Model Comparison
Gemma 3n E4B Instructed vs GPT-5.1Which is better in 2026?
GPT-5.1 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. GPT-5.1 is 7.3x cheaper per token.
Verdict: Gemma 3n E4B Instructed vs GPT-5.1 — which is better?
Gemma 3n E4B Instructed (by Google) and GPT-5.1 (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.
Gemma 3n E4B Instructed outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while GPT-5.1 is better at 2 benchmarks (AIME 2025, GPQA). GPT-5.1 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, GPT-5.1 is roughly 7.3x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
GPT-5.1 also accepts a larger context window (400,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Choose Gemma 3n E4B Instructed if…
- you want predictable pricing at $20.00/M input and $40.00/M output
Choose GPT-5.1 if…
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 2 of 2 shared benchmarks
- cost matters — it's about 7.3x cheaper per token
- you process long inputs — it offers a 400,000 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Nov 2025
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
Gemma 3n E4B Instructed outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while GPT-5.1 is better at 2 benchmarks (AIME 2025, GPQA).
GPT-5.1 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, Gemma 3n E4B Instructed ($20.00/1M tokens) is 16.0x more expensive than GPT-5.1 ($1.25/1M tokens).
For output processing, Gemma 3n E4B Instructed ($40.00/1M tokens) is 4.0x more expensive than GPT-5.1 ($10.00/1M tokens).
In conclusion, Gemma 3n E4B Instructed is more expensive than GPT-5.1.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
GPT-5.1 accepts 400,000 input tokens compared to Gemma 3n E4B Instructed's 32,000 tokens. GPT-5.1 can generate longer responses up to 128,000 tokens, while Gemma 3n E4B Instructed is limited to 32,000 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Both Gemma 3n E4B Instructed and GPT-5.1 support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
Gemma 3n E4B Instructed
GPT-5.1
License
Usage and distribution terms
Both models are licensed under proprietary licenses.
Both models have usage restrictions defined by their respective organizations.
Proprietary
Closed source
Proprietary
Closed source
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
Gemma 3n E4B Instructed was released on 2025-06-26, while GPT-5.1 was released on 2025-11-13.
GPT-5.1 is 5 months newer than Gemma 3n E4B Instructed.
Jun 26, 2025
12 months ago
Nov 13, 2025
7 months ago
4mo newerKnowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Gemma 3n E4B Instructed has a knowledge cutoff of 2024-06-01, while GPT-5.1 has a cutoff of 2024-09-30.
GPT-5.1 has more recent training data (up to 2024-09-30), making it potentially better informed about events through that date compared to Gemma 3n E4B Instructed (2024-06-01).
Jun 2024
Sep 2024
3 mo newerProvider Availability
Gemma 3n E4B Instructed is available from Together. GPT-5.1 is available from OpenAI.
Gemma 3n E4B Instructed
GPT-5.1
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
No standout differentiators in the data we have for this pair.
GPT-5.1
View detailsOpenAI
Detailed Comparison
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FAQ
Common questions about Gemma 3n E4B Instructed vs GPT-5.1.