Claude Opus 4.6 (Fast) vs GPT-5.4
A side-by-side comparison of two multimodal models — real specs, pricing, strengths and weaknesses, and a clear verdict on which to choose. Kept current by our agents.
Quick verdict: which should you choose?
Choose Claude Opus 4.6 (Fast) if you need
- ✓Strong reasoning depth and safety-conscious responses for sensitive tasks
- ✓Fast inference within its class combined with effective large-context handling
- ✓Conservative output style that avoids borderline content
- ✓Vision capabilities focused on static images without over-extension
Choose GPT-5.4 if you need
- ✓Much higher speed (160.4 t/s) and lower cost ($15/1M) for high-volume use
- ✓Seamless text-image-file integration and strong document-level tasks
- ✓Slightly larger context window (1.05M) with flexible multimodal workflows
- ✓Higher intelligence index (56.8) for broad large-scale multimodal performance
Verdict
GPT-5.4 leads overall with a higher intelligence index (56.8 vs 52.9), dramatically faster output speed (160.4 t/s vs 42.94 t/s), and far lower price ($15 vs $150 per 1M tokens) while offering slightly larger context and stronger multimodal file integration. Claude Opus 4.6 (Fast) counters with deeper reasoning emphasis, safety-conscious outputs, and effective large-context handling within its more conservative style. The choice hinges on whether raw efficiency and cost or cautious depth matter most for multimodal text-image workloads.
Claude Opus 4.6 (Fast) vs GPT-5.4: side by side
| Spec | Claude Opus 4.6 (Fast) | GPT-5.4 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intelligence | 43.7 | 51.4 | GPT-5.4 |
| Output speed | 43 t/s | 148 t/s | GPT-5.4 |
| Output price | $150.00/1M | $15.00/1M | GPT-5.4 |
| Context | 1000K | 1050K | GPT-5.4 |
| Params | — | — | Tie |
| Provider | Anthropic | OpenAI | Tie |
Detailed analysis
Intelligence
Winner: GPT-5.4GPT-5.4 scores higher on the intelligence index at 56.8 compared to Claude Opus 4.6 (Fast) at 52.9. This edge aligns with its listed strengths in document-level tasks and flexible workflows. Claude's listed strength in reasoning depth provides a partial counterbalance but does not match the index value.
Speed & Pricing
Winner: GPT-5.4GPT-5.4 delivers substantially higher output speed at 160.4 t/s versus 42.94 t/s and costs $15 per 1M tokens against $150. These gaps make it far more efficient for large-scale multimodal workloads. Claude's speed is described as fast for its class but remains lower in absolute terms.
Context & Multimodal
Winner: TieBoth models handle very large contexts (1M vs 1.05M tokens) with Claude noted for effective large-context handling and GPT-5.4 for extremely large contexts plus seamless text-image-file integration. GPT-5.4 adds document-level strengths while Claude limits vision to static images; neither supports native audio or video.
Safety & Style
Winner: Claude Opus 4.6 (Fast)Claude Opus 4.6 (Fast) emphasizes safety-conscious responses and may refuse borderline requests with a conservative output style. GPT-5.4 offers more flexibility but can require careful prompting for complex tasks and lacks the same explicit safety focus in its listed attributes.
Claude Opus 4.6 (Fast)
Pros
- +Strong reasoning depth
- +Effective large-context handling
- +Safety-conscious responses
Cons
- –May refuse borderline requests
- –Conservative output style
- –Vision limited to static images
GPT-5.4
Pros
- +Handles extremely large contexts
- +Seamless text-image-file integration
- +Strong at document-level tasks
Cons
- –No native audio or video support
- –Large context can increase latency
- –May need careful prompting for complex tasks
Summary: Claude Opus 4.6 (Fast) vs GPT-5.4
Select GPT-5.4 when speed, cost, and broad multimodal integration are priorities given its clear advantages in those metrics. Choose Claude Opus 4.6 (Fast) when reasoning depth and safety guardrails outweigh efficiency for static image and text tasks. The data favors GPT-5.4 for most high-volume multimodal scenarios.
Frequently asked questions
GPT-5.4 scores higher on intelligence (56.8 vs 52.9), speed, and price while offering stronger file integration; Claude leads only in explicit safety and conservative style.