Pairwise benchmark snapshot · Aug 1, 2026
In this head-to-head showdown, GPT-5 mini delivers higher overall intelligence and human-preferred responses (Elo 1,410 vs 1,280), while GPT-5 mini leads in SWE-bench software engineering benchmarks (52.4%), while GPT-5 mini is more budget-friendly at $2/1M per 1M output tokens. Review the complete breakdown below to determine which model best fits your performance and budget requirements.
9 direct benchmark disciplines evaluated across capability, speed, and cost
2024 workhorse. Still a high-intent compare against GPT-4o.
Cost-efficient GPT-5 distill for high-volume agents.
Δ 130 Arena Elo pts
155 tok/s
$2 / 1M output
Relative percentile scores computed across all active models in the benchmark catalog.
Comparing top Western standard models with China's leading frontier rival across 6 skill dimensions. Tap any spoke or dot to inspect.
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-5 mini | Advantage Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preference Elo | +130 | ||
| Coding Elo | — | — | |
| LiveBench | +9.1% | ||
| SWE-bench | +3.4% | ||
| GPQA Diamond | +7% | ||
| Time to first token | +140 ms | ||
| Output speed | 80 tok/s | 155 tok/s | +75 tok/s |
| Input price | $0.25/1M | +$2.75/1M | |
| Output price | +$13/1M | ||
| Context window | +200k |
Simulate monthly production API costs in USD (US Dollar).
GPT-5 mini is estimated to save $291.25/month ($3,495/year).
Higher SWE-bench (52.4%).
Lower output list price ($2/1M).
Lower TTFT (140 ms).
Larger window (400k).
Both accept images. Defaulting to the higher-Elo side (GPT-5 mini).
| Target Workload | Recommended Pick | Evaluation Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Repo / coding agents | GPT-5 mini | Higher SWE-bench (52.4%). |
| High-volume chat | GPT-5 mini | Lower output list price ($2/1M). |
| Voice / low-latency UI | GPT-5 mini | Lower TTFT (140 ms). |
| Long-document RAG | GPT-5 mini | Larger window (400k). |
| Screenshots / vision | GPT-5 mini | Both accept images. Defaulting to the higher-Elo side (GPT-5 mini). |
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Verified Head-to-Head Telemetry