Model Comparison

DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale vs GPT-4.1 nanoWhich is better in 2026?

Comparing DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale and GPT-4.1 nano across benchmarks, pricing, and capabilities.

Verdict: DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale vs GPT-4.1 nano — which is better?

DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale (by DeepSeek) and GPT-4.1 nano (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.

On price, GPT-4.1 nano is roughly 1.8x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.

GPT-4.1 nano also accepts a larger context window (1,047,576 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.

Choose DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale if…

  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Dec 2025
  • you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune

Choose GPT-4.1 nano if…

  • cost matters — it's about 1.8x cheaper per token
  • you process long inputs — it offers a 1,047,576 token context window

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

No common benchmarks found

DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale and GPT-4.1 nanodon't have any common benchmark datasets to compare. They may have been evaluated on different testing suites.

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Pricing Analysis

Price comparison per million tokens

GPT-4.1 nano costs less

For input processing, DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale ($0.28/1M tokens) is 2.8x more expensive than GPT-4.1 nano ($0.10/1M tokens).

For output processing, DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale ($0.42/1M tokens) is 1.0x more expensive than GPT-4.1 nano ($0.40/1M tokens).

In conclusion, DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale is more expensive than GPT-4.1 nano.*

* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens

Lowest available price from all providers
Sun Jul 26 2026 • llm-stats.com
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale
Input tokens$0.28
Output tokens$0.42
Best providerDeepSeek
OpenAI
GPT-4.1 nano
Input tokens$0.10
Output tokens$0.40
Best providerOpenAI
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

GPT-4.1 nano accepts 1,047,576 input tokens compared to DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale's 131,072 tokens. DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while GPT-4.1 nano is limited to 32,768 tokens.

DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale
Input131,072 tokens
Output131,072 tokens
OpenAI
GPT-4.1 nano
Input1,047,576 tokens
Output32,768 tokens
Sun Jul 26 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

GPT-4.1 nano supports multimodal inputs, whereas DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale does not.

GPT-4.1 nano can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.

DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale

Text
Images
Audio
Video

GPT-4.1 nano

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale is licensed under MIT, while GPT-4.1 nano uses a proprietary license.

License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.

DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale

MIT

Open weights

GPT-4.1 nano

Proprietary

Closed source

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale was released on 2025-12-01, while GPT-4.1 nano was released on 2025-04-14.

DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale is 8 months newer than GPT-4.1 nano.

DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale

Dec 1, 2025

7 months ago

7mo newer
GPT-4.1 nano

Apr 14, 2025

1.3 years ago

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

GPT-4.1 nano has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2024-05-31, while DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale's cutoff date is not specified.

We can confirm GPT-4.1 nano's training data extends to 2024-05-31, but cannot make a direct comparison without DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale's cutoff date.

DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale

—

GPT-4.1 nano

May 2024

Provider Availability

DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale is available from DeepSeek. GPT-4.1 nano is available from OpenAI.

DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale

deepseek logo
DeepSeek
Input Price:Input: $0.28/1MOutput Price:Output: $0.42/1M

GPT-4.1 nano

openai logo
OpenAI
Input Price:Input: $0.10/1MOutput Price:Output: $0.40/1M
* Prices shown are per million tokens

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion→

Key Takeaways

DeepSeek
Has open weights
OpenAI
Larger context window (1,047,576 tokens)
Supports multimodal inputs
Less expensive input tokens
Less expensive output tokens

Detailed Comparison

Interactive Arena

Judge for yourself.

Run your own prompts against DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale and GPT-4.1 nano side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.

DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale
✓ Preferred
GPT-4.1 nano
Open in Playground
AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale
OpenAI
GPT-4.1 nano

FAQ

Common questions about DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale vs GPT-4.1 nano.

Which is better, DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale or GPT-4.1 nano?

DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale (DeepSeek) and GPT-4.1 nano (OpenAI) each have strengths in different areas. Compare their benchmark scores, pricing, context windows, and capabilities above to determine which fits your needs.

How does DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale compare to GPT-4.1 nano in benchmarks?

DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale scores HMMT 2025: 99.2%, AIME 2025: 96.0%, CodeForces: 90.0%, t2-bench: 80.3%, SWE-Bench Verified: 73.1%. GPT-4.1 nano scores MMLU: 80.1%, IFEval: 74.5%, CharXiv-D: 73.9%, MMMLU: 66.9%, Multi-IF: 57.2%.

Is DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale cheaper than GPT-4.1 nano?

GPT-4.1 nano is 2.8x cheaper for input tokens. DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale costs $0.28/M input and $0.42/M output via deepseek. GPT-4.1 nano costs $0.10/M input and $0.40/M output via openai.

What are the context window sizes for DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale and GPT-4.1 nano?

DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale supports 131K tokens and GPT-4.1 nano supports 1.0M tokens. A larger context window lets you process longer documents, conversations, or codebases in a single request.

What are the main differences between DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale and GPT-4.1 nano?

Key differences include context window (131K vs 1.0M), input pricing ($0.28 vs $0.10/M), multimodal support (no vs yes), licensing (MIT vs Proprietary). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale and GPT-4.1 nano?

DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale is developed by DeepSeek and GPT-4.1 nano is developed by OpenAI.

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