Claude Opus 4.8 vs GPT-5 Codex
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 Codex if you need fast output at 149.9 tokens per second for large-scale text and image tasks.
- ✓Choose GPT-5 Codex if you need lower cost at $10 per million tokens with strong coding specialization.
- ✓Choose GPT-5 Codex if you need unified text and image reasoning within a 400K context window.
- ✓Choose GPT-5 Codex if you need efficient handling of extremely large inputs without maximum latency.
Choose GPT-5 Codex if you need
- ✓Choose Claude Opus 4.8 if you need the highest intelligence score of 61.4 with nuanced multimodal reasoning.
- ✓Choose Claude Opus 4.8 if you need up to 1M token context for extremely long inputs including files.
- ✓Choose Claude Opus 4.8 if you need robust safety alignment and careful integration of text, images, and files.
- ✓Choose Claude Opus 4.8 if you need strong performance on tasks requiring explicit guidance for creative or complex outputs.
Verdict
Claude Opus 4.8 leads in intelligence (61.4 vs 44.6) and maximum context length (1M vs 400K tokens) with stronger multimodal file integration, while GPT-5 Codex dominates on speed (149.9 t/s vs 62.18 t/s) and price ($10 vs $25 per 1M tokens). GPT-5 Codex is optimized for coding and unified text-image tasks at scale, whereas Claude Opus 4.8 prioritizes careful reasoning and safety over long inputs. The choice hinges on whether raw throughput and cost or depth and context capacity matter most.
Claude Opus 4.8 vs GPT-5 Codex: side by side
| Spec | Claude Opus 4.8 | GPT-5 Codex | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intelligence | 61.4 | 44.6 | Claude Opus 4.8 |
| Output speed | 62 t/s | 150 t/s | GPT-5 Codex |
| Output price | $25.00/1M | $10.00/1M | GPT-5 Codex |
| Context | 1000K | 400K | Claude Opus 4.8 |
| Params | — | — | Tie |
| Type | Proprietary | Proprietary | Tie |
| Provider | Anthropic | OpenAI | Tie |
Detailed analysis
Intelligence
Winner: Claude Opus 4.8Claude Opus 4.8 scores 61.4 on the intelligence index compared to GPT-5 Codex at 44.6. This gap favors Claude for tasks needing careful and nuanced reasoning. GPT-5 Codex instead emphasizes coding specialization within its lower index score.
Speed
Winner: GPT-5 CodexGPT-5 Codex delivers 149.9 tokens per second versus Claude Opus 4.8 at 62.18 t/s. The speed advantage supports GPT-5 Codex for high-throughput workloads. Claude's lower speed aligns with its noted higher latency on large contexts.
Pricing
Winner: GPT-5 CodexGPT-5 Codex costs $10 per million tokens while Claude Opus 4.8 costs $25 per million tokens. The 60% lower price makes GPT-5 Codex more economical for volume usage. Both remain proprietary models from their respective providers.
Context & Multimodal
Winner: Claude Opus 4.8Claude Opus 4.8 supports 1M token context versus GPT-5 Codex at 400K, enabling longer inputs. Claude also integrates text, images, and files more broadly, while GPT-5 Codex is limited to text and static images with unified reasoning.
Claude Opus 4.8
Pros
- +Handles extremely long inputs effectively
- +Strong multimodal integration of text, images, and files
- +Careful and nuanced reasoning
- +Robust safety alignment
Cons
- –Higher latency on large contexts
- –Conservative response style due to safety tuning
- –May require explicit guidance for creative tasks
GPT-5 Codex
Pros
- +Handles extremely large inputs effectively
- +Strong coding specialization
- +Unified text and image reasoning
Cons
- –High resource demands with maximum context
- –Limited to text and static images
- –Potential coherence loss in very long outputs
Summary: Claude Opus 4.8 vs GPT-5 Codex
Select GPT-5 Codex when speed, lower cost, and coding-focused multimodal work are priorities. Select Claude Opus 4.8 when maximum context, higher intelligence, and broad file-aware reasoning matter most. Both models are proprietary with distinct trade-offs in latency and output style.
Frequently asked questions
Claude Opus 4.8 scores higher on intelligence and context length while GPT-5 Codex is faster and cheaper; neither is universally better.