Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking vs Gemini 3.8 Live

Gemini 3.8 Live is more reliable, by 2.9 points. Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking handled 17 of 70 real callers well on all three runs, and Gemini 3.8 Live 19. A caller only counts when every run of the call scored 80 or more.

For a voice agent, Gemini 3.8 Live, since it handles more real callers well on every run. Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking is ahead on ELO rating, turn taking score, task handling score, calls handled well and calls fully resolved, and Gemini 3.8 Live on hearing score, speaking score, reliability, calls where the agent went quiet and median latency.

Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking, by 6.7 points higher. Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking fully resolved 22.9% of calls and Gemini 3.8 Live 16.2%. A call counts only when every step the caller needed was done.

No. Gemini 3.8 Live starts replying 0.09s sooner at the median. Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking takes 2.10s at the median and 2.60s at p90; Gemini 3.8 Live takes 2.01s and 2.52s. Both are measured on the call audio, from the caller finishing to the agent starting to reply.

Gemini 3.8 Live, by 11.4 points. The agent went quiet for 10 seconds or more on 17.6% of Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking calls and 6.2% of Gemini 3.8 Live calls.

There is no verified per-minute rate for Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking and Gemini 3.8 Live, so cost cannot be compared yet.

Cekura ran both as the whole agent with the same prompt, tools and phone connection. Both took the same 70 recorded real human callers on live calls, three times each. Each call is graded on 25 skills across Hearing, Turn Taking, Task Handling and Speaking, and passes at a score of 80 out of 100.