Pairwise benchmark snapshot · Aug 1, 2026
In this head-to-head showdown, DeepSeek V4 Pro delivers higher overall intelligence and human-preferred responses (Elo 1,536 vs 1,455), while DeepSeek V4 Pro leads in SWE-bench software engineering benchmarks (71.6%), while DeepSeek V4 Pro is more budget-friendly at $1.6/1M per 1M output tokens, while Claude Sonnet 4 provides faster response streaming (92 tok/s). 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
First Sonnet 4 generation. Bridge between 3.5/3.7 and Sonnet 5.
Open-weight-adjacent DeepSeek flagship. High reasoning density per dollar.
Simulate accuracy gains vs added response time & token cost
Reasoning models “think before answering” by generating internal reasoning tokens. Higher effort improves math, coding, and logic accuracy, but increases response delay and token costs.
Δ 81 Arena Elo pts
92 tok/s
$1.6 / 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 | DeepSeek V4 Pro | Advantage Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preference Elo | +81 | ||
| Coding Elo | +76 | ||
| LiveBench | +6.9% | ||
| SWE-bench | +8.8% | ||
| GPQA Diamond | +7.6% | ||
| Time to first token | +190 ms | ||
| Output speed | 92 tok/s | 70 tok/s | +22 tok/s |
| Input price | $0.4/1M | +$2.6/1M | |
| Output price | $1.6/1M | +$13.4/1M | |
| Context window | +40k |
Simulate monthly production API costs in USD (US Dollar).
DeepSeek V4 Pro is estimated to save $292.00/month ($3,504/year).
Higher SWE-bench (71.6%).
Lower output list price ($1.6/1M).
Lower TTFT (220 ms).
Larger window (200k).
Claude Sonnet 4 is the side marked multimodal in the catalog.
| Target Workload | Recommended Pick | Evaluation Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Repo / coding agents | DeepSeek V4 Pro | Higher SWE-bench (71.6%). |
| High-volume chat | DeepSeek V4 Pro | Lower output list price ($1.6/1M). |
| Voice / low-latency UI | Claude Sonnet 4 | Lower TTFT (220 ms). |
| Long-document RAG | Claude Sonnet 4 | Larger window (200k). |
| Screenshots / vision | Claude Sonnet 4 | Claude Sonnet 4 is the side marked multimodal in the catalog. |
Top DeepSeek vs top Anthropic Elo. Usually V4 Pro vs Opus 5. License and invoice decide as much as Elo.
2026-06 open-weight-adjacent flagship. The usual cheap-vs-Claude question starts here.
Jan 2025 reasoning model. Still searched. V4 Pro is the newer DeepSeek buy.
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