Claude Opus 4.8 (Fast) vs GPT-5.5
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-5.5: side by side
| Spec | Claude Opus 4.8 (Fast) | GPT-5.5 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intelligence | 55.7 | 41.7 | Claude Opus 4.8 (Fast) |
| Output speed | 62 t/s | 55 t/s | Claude Opus 4.8 (Fast) |
| Output price | $50.00/1M | $30.00/1M | GPT-5.5 |
| Context | 1000K | 1050K | GPT-5.5 |
| Params | — | — | Tie |
| Provider | Anthropic | OpenAI | Tie |
Claude Opus 4.8 (Fast)
Pros
- +Strong safety alignment
- +Nuanced and careful reasoning
- +Effective large-context handling
Cons
- –Can be overly cautious on edge cases
- –Multimodal performance varies with image clarity
- –Fast mode may trade some depth for speed
GPT-5.5
Pros
- +Extremely large context window
- +Native support for files and images
- +Flexible multimodal workflows
Cons
- –No native audio or video support
- –Large context may increase latency
- –Performance depends on input quality across modalities
Frequently asked questions
It depends on your needs. Claude Opus 4.8 (Fast) and GPT-5.5 are both multimodal models; the comparison table above shows where each one leads on the metrics that matter. See the verdict for a recommendation.