek V4 Flash and MiniMax M3 APIs, which are cheaper than token‑based plans for massive concurrency.

Price ranking from low to high is DeepSeek → MiniMax M3 → Kimi 2.7 → GLM 5.2. A typical mid‑tier subscription costs about 400 CNY per month and comfortably covers several small projects.

DeepSeek: open‑source, cheap, clever

DeepSeek feels like a model that often sparks unexpected ideas, similar to Grok. It is fast and inexpensive for batch text processing, data cleaning and format conversion, though the author remains cautious about assigning long‑running tasks to it.

Kimi K2.7 Code: relatively stable

Kimi’s coding plan is stable, without purchase limits or complex rules, though its capability is perceived as slightly lower than GLM 5.2. The author uses it as a reliable fallback within Claude Code for stable coding assistance.

MiniMax M3: the underrated multitool

MiniMax M3 surprised the author with strong native multimodal abilities (image, PDF, video) and a 1 M‑token context window. After a permanent half‑price discount, it offers excellent value, though early versions were slow; performance has since improved.

GLM 5.2: strongest coding but hard to obtain

GLM 5.2 delivers the best coding performance among the four, with strong long‑context handling and positive community feedback. However, it has a notable hallucination rate, lacks multimodal support, and its coding token plan must be purchased via a daily queue, making it difficult to acquire.

The author reflects that trust in domestic models lags behind their technical progress; past negative experiences and limited exposure in complex long‑task scenarios keep users cautious. While capability gaps are narrowing, building user trust through more scenarios and time remains essential.