GPT-5.4 Mini 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-5.4 Mini if you need
- ✓Higher intelligence index (40) for stronger reasoning on complex multimodal inputs
- ✓Faster output speed (170.35 t/s) when processing large files and images
- ✓Document-heavy workflows that benefit from its listed native file/image/text support
- ✓Tasks where OpenAI ecosystem integration matters more than maximum context length
Choose Grok 4.20 if you need
- ✓Extremely large contexts up to 2M tokens for massive document or conversation sets
- ✓Lower price ($2.5/1M tokens) when running high-volume multimodal workloads
- ✓Single-model multimodal integration of text, image, and file inputs at scale
- ✓Budget-conscious projects that can tolerate slightly lower intelligence and speed
Verdict
GPT-5.4 Mini leads on intelligence (40 vs 37) and output speed (170.35 t/s vs 132.31 t/s) while offering flexible multimodal workflows suited to document tasks. Grok 4.20 wins decisively on context size (2M vs 400k tokens) and price ($2.5 vs $4.5 per 1M tokens). The choice hinges on whether users prioritize raw performance or extreme-scale context at lower cost.
GPT-5.4 Mini vs Grok 4.20: side by side
| Spec | GPT-5.4 Mini | Grok 4.20 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intelligence | 40 | 37 | GPT-5.4 Mini |
| Output speed | 170 t/s | 132 t/s | GPT-5.4 Mini |
| Output price | $4.50/1M | $2.50/1M | Grok 4.20 |
| Context | 400K | 2000K | Grok 4.20 |
| Params | — | — | Tie |
| Provider | OpenAI | xAI | Tie |
Detailed analysis
Intelligence
Winner: GPT-5.4 MiniGPT-5.4 Mini scores 40 on the intelligence index compared with Grok 4.20's 37. This edge supports deeper reasoning on complex multimodal tasks despite its mini size limitation.
Pricing
Winner: Grok 4.20Grok 4.20 costs $2.5 per million tokens versus GPT-5.4 Mini's $4.5. The 44% lower price favors Grok for large-scale or repeated multimodal usage.
Context Window
Winner: Grok 4.20Grok 4.20 provides a 2M-token context while GPT-5.4 Mini offers 400k tokens. This fivefold difference enables Grok to handle far larger file and conversation sets in one pass.
Output Speed
Winner: GPT-5.4 MiniGPT-5.4 Mini delivers 170.35 tokens per second against Grok 4.20's 132.31 t/s. The higher speed reduces latency for interactive multimodal document processing.
GPT-5.4 Mini
Pros
- +Very large context window
- +Native support for files, images, and text
- +Flexible multimodal workflows
Cons
- –Mini size may reduce depth on complex reasoning
- –Performance depends on input quality across modalities
- –Long contexts can increase latency
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-5.4 Mini vs Grok 4.20
Select GPT-5.4 Mini when intelligence and speed are primary and context needs stay under 400k tokens. Choose Grok 4.20 for maximum context length and lowest cost on very large multimodal inputs. Both models share native file/image/text support but trade off different strengths.
Frequently asked questions
GPT-5.4 Mini is stronger on intelligence and speed; Grok 4.20 is better for context size and price. Neither dominates all dimensions.