Short answer: MiniMax H3 Lite, MiniMax H3 Highspeed and MiniMax H3 share one request shape and all return native stereo audio, and all run on EmpirioLabs through one API. Choose H3 Lite for the lowest cost, including a 480p option. Choose H3 Highspeed for the fastest 768p results. Choose MiniMax H3 for 2K output, prompt expansion and 2K regeneration.
MiniMax H3 Lite vs H3 Highspeed vs H3 at a glance
| Feature | MiniMax H3 Lite | MiniMax H3 Highspeed | MiniMax H3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maker | MiniMax | MiniMax | MiniMax |
| Resolutions | 480p, 768p | 768p | 768p, 2K |
| Clip length | 4 to 15 seconds | 4 to 15 seconds | 4 to 15 seconds |
| Inputs | Text, first and last frame, image, video and audio references | Text, first and last frame, image, video and audio references | Text, first and last frame, image, video and audio references |
| Native stereo audio | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Prompt expansion and 2K regeneration | No | No | Yes |
| Billing | Per second, the lowest rates | Per second | Per second, by resolution |
Watch the comparison
Three prompts, run once on each model. Nothing was regenerated or edited.
How we ran it
Three prompts: "Hundreds of paper lanterns rise over a misty river at night as a wooden boat drifts beneath them, water lapping and a soft flute melody, slow dolly shot", "Lightning crackles through a towering ash cloud above an erupting volcano at night, glowing lava fountains below, deep rumbles, wide shot" and "A kite surfer launches off a breaking wave into a high jump above a turquoise sea, spray flying and wind gusting, tracking shot". Each model got each prompt once at 768p, 16:9 and 6 seconds, every other setting at its default, through POST /v1/videos/generations on November 4, 2026. MiniMax H3 Lite's lantern clip was blocked by its content filter, so that scene shows two models. Every other clip came back at 1344x768 with a native stereo audio track. From submitting the job to the finished video, the medians were H3 Highspeed 30 seconds, H3 Lite 37 seconds and MiniMax H3 110 seconds; times vary with load.
What to look for
H3 Highspeed and MiniMax H3 both filled the night sky over the river with lanterns. All three lit the volcano's ash cloud with lightning above the lava, and all three caught the kite surfer in the air above the spray. Watch the glow and the lightning, the water, and how cleanly each model follows the jump.
When to use MiniMax H3 Lite
- You want the lowest cost per second.
- 480p is enough, for drafts or previews.
When to use MiniMax H3 Highspeed
- You want 768p results as fast as possible.
When to use MiniMax H3
- You want 2K output.
- You want prompt expansion, or to regenerate a finished clip at 2K.
How to call any of them
curl -X POST https://api.empiriolabs.ai/v1/videos/generations \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $EMPIRIOLABS_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"model": "minimax-h3-lite",
"prompt": "Hundreds of paper lanterns rise over a misty river at night.",
"resolution": "768p",
"duration": 6
}'
curl https://api.empiriolabs.ai/v1/jobs/JOB_ID \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $EMPIRIOLABS_API_KEY"Change model to minimax-h3-highspeed or minimax-h3 to run the same request on the others; the fields are the same. All three are in the Playground.
Frequently asked questions
Which MiniMax H3 tier is the cheapest?
MiniMax H3 Lite has the lowest per-second rates, and its 480p option is the lowest of all. Current rates are on each model page and the pricing page.
Which one is the fastest?
H3 Highspeed is the fast tier. In our one-shot test, a 6 second 768p clip took a median of 30 seconds on H3 Highspeed, 37 seconds on H3 Lite and 110 seconds on MiniMax H3.
Which one supports 2K?
MiniMax H3 only. H3 Lite offers 480p and 768p, and H3 Highspeed 768p.
Do all three generate audio?
Yes. Each returns a native stereo audio track.
How do I switch between them in code?
Change the model id. The three take the same fields, so the rest of the request stays the same.
Try it
Run any of them in the Playground, browse every video model on the models page, or see current rates on the pricing page.
