Pairwise benchmark snapshot · Aug 17, 2026
In this head-to-head showdown, GPT-5.6 Terra delivers higher overall intelligence and human-preferred responses (Elo 1,548 vs 1,524), while GPT-5.6 Terra leads in SWE-bench software engineering benchmarks (70.4%), while GPT-5.6 Terra is more budget-friendly at $6/1M per 1M output tokens. Review the complete breakdown below to determine which model best fits your performance and budget requirements.
10 direct benchmark disciplines evaluated across capability, speed, and cost
Workhorse Anthropic model: most of Opus coding quality at a mid-tier price.
OpenAI 5.6 mid tier. Official API $2/$12 per 1M after the Jul 30 2026 price cut.
Currently comparing Claude Sonnet 4.5 vs GPT-5.6 Terra. Alternative family tiers available.
Δ 24 Arena Elo pts
128 tok/s
$6 / 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 Sonnet 4.5 | GPT-5.6 Terra | Advantage Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preference Elo | +24 | ||
| Coding Elo | +11 | ||
| LiveBench | +1.7% | ||
| SWE-bench | +0.3% | ||
| GPQA Diamond | +1.8% | ||
| Time to first token | +80 ms | ||
| Output speed | 88 tok/s | 128 tok/s | +40 tok/s |
| Input price | +$2/1M | ||
| Output price | +$9/1M | ||
| Context window | +50k |
Simulate monthly production API costs in USD (US Dollar).
GPT-5.6 Terra is estimated to save $205.00/month ($2,460/year).
Higher SWE-bench (70.4%).
Lower output list price ($6/1M).
Lower TTFT (160 ms).
Larger window (1.1M).
Both accept images. Defaulting to the higher-Elo side (GPT-5.6 Terra).
| Target Workload | Recommended Pick | Evaluation Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Repo / coding agents | GPT-5.6 Terra | Higher SWE-bench (70.4%). |
| High-volume chat | GPT-5.6 Terra | Lower output list price ($6/1M). |
| Voice / low-latency UI | GPT-5.6 Terra | Lower TTFT (160 ms). |
| Long-document RAG | GPT-5.6 Terra | Larger window (1.1M). |
| Screenshots / vision | GPT-5.6 Terra | Both accept images. Defaulting to the higher-Elo side (GPT-5.6 Terra). |
Terra is OpenAI’s Sonnet-class invoice. Use it when Sol is too expensive and Luna is too small.
Most of Opus 4.5 coding at a mid-tier price. Sonnet 5 replaced it as the buy; 4.5 remains a compare baseline.
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Verified Head-to-Head Telemetry
