Model Comparison
GPT-5.1 Codex vs QwQ-32B-PreviewWhich is better in 2026?
Comparing GPT-5.1 Codex and QwQ-32B-Preview across benchmarks, pricing, and capabilities.
Verdict: GPT-5.1 Codex vs QwQ-32B-Preview — which is better?
GPT-5.1 Codex (by OpenAI) and QwQ-32B-Preview (by Alibaba Cloud / Qwen Team) 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, QwQ-32B-Preview is roughly 21.2x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
GPT-5.1 Codex also accepts a larger context window (400,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Choose GPT-5.1 Codex if…
- you process long inputs — it offers a 400,000 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Nov 2025
Choose QwQ-32B-Preview if…
- cost matters — it's about 21.2x cheaper per token
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
GPT-5.1 Codex and QwQ-32B-Previewdon'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
For input processing, GPT-5.1 Codex ($1.25/1M tokens) is 8.3x more expensive than QwQ-32B-Preview ($0.15/1M tokens).
For output processing, GPT-5.1 Codex ($10.00/1M tokens) is 50.0x more expensive than QwQ-32B-Preview ($0.20/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GPT-5.1 Codex is more expensive than QwQ-32B-Preview.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
GPT-5.1 Codex accepts 400,000 input tokens compared to QwQ-32B-Preview's 32,768 tokens. GPT-5.1 Codex can generate longer responses up to 128,000 tokens, while QwQ-32B-Preview is limited to 32,768 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
GPT-5.1 Codex supports multimodal inputs, whereas QwQ-32B-Preview does not.
GPT-5.1 Codex can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
GPT-5.1 Codex
QwQ-32B-Preview
License
Usage and distribution terms
GPT-5.1 Codex is licensed under a proprietary license, while QwQ-32B-Preview 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-5.1 Codex was released on 2025-11-19, while QwQ-32B-Preview was released on 2024-11-28.
GPT-5.1 Codex is 12 months newer than QwQ-32B-Preview.
Nov 19, 2025
7 months ago
11mo newerNov 28, 2024
1.6 years ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
GPT-5.1 Codex has a knowledge cutoff of 2024-09-30, while QwQ-32B-Preview has a cutoff of 2024-11-28.
QwQ-32B-Preview has more recent training data (up to 2024-11-28), making it potentially better informed about events through that date compared to GPT-5.1 Codex (2024-09-30).
Sep 2024
Nov 2024
2 mo newerProvider Availability
GPT-5.1 Codex is available from OpenAI. QwQ-32B-Preview is available from DeepInfra, Hyperbolic, Fireworks, Together.
GPT-5.1 Codex
QwQ-32B-Preview
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
QwQ-32B-Preview
View detailsAlibaba Cloud / Qwen Team
Detailed Comparison
Interactive Arena
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against GPT-5.1 Codex and QwQ-32B-Preview side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
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FAQ
Common questions about GPT-5.1 Codex vs QwQ-32B-Preview.