GPT-5.2 vs Grok 4.20
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-5.2 if you need
- ✓Unified multimodal processing explicitly optimized for scalable document-level analysis
- ✓OpenAI provider ecosystem with a 400k context window
- ✓Tasks where maximum context is not required and provider preference is OpenAI
Choose Grok 4.20 if you need
- ✓Highest intelligence index at 49.3 with native text/image/file support
- ✓Lowest cost at $2.5 per 1M tokens and fastest known speed of 168.03 t/s
- ✓Extremely large contexts up to 2M tokens in a single multimodal model
- ✓Any workload prioritizing price, speed, or maximum context length
Verdict
Grok 4.20 leads overall with a higher intelligence index (49.3 vs 46.6), dramatically lower price ($2.5 vs $14 per 1M tokens), known high output speed (168.03 t/s), and a much larger 2M-token context versus GPT-5.2's 400k. GPT-5.2 offers no measurable advantages in the provided data and shares the same core multimodal limitations. Grok 4.20 is the stronger choice for most large-scale multimodal tasks.
GPT-5.2 vs Grok 4.20: side by side
| Spec | GPT-5.2 | Grok 4.20 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intelligence | 46.6 | 49.3 | Grok 4.20 |
| Output speed | — | 168 t/s | Tie |
| Output price | $14.00/1M | $2.50/1M | Grok 4.20 |
| Context | 400K | 2000K | Grok 4.20 |
| Params | — | — | Tie |
| Type | Proprietary | Proprietary | Tie |
| Provider | OpenAI | xAI | Tie |
Detailed analysis
Intelligence
Winner: Grok 4.20Grok 4.20 scores 49.3 on the intelligence index compared to GPT-5.2's 46.6. Both models are proprietary multimodal systems from major providers. No other intelligence metrics are provided.
Pricing
Winner: Grok 4.20Grok 4.20 costs $2.5 per 1M output tokens while GPT-5.2 costs $14 per 1M. This makes Grok 4.20 substantially more economical for high-volume use. Both are listed as proprietary models.
Context & Speed
Winner: Grok 4.20Grok 4.20 provides a 2M token context window and 168.03 t/s output speed versus GPT-5.2's 400k context with unknown speed. Both support text, image, and file inputs but neither includes audio or video.
Multimodal Capabilities
Winner: TieBoth models offer unified multimodal processing of text, images, and files without native audio or video support. GPT-5.2 emphasizes scalable document analysis while Grok 4.20 highlights 2M-token context handling.
GPT-5.2
Pros
- +Extensive context window
- +Support for files, images, and text
- +Unified multimodal processing
- +Scalable document-level analysis
Cons
- –High resource use with maximum context
- –No native audio or video modalities
- –Risk of diluted focus in very long inputs
Grok 4.20
Pros
- +Handles extremely large contexts up to 2M tokens
- +Native support for text, image, and file inputs
- +Multimodal integration in a single model
Cons
- –No audio or video modality support
- –Very large context can increase latency
- –Performance depends on input quality and structure
Summary: GPT-5.2 vs Grok 4.20
Grok 4.20 is the clear pick for nearly all users due to superior intelligence, speed, price, and context size. Choose GPT-5.2 only if you specifically require the OpenAI provider or its documented document-analysis strengths within a 400k window.
Frequently asked questions
Grok 4.20 is better overall based on higher intelligence index, lower price, known faster speed, and larger context window.