Pairwise benchmark snapshot · Aug 16, 2026
In this head-to-head showdown, Claude Sonnet 5 delivers higher overall intelligence and human-preferred responses (Elo 1,556 vs 1,478), while MiniMax M2.5 leads in SWE-bench software engineering benchmarks (75.8%), while MiniMax M2.5 is more budget-friendly at $1.2/1M per 1M output tokens, while Claude Sonnet 5 provides faster response streaming (118 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
Anthropic workhorse. Official $2/$10 per 1M tokens made permanent on Aug 10 2026.
MiniMax coding model. Tied near the top of official SWE-bench bash-only in Feb 2026.
Currently comparing Claude Sonnet 5 vs MiniMax M2.5. Alternative family tiers available.
Δ 78 Arena Elo pts
118 tok/s
$1.2 / 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 Sonnet 5 | MiniMax M2.5 | Advantage Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preference Elo | +78 | ||
| Coding Elo | +26 | ||
| LiveBench | +6% | ||
| SWE-bench | +2% | ||
| GPQA Diamond | +6.6% | ||
| Time to first token | +75 ms | ||
| Output speed | 118 tok/s | 90 tok/s | +28 tok/s |
| Input price | $0.3/1M | +$1.7/1M | |
| Output price | $1.2/1M | +$8.8/1M | |
| Context window | +795k |
Simulate monthly production API costs in USD (US Dollar).
MiniMax M2.5 is estimated to save $191.50/month ($2,298/year).
Higher SWE-bench (75.8%).
Lower output list price ($1.2/1M).
Lower TTFT (175 ms).
Larger window (1M).
Claude Sonnet 5 is the side marked multimodal in the catalog.
| Target Workload | Recommended Pick | Evaluation Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Repo / coding agents | MiniMax M2.5 | Higher SWE-bench (75.8%). |
| High-volume chat | MiniMax M2.5 | Lower output list price ($1.2/1M). |
| Voice / low-latency UI | Claude Sonnet 5 | Lower TTFT (175 ms). |
| Long-document RAG | Claude Sonnet 5 | Larger window (1M). |
| Screenshots / vision | Claude Sonnet 5 | Claude Sonnet 5 is the side marked multimodal in the catalog. |
Usually Sonnet 5 vs Opus 5. Coding delta versus output $/1M. The workhorse question.
Aug 10 2026 made the $2/$10 list permanent. Sonnet is the default Claude unless the repo is actually on fire.
Most of Opus 4.5 coding at a mid-tier price. Sonnet 5 replaced it as the buy; 4.5 remains a compare baseline.
Tied near the top of official SWE-bench bash-only in Feb 2026. Coding lists should still see it.
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Verified Head-to-Head Telemetry
compare · Aug 10, 2026
Sonnet vs Opus in 2026: same family, different invoice
price · Aug 10, 2026
Claude Sonnet 5 at $2/$10: the 2026 Anthropic workhorse
launch · Feb 18, 2026
Claude Sonnet 4.5 is the previous workhorse — still a valid vs baseline
launch · Feb 12, 2026
MiniMax M2.5: the Feb 2026 SWE-bench specialist still on the board