Model Comparison
GPT-5.1 Thinking vs Qwen3.8 MaxWhich is better in 2026?
Qwen3.8 Max significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Verdict: GPT-5.1 Thinking vs Qwen3.8 Max — which is better?
GPT-5.1 Thinking (by OpenAI) and Qwen3.8 Max (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.
GPT-5.1 Thinking outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Qwen3.8 Max is better at 1 benchmark (GPQA). Qwen3.8 Max significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Choose GPT-5.1 Thinking if…
- you want predictable pricing at $1.25/M input and $10.00/M output
Choose Qwen3.8 Max if…
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 1 of 1 shared benchmarks
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Aug 2026
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
GPT-5.1 Thinking outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Qwen3.8 Max is better at 1 benchmark (GPQA).
Qwen3.8 Max significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Only GPT-5.1 Thinking specifies input context (400,000 tokens). Only GPT-5.1 Thinking specifies output context (128,000 tokens).
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Both GPT-5.1 Thinking and Qwen3.8 Max support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
GPT-5.1 Thinking
Qwen3.8 Max
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-5.1 Thinking was released on 2025-11-12, while Qwen3.8 Max was released on 2026-08-02.
Qwen3.8 Max is 9 months newer than GPT-5.1 Thinking.
Nov 12, 2025
8 months ago
Aug 2, 2026
2 days ago
8mo newerKnowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Neither model specifies a knowledge cutoff date.
Unable to compare the recency of their training data.
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
Qwen3.8 Max
View detailsAlibaba Cloud / Qwen Team
Detailed Comparison
Interactive Arena
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against GPT-5.1 Thinking and Qwen3.8 Max side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
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FAQ
Common questions about GPT-5.1 Thinking vs Qwen3.8 Max.