Claude Opus 4.8 (Fast) vs GPT-4.1 Mini
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.
Claude Opus 4.8 (Fast) vs GPT-4.1 Mini: side by side
| Spec | Claude Opus 4.8 (Fast) | GPT-4.1 Mini | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intelligence | 61.4 | 22.9 | Claude Opus 4.8 (Fast) |
| Output speed | 60 t/s | 98 t/s | GPT-4.1 Mini |
| Output price | $50.00/1M | $1.60/1M | GPT-4.1 Mini |
| Context | 1000K | 1048K | GPT-4.1 Mini |
| Params | — | — | Tie |
| Type | Proprietary | Proprietary | Tie |
| Provider | Anthropic | OpenAI | Tie |
Claude Opus 4.8 (Fast)
Pros
- +Strong safety alignment
- +Nuanced and careful reasoning
- +Effective large-context handling
- +High-quality writing and analysis
Cons
- –Can be overly cautious on edge cases
- –Multimodal performance varies with image clarity
- –Fast mode may trade some depth for speed
GPT-4.1 Mini
Pros
- +Handles over one million tokens of context
- +Processes images, text, and files together
- +Suitable for large document workflows
- +Broad general-purpose capabilities from OpenAI lineage
Cons
- –Mini variant may trade depth for efficiency
- –No audio or video modality support
- –Large context can increase response latency
Frequently asked questions
It depends on your needs. Claude Opus 4.8 (Fast) and GPT-4.1 Mini are both multimodal models; the comparison table above shows where each one leads on the metrics that matter. See the verdict for a recommendation.