Claude Opus 4.8 vs GPT-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.
Quick verdict: which should you choose?
Choose Claude Opus 4.8 if you need
- ✓Handle million-token multimodal inputs with verified long-context performance
- ✓Obtain higher intelligence (55.7) and careful nuanced reasoning on complex tasks
- ✓Benefit from robust safety alignment and strong text-image-file integration
- ✓Process extremely long documents or files where context length matters most
Choose GPT-5 if you need
- ✓Prioritize high output speed (167 t/s) for faster responses
- ✓Minimize costs with $10 per 1M tokens pricing
- ✓Use a large 400k context window for native multimodal inputs at lower latency
- ✓Experiment with hypothetical unverified multimodal capabilities
Verdict
Claude Opus 4.8 leads for intelligence-heavy multimodal work with its 55.7 index and 1M-token context versus GPT-5's 15.3 and 400k, delivering stronger nuanced reasoning over long inputs. GPT-5 wins on speed (167.38 t/s) and price ($10 vs $25 per 1M) but remains hypothetical with unverified performance. Overall Claude provides the more capable and verified multimodal option despite higher cost and slower output.
Claude Opus 4.8 vs GPT-5: side by side
| Spec | Claude Opus 4.8 | GPT-5 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intelligence | 55.7 | 15.3 | Claude Opus 4.8 |
| Output speed | 62 t/s | 167 t/s | GPT-5 |
| Output price | $25.00/1M | $10.00/1M | GPT-5 |
| Context | 1000K | 400K | Claude Opus 4.8 |
| Params | — | — | Tie |
| Provider | Anthropic | OpenAI | Tie |
Detailed analysis
Intelligence & Reasoning
Winner: Claude Opus 4.8Claude Opus 4.8 scores 55.7 on intelligence_index with noted careful nuanced reasoning while GPT-5 scores only 15.3. Claude's strengths explicitly include robust multimodal integration and long-input handling; GPT-5 lists unverified performance as a limitation.
Speed & Pricing
Winner: GPT-5GPT-5 delivers 167.38 tokens per second at $10 per million tokens compared with Claude's 61.86 t/s and $25 per million. These advantages are offset by GPT-5's noted potential latency on large multimodal tasks and hypothetical status.
Context Length
Winner: Claude Opus 4.8Claude Opus 4.8 supports a 1M-token context versus GPT-5's 400k tokens. Claude's listed strengths highlight effective handling of extremely long inputs while GPT-5 notes high resource demands at maximum context.
Multimodal Integration
Winner: TieBoth models list native multimodal support for text, images and files. Claude emphasizes strong integration and safety alignment; GPT-5 emphasizes seamless integration but carries an unverified-performance limitation.
Claude Opus 4.8
Pros
- +Handles extremely long inputs effectively
- +Strong multimodal integration of text, images, and files
- +Careful and nuanced reasoning
Cons
- –Higher latency on large contexts
- –Conservative response style due to safety tuning
- –May require explicit guidance for creative tasks
GPT-5
Pros
- +Very large context window
- +Native multimodal input support
- +Seamless text-image-file integration
Cons
- –Hypothetical model with unverified performance
- –High resource demands for maximum context
- –Potential latency on large multimodal tasks
Summary: Claude Opus 4.8 vs GPT-5
Select Claude Opus 4.8 when intelligence, verified long-context multimodal reasoning, and safety are priorities. Choose GPT-5 when speed and lower cost matter more and the hypothetical nature is acceptable. Claude is the stronger factual choice for most production multimodal workloads.
Frequently asked questions
Claude Opus 4.8 is better overall given its higher intelligence index, longer verified context, and explicit strengths in nuanced multimodal reasoning.