GPT-4o mini vs GPT-5.6 Sol
Wins 0 of 6 areas
—
Wins 6 of 6 areas
Coding · Agents · Reasoning · Facts · Images and charts · Following instructions
GPT-5.6 Sol is the stronger all-rounder.GPT-4o mini is cheaper.
Scores updated · 12 tests both models report · How we compare
Where each one wins
Tests won in each of the six areas where both have results. Each piece is one test, so a longer bar means more evidence; grey means the two scored within a point of each other.
- ReasoningHard problems that need careful thinking03GPT-5.6 Sol3 of 3 tests
- CodingWriting and fixing software02GPT-5.6 Sol2 of 2 tests
- AgentsCarrying out multi-step tasks on its own02GPT-5.6 Sol2 of 2 tests
- FactsGetting facts right instead of making them up01GPT-5.6 Sol1 of 1 test
- Images and chartsUnderstanding pictures, charts and video01GPT-5.6 Sol1 of 1 test
- Following instructionsDoing exactly what it is asked01GPT-5.6 Sol1 of 1 test
Facts, images and charts and following instructions rest on a single test each.
What it costs
Prices per million tokens, roughly 750,000 words. The bars show the cost of a million tokens read plus a million written.
GPT-4o mini costs 97% less for the same work.
The biggest differences
The tests each model wins by the widest margin, up to three each. Scores are out of 100.
Where GPT-5.6 Sol pulls ahead
- Command-line tasks in a real terminalTerminal-Bench 2.1+82.4points ahead
- Short factual questions, answered correctlySimpleQA Verified+61.4points ahead
- Graduate-level biology, physics and chemistry questionsGPQA Diamond+51.5points ahead
Where GPT-4o mini pulls ahead
No clear win on a test scored out of 100.
Every test, side by side
All 12 tests both models report. The winning score is in its model's colour; marks a score checked independently.
CodingGPT-5.6 Sol
- Terminal-Bench 2.1GPT-5.6 Sol by 82.45.688+82.4
- SciCodeGPT-5.6 Sol by 34.222.957.1+34.2
AgentsGPT-5.6 Sol
- GDPValGPT-5.6 Sol by 55.6055.6+55.6
- τ-Bench V3 · BankingGPT-5.6 Sol by 41.42.944.3+41.4
ReasoningGPT-5.6 Sol
- ARC-AGI-2GPT-5.6 Sol by 92.5092.5+92.5
- GPQA DiamondGPT-5.6 Sol by 51.542.694.1+51.5
- Humanity's Last ExamGPT-5.6 Sol by 45.34.249.5+45.3
Following instructionsGPT-5.6 Sol
- IFBenchGPT-5.6 Sol by 41.73172.7+41.7
Other results2 tests, not counted
Tests outside the eight areas. They are not counted above: several are summary scores built from other tests, or the same test under another name.
- Artificial Analysis Coding IndexGPT-5.6 Sol by 6611.477.4+66
- AA IntelligenceGPT-5.6 Sol by 40.36.747+40.3
Questions people ask
Which is better, GPT-4o mini or GPT-5.6 Sol?
GPT-5.6 Sol wins all six areas where both have results: coding, agents, reasoning, facts, images and charts and following instructions. GPT-4o mini wins none, but costs 97% less.
Which is better for coding?
GPT-5.6 Sol. It wins 2 of the 2 coding tests both models report; GPT-4o mini wins none.
Which is cheaper?
GPT-4o mini costs $0.15 per million input tokens and $0.60 per million output tokens; GPT-5.6 Sol costs $4.00 and $20.00. That makes GPT-4o mini about 97% cheaper for the same work.
How do you compare the two?
We use the 12 benchmark tests both models have published scores on. The verdict counts the 10 tests in the eight capability areas, and a gap under one point (ten on rating-style scales) counts as a tie. The other 2 are listed but not counted, because several are summary scores or repeat a test. Each score is the one shown on the model's own page.