GPT-4.1 vs GPT-5.2-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 GPT-4.1 if you need
- ✓Choose GPT-4.1 if you need context windows over 1 million tokens.
- ✓Choose GPT-4.1 if you need lower output pricing at $8 per million tokens.
- ✓Choose GPT-4.1 if you need to process images, text, and files together.
- ✓Choose GPT-4.1 if you need flexible multimodal inputs beyond text and images.
Choose GPT-5.2-Codex if you need
- ✓Choose GPT-5.2-Codex if you need the highest intelligence_index at 40.1.
- ✓Choose GPT-5.2-Codex if you need faster output speed of 145.81 t/s.
- ✓Choose GPT-5.2-Codex if you need strong coding specialization.
- ✓Choose GPT-5.2-Codex if you need seamless text and image integration at scale.
Verdict
GPT-5.2-Codex leads with a higher intelligence_index of 40.1 and faster output speed of 145.81 t/s plus coding specialization, while GPT-4.1 wins on context size (1,047,576 tokens) and lower price ($8/1M) with support for files alongside images and text. Both are proprietary OpenAI models with unknown parameter counts. GPT-4.1 offers more flexible multimodal inputs but GPT-5.2-Codex is restricted to text and images.
GPT-4.1 vs GPT-5.2-Codex: side by side
| Spec | GPT-4.1 | GPT-5.2-Codex | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intelligence | 19.4 | 40.1 | GPT-5.2-Codex |
| Output speed | 119 t/s | 146 t/s | GPT-5.2-Codex |
| Output price | $8.00/1M | $14.00/1M | GPT-4.1 |
| Context | 1048K | 400K | GPT-4.1 |
| Params | — | — | Tie |
| Provider | OpenAI | OpenAI | Tie |
Detailed analysis
Intelligence
Winner: GPT-5.2-CodexGPT-5.2-Codex scores 40.1 on intelligence_index compared to GPT-4.1's 19.4. This gap indicates stronger performance on complex tasks for the Codex variant. Both share the same provider and proprietary nature.
Speed
Winner: GPT-5.2-CodexGPT-5.2-Codex outputs at 145.81 tokens per second versus GPT-4.1's 129.94 t/s. The speed advantage holds across the reported metrics. Neither model discloses parameter counts.
Context & Pricing
Winner: GPT-4.1GPT-4.1 provides a 1,047,576 token context window and $8 per million token pricing, exceeding GPT-5.2-Codex's 400,000 context and $14 price. GPT-4.1 also processes files in addition to images and text.
Multimodal Capabilities
Winner: GPT-4.1GPT-4.1 handles images, text, and files together with flexible inputs. GPT-5.2-Codex is limited to text and images with no native audio or video support.
GPT-4.1
Pros
- +Handles very large context windows
- +Processes images, text, and files together
- +Strong reasoning from OpenAI GPT lineage
Cons
- –Closed-source with no public weights
- –May hallucinate on complex tasks
- –High compute cost for full context
GPT-5.2-Codex
Pros
- +Very large context window for extended inputs
- +Strong coding specialization
- +Seamless integration of text and image data
Cons
- –Restricted to text and image modalities
- –High resource demands at maximum context length
- –No native support for audio or video
Summary: GPT-4.1 vs GPT-5.2-Codex
Select GPT-4.1 when maximum context length, lower cost, and file handling matter most. Choose GPT-5.2-Codex for superior intelligence, speed, and coding tasks. The decision hinges on whether scale and price or raw capability take priority.
Frequently asked questions
GPT-5.2-Codex leads in intelligence and speed while GPT-4.1 leads in context size and price; neither is universally better.