Hermes v Fizz: The 3D Print Race

Originally posted on X. The screenshots live there.

TLDR; I wanted a head to head test on capabilities and problem solving between Buzz’s Fizz Agent and Nous Research’s Hermes Agent. So I had them race to 3D print me something.

Competitors

Fizz: Claude Code Opus 5 via ACP in Buzz desktop

Hermes: GPT 5.6 Sol High via Hermes Desktop App

The Actual Test

I gave vague instructions on access and little guidance. I wanted them to race to see which would discover the 3D printer on my network first and 3D print me something “funny” autonomously. I told them to only ask me a question if it’s a genuine blocker and they cannot proceed.

ie. I basically said “find the 3d printer on my network and 3d print me something funny, don’t bother me”

Prompts

One inconsistency with this test is I did give different prompts to both agents. Both prompts were dictated and rattled off (s/o @WisprFlow). No structure. Idk if maybe that helps dampen the inconsistency a bit.

Hermes definitely got a more fleshed out prompt than Fizz did but that ended up being to a detriment for Hermes.

Here’s why.

Mishap

I unintentionally messed up here but - silver lining - this ended up being a good problem solving test.

I gave the wrong IP address for the printer. On the wrong subnet too. My 3D printer hadn’t refreshed its IP since my migration to the Unifi Dream Router earlier that day. So both agents were looking for a device that wasn’t even connected to the network for about 10 minutes before I realized.

Burnt token smell? that’s my bad dawg.

Anyways.

I only realized because Fizz prompted me for the IP, model of printer, and slicing software and it hit me that the printer’s new IP hadn’t propagated. It was essentially disconnected at that moment.

Also I didn’t have the slicing software installed either. I usually 3D print off my Windows laptop, so that was a missed pre-req on my side of things (Shoutout to OrcaSlicer).

So I downloaded the software and got the printer hooked up and broadcasting on the network correctly. I’d say this all took about 10 minutes. So in total, it had been about 20 minutes since the initial prompt.

Hermes?

This whole time Hermes had not asked me one question since that initial prompt. I tuned into him and he was chugging away looking for a nonexistent printer. Determined to a fault.

I steered Hermes in the right direction with the correct IP and let it off on its way. It felt akin to picking up a fast moving RC car banging into a wall and setting it on an open path and watching it fly.

go little guy go!

Fizz?

Back to Fizz.

Once I gave Fizz the correct IP and let him know the slicing software was installed, I thought it was off to the races. But Fizz came back with more questions, revealing another misstep in my own testing pre-reqs.

I forgot to clear the print bed from my last print. My second mishap of the test.

But also. Fizz noticed. Fizz HAD ACCESS. He just sent me a photo of my 3D printer’s monitoring camera, to me, in a Buzz thread.

I took a moment to be impressed by that while i scraped the leftover filament off the printer bed that was way more stuck than it needed to be.

So does this mean there’s a clear front runner in this race? I didn’t know. Maybe Hermes had the same if not more access and it just hadn’t prompted me yet. I went to go check.

Hermes?…

I wasn’t expecting anything. and I got even less than that.

An API failure.

So no. No Hermes did not have more access. But also kind of yes.. Hermes was on the right track and about to get there - it seems anyways - before being roadblocked by API call failures. Big bummer on that. It was close. Hermes may have won. But Hermes was now out of the race with a game-ending injury.

Fizz!

Fizz, the lone wolf in this race now. And he did not disappoint. While the medical team was carting Hermes off the field, Fizz sent word that the print had started.

Fizz did it. What it exactly is? yet to be known. like genuinely i have no idea what’s printing even while watching the monitoring cam

So now we wait.

I will post the result when it has resulted. And one last thing.

WINNER OF THE RACE🏆

FIZZ🐝

Thank you for reading

Best, Noah