Model Comparison
DeepSeek-R1-0528 vs GPT-4.5Which is better in 2026?
DeepSeek-R1-0528 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. DeepSeek-R1-0528 is 102.7x cheaper per token.
Verdict: DeepSeek-R1-0528 vs GPT-4.5 — which is better?
DeepSeek-R1-0528 (by DeepSeek) and GPT-4.5 (by OpenAI) are two of the AI models people compare most. Here is how they stack up on benchmarks, price and capabilities, and which one to pick in 2026.
DeepSeek-R1-0528 outperforms in 4 benchmarks (AIME 2024, GPQA, SimpleQA, SWE-Bench Verified), while GPT-4.5 is better at 0 benchmarks. DeepSeek-R1-0528 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, DeepSeek-R1-0528 is roughly 102.7x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
DeepSeek-R1-0528 also accepts a larger context window (131,072 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Choose DeepSeek-R1-0528 if…
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 4 of 4 shared benchmarks
- cost matters — it's about 102.7x cheaper per token
- you process long inputs — it offers a 131,072 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped May 2025
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Choose GPT-4.5 if…
- you want predictable pricing at $75.00/M input and $150.00/M output
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
DeepSeek-R1-0528 outperforms in 4 benchmarks (AIME 2024, GPQA, SimpleQA, SWE-Bench Verified), while GPT-4.5 is better at 0 benchmarks.
DeepSeek-R1-0528 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, DeepSeek-R1-0528 ($0.50/1M tokens) is 150.0x cheaper than GPT-4.5 ($75.00/1M tokens).
For output processing, DeepSeek-R1-0528 ($2.15/1M tokens) is 69.8x cheaper than GPT-4.5 ($150.00/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GPT-4.5 is more expensive than DeepSeek-R1-0528.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
DeepSeek-R1-0528 accepts 131,072 input tokens compared to GPT-4.5's 128,000 tokens. DeepSeek-R1-0528 can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while GPT-4.5 is limited to 4,096 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
GPT-4.5 supports multimodal inputs, whereas DeepSeek-R1-0528 does not.
GPT-4.5 can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
DeepSeek-R1-0528
GPT-4.5
License
Usage and distribution terms
DeepSeek-R1-0528 is licensed under MIT, while GPT-4.5 uses a proprietary license.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
MIT
Open weights
Proprietary
Closed source
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
DeepSeek-R1-0528 was released on 2025-05-28, while GPT-4.5 was released on 2025-02-27.
DeepSeek-R1-0528 is 3 months newer than GPT-4.5.
May 28, 2025
1.0 years ago
3mo newerFeb 27, 2025
1.3 years ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Neither model specifies a knowledge cutoff date.
Unable to compare the recency of their training data.
Provider Availability
DeepSeek-R1-0528 is available from DeepInfra, DeepSeek, Novita. GPT-4.5 is available from OpenAI.
DeepSeek-R1-0528
GPT-4.5
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
DeepSeek-R1-0528
View detailsDeepSeek
GPT-4.5
View detailsOpenAI
Detailed Comparison
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FAQ
Common questions about DeepSeek-R1-0528 vs GPT-4.5.