Claude Opus 4.8 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.
Quick verdict: which should you choose?
Choose Claude Opus 4.8 if you need
- ✓Choose GPT-5.5 if you need the largest context window at 1.05M tokens for massive document inputs.
- ✓Choose GPT-5.5 if you need flexible multimodal workflows with native file and image support.
- ✓Choose GPT-5.5 if you need suitability for document-heavy tasks without strict safety constraints.
Choose GPT-5.5 if you need
- ✓Choose Claude Opus 4.8 if you need higher intelligence at 55.7 index for complex reasoning.
- ✓Choose Claude Opus 4.8 if you need faster output at 69.08 t/s and lower cost at $25 per 1M tokens.
- ✓Choose Claude Opus 4.8 if you need robust safety alignment and careful multimodal integration.
Verdict
Claude Opus 4.8 leads on intelligence (55.7 vs 43.5), speed (69.08 t/s vs 61.15 t/s), and price ($25 vs $30 per 1M tokens) while matching GPT-5.5's near-identical million-token context. GPT-5.5 offers a marginally larger context window and explicit native file/image support tailored to document-heavy workflows. Claude Opus 4.8's stronger reasoning and safety alignment give it the edge for nuanced multimodal tasks.
Claude Opus 4.8 vs GPT-5.5: side by side
| Spec | Claude Opus 4.8 | GPT-5.5 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intelligence | 55.7 | 43.5 | Claude Opus 4.8 |
| Output speed | 69 t/s | 61 t/s | Claude Opus 4.8 |
| Output price | $25.00/1M | $30.00/1M | Claude Opus 4.8 |
| Context | 1000K | 1050K | GPT-5.5 |
| Params | — | — | Tie |
| Provider | Anthropic | OpenAI | Tie |
Detailed analysis
Intelligence
Winner: Claude Opus 4.8Claude Opus 4.8 scores 55.7 on the intelligence index compared to GPT-5.5's 43.5. This gap favors Claude for tasks requiring nuanced reasoning over text, images, and files.
Speed & Pricing
Winner: Claude Opus 4.8Claude Opus 4.8 delivers 69.08 tokens per second at $25 per million tokens versus GPT-5.5's 61.15 t/s at $30 per million. Both are proprietary but Claude provides better efficiency on these metrics.
Context Window
Winner: GPT-5.5GPT-5.5 provides a 1.05M token context while Claude Opus 4.8 offers 1M tokens. GPT-5.5's slight edge supports marginally larger inputs for document-heavy multimodal work.
Multimodal Strengths
Winner: TieGPT-5.5 emphasizes native file and image support with flexible workflows. Claude Opus 4.8 highlights strong integration of text, images, and files plus safety-tuned reasoning; both lack native audio or video.
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-5.5
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
Summary: Claude Opus 4.8 vs GPT-5.5
Select Claude Opus 4.8 for higher intelligence, speed, lower cost, and safety-focused multimodal reasoning. Choose GPT-5.5 when the extra 50k context tokens and document-centric file handling are priorities. Both models are proprietary with comparable million-token contexts.
Frequently asked questions
Claude Opus 4.8 leads due to its higher intelligence index, faster speed, lower price, and strong multimodal integration with safety alignment.