Pairwise benchmark snapshot · Aug 17, 2026
In this head-to-head showdown, GPT-4.5 Orion delivers higher overall intelligence and human-preferred responses (Elo 1,540 vs 1,280), while GPT-4.5 Orion leads in SWE-bench software engineering benchmarks (71%), while Claude 3.5 Sonnet is more budget-friendly at $15/1M per 1M output tokens. Review the complete breakdown below to determine which model best fits your performance and budget requirements.
2024 workhorse. Still a high-intent compare against GPT-4o.
OpenAI largest dense non-reasoning model with expansive world knowledge and reduced hallucinations.
Δ 260 Arena Elo pts
80 tok/s
$15 / 1M output
Relative percentile scores computed across all active models in the benchmark catalog.
Each spoke is a skill. Farther from the center is better (0–100th percentile). Tap any dot to inspect details.
Category wins across reasoning intelligence, generation speed, and token cost.
Preference Elo, Coding proficiency, SWE-bench & LiveBench accuracy
Generation throughput and time to first token responsiveness
Cost per million tokens and max context window length
| Benchmark | Claude 3.5 Sonnet | GPT-4.5 Orion | Advantage Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preference Elo | GPT-4.5 Orion (+260) | ||
| Coding Elo | — | — | |
| LiveBench | GPT-4.5 Orion (+16.4%) | ||
| SWE-bench | GPT-4.5 Orion (+22%) | ||
| GPQA Diamond | GPT-4.5 Orion (+19%) | ||
| Time to first token | Claude 3.5 Sonnet (+70 ms) | ||
| Output speed | 80 tok/s | 60 tok/s | Claude 3.5 Sonnet (+20 tok/s) |
| Input price | Claude 3.5 Sonnet (+$72/1M) | ||
| Output price | $150/1M | Claude 3.5 Sonnet (+$135/1M) | |
| Context window | Claude 3.5 Sonnet (+72k) |
Simulate monthly production API costs in USD (US Dollar).
Claude 3.5 Sonnet is estimated to save $4,545.00/month ($54,540/year).
Higher SWE-bench (71%).
Lower output list price ($15/1M).
Lower TTFT (280 ms).
Larger window (200k).
Both accept images. Defaulting to the higher-Elo side (GPT-4.5 Orion).
| Target Workload | Recommended Pick | Evaluation Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Repo / coding agents | GPT-4.5 Orion | Higher SWE-bench (71%). |
| High-volume chat | Claude 3.5 Sonnet | Lower output list price ($15/1M). |
| Voice / low-latency UI | Claude 3.5 Sonnet | Lower TTFT (280 ms). |
| Long-document RAG | Claude 3.5 Sonnet | Larger window (200k). |
| Screenshots / vision | GPT-4.5 Orion | Both accept images. Defaulting to the higher-Elo side (GPT-4.5 Orion). |
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Verified head-to-head card
