Model Comparison
GPT-5.1 Thinking vs Llama 3.1 70B InstructWhich is better in 2026?
GPT-5.1 Thinking significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Llama 3.1 70B Instruct is 17.2x cheaper per token.
Verdict: GPT-5.1 Thinking vs Llama 3.1 70B Instruct — which is better?
GPT-5.1 Thinking (by OpenAI) and Llama 3.1 70B Instruct (by Meta) 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-5.1 Thinking outperforms in 1 benchmarks (GPQA), while Llama 3.1 70B Instruct is better at 0 benchmarks. GPT-5.1 Thinking significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, Llama 3.1 70B Instruct is roughly 17.2x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
GPT-5.1 Thinking 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 Thinking if…
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 1 of 1 shared benchmarks
- you process long inputs — it offers a 400,000 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Nov 2025
Choose Llama 3.1 70B Instruct if…
- cost matters — it's about 17.2x cheaper per token
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
GPT-5.1 Thinking outperforms in 1 benchmarks (GPQA), while Llama 3.1 70B Instruct is better at 0 benchmarks.
GPT-5.1 Thinking significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, GPT-5.1 Thinking ($1.25/1M tokens) is 6.3x more expensive than Llama 3.1 70B Instruct ($0.20/1M tokens).
For output processing, GPT-5.1 Thinking ($10.00/1M tokens) is 50.0x more expensive than Llama 3.1 70B Instruct ($0.20/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GPT-5.1 Thinking is more expensive than Llama 3.1 70B Instruct.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
GPT-5.1 Thinking accepts 400,000 input tokens compared to Llama 3.1 70B Instruct's 128,000 tokens. Both models can generate responses up to 128,000 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
GPT-5.1 Thinking supports multimodal inputs, whereas Llama 3.1 70B Instruct does not.
GPT-5.1 Thinking can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
GPT-5.1 Thinking
Llama 3.1 70B Instruct
License
Usage and distribution terms
GPT-5.1 Thinking is licensed under a proprietary license, while Llama 3.1 70B Instruct uses Llama 3.1 Community License.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
Proprietary
Closed source
Llama 3.1 Community License
Open weights
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
GPT-5.1 Thinking was released on 2025-11-12, while Llama 3.1 70B Instruct was released on 2024-07-23.
GPT-5.1 Thinking is 16 months newer than Llama 3.1 70B Instruct.
Nov 12, 2025
8 months ago
1.3yr newerJul 23, 2024
2.0 years ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Neither model specifies a knowledge cutoff date.
Unable to compare the recency of their training data.
Provider Availability
GPT-5.1 Thinking is available from OpenAI. Llama 3.1 70B Instruct is available from Lambda, DeepInfra, Hyperbolic, Groq, Cerebras, Together, Fireworks, Bedrock, Sambanova.
GPT-5.1 Thinking
Llama 3.1 70B Instruct
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
Detailed Comparison
Interactive Arena
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against GPT-5.1 Thinking and Llama 3.1 70B Instruct side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
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FAQ
Common questions about GPT-5.1 Thinking vs Llama 3.1 70B Instruct.