GPT-4.1 vs IBM Granite 4.2 30B
IBM Granite 4.2 30B leads the LLM Stats Score 24.0 to 18.3.
OpenAI · IBM · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
IBM Granite 4.2 30B leads the overall LLM Stats Score 24.0 to 18.3, ranking #156 overall.
In the 3 individual benchmarks reported for both models, IBM Granite 4.2 30B wins 3; this is a narrower head-to-head signal than the composite indexes.
Based on current LLM Stats indexes, shared benchmarks, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.
Choose GPT-4.1
- you want predictable pricing at $2.00/M input and $8.00/M output
Choose IBM Granite 4.2 30B
- overall performance matters — it scores 24.0 and ranks #156 on LLM Stats
- you value its reported benchmark strengths — it wins 3 of 3 exact shared results
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Aug 2026
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Capability indexes
Additional strengths measured across groups of related public benchmarks
Individual benchmarks
29 reported for GPT-4.1 · 18 for IBM Granite 4.2 30B
GPT-4.1 outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while IBM Granite 4.2 30B is better at 3 benchmarks (AIME 2025, GPQA, SWE-Bench Verified).
IBM Granite 4.2 30B significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Human preference
Blind head-to-head votes and playground preference scores
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Only GPT-4.1 specifies input context (1,047,576 tokens). Only GPT-4.1 specifies output context (32,768 tokens).
Input capabilities
Documented input modalities across available providers
GPT-4.1 supports multimodal inputs, whereas IBM Granite 4.2 30B does not.
GPT-4.1 can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
GPT-4.1
IBM Granite 4.2 30B
License
Usage and distribution terms
GPT-4.1 is licensed under a proprietary license, while IBM Granite 4.2 30B uses Apache 2.0.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
Proprietary
Closed source
Apache 2.0
Open weights
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
GPT-4.1 was released on 2025-04-14, while IBM Granite 4.2 30B was released on 2026-08-25.
IBM Granite 4.2 30B is 17 months newer than GPT-4.1.
Apr 14, 2025
1.4 years ago
Aug 25, 2026
6 days ago
1.4yr newerKnowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
GPT-4.1 has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2024-06-01, while IBM Granite 4.2 30B's cutoff date is not specified.
We can confirm GPT-4.1's training data extends to 2024-06-01, but cannot make a direct comparison without IBM Granite 4.2 30B's cutoff date.
Jun 2024
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Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against GPT-4.1 and IBM Granite 4.2 30B side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about GPT-4.1 vs IBM Granite 4.2 30B.