Model Comparison
GPT-4o vs GPT-5.6 SolWhich is better in 2026?
GPT-5.6 Sol significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. GPT-4o is 2.6x cheaper per token.
Verdict: GPT-4o vs GPT-5.6 Sol — which is better?
GPT-4o (by OpenAI) and GPT-5.6 Sol (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.
GPT-4o outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while GPT-5.6 Sol is better at 2 benchmarks (GPQA, MMMU-Pro). GPT-5.6 Sol significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, GPT-4o is roughly 2.6x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
GPT-5.6 Sol also accepts a larger context window (1,050,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Choose GPT-4o if…
- cost matters — it's about 2.6x cheaper per token
Choose GPT-5.6 Sol if…
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 2 of 2 shared benchmarks
- you process long inputs — it offers a 1,050,000 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Jul 2026
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
GPT-4o outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while GPT-5.6 Sol is better at 2 benchmarks (GPQA, MMMU-Pro).
GPT-5.6 Sol significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, GPT-4o ($2.50/1M tokens) is 2.0x cheaper than GPT-5.6 Sol ($5.00/1M tokens).
For output processing, GPT-4o ($10.00/1M tokens) is 3.0x cheaper than GPT-5.6 Sol ($30.00/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GPT-5.6 Sol is more expensive than GPT-4o.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
GPT-5.6 Sol accepts 1,050,000 input tokens compared to GPT-4o's 128,000 tokens. GPT-5.6 Sol can generate longer responses up to 128,000 tokens, while GPT-4o is limited to 16,384 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Both GPT-4o and GPT-5.6 Sol support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
GPT-4o
GPT-5.6 Sol
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
GPT-4o was released on 2024-08-06, while GPT-5.6 Sol was released on 2026-07-09.
GPT-5.6 Sol is 23 months newer than GPT-4o.
Aug 6, 2024
1.9 years ago
Jul 9, 2026
1 weeks ago
1.9yr newerKnowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
GPT-5.6 Sol has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2026-02-16, while GPT-4o's cutoff date is not specified.
We can confirm GPT-5.6 Sol's training data extends to 2026-02-16, but cannot make a direct comparison without GPT-4o's cutoff date.
—
Feb 2026
Provider Availability
GPT-4o is available from Azure, OpenAI. GPT-5.6 Sol is available from OpenAI.
GPT-4o
GPT-5.6 Sol
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
GPT-4o
View detailsOpenAI
GPT-5.6 Sol
View detailsOpenAI
Detailed Comparison
Interactive Arena
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against GPT-4o and GPT-5.6 Sol side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
| Feature |
|---|
FAQ
Common questions about GPT-4o vs GPT-5.6 Sol.