GPT-4.1 mini vs Muse Spark 1.1
Head-to-head comparison across 2benchmark categories. Overall scores shown here use BenchLM's provisional ranking lane.
Verdict
Muse Spark 1.1 leads for most workloads.
Based on BenchLM composite scores, July 2026.
GPT-4.1 mini
44
Muse Spark 1.1
78
Pick Muse Spark 1.1 if you want the stronger benchmark profile. GPT-4.1 mini only becomes the better choice if knowledge is the priority or you would rather avoid the extra latency and token burn of a reasoning model.
Category Radar
Head-to-Head by Category
Category Breakdown
| Benchmark | GPT-4.1 mini | Δ | Muse Spark 1.1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coding | 23.6 | → 37.9 | 61.5 |
| Knowledge | 64.2 | ← 2.1 | 62.1 |
| Agentic | — | — | 80.4 |
| Multimodal | — | — | 88.4 |
| Inst. Following | 88.5 | — | — |
Operational Comparison
GPT-4.1 mini
Muse Spark 1.1
$0.4 / $1.6
N/A
80 t/s
N/A
0.76s
N/A
1M
1M
Quick Verdict
Pick Muse Spark 1.1 if you want the stronger benchmark profile. GPT-4.1 mini only becomes the better choice if knowledge is the priority or you would rather avoid the extra latency and token burn of a reasoning model.
Muse Spark 1.1 is clearly ahead on the provisional aggregate, 78 to 44. The gap is large enough that you do not need to squint at the spreadsheet to see the difference.
Muse Spark 1.1's sharpest advantage is in coding, where it averages 61.5 against 23.6. GPT-4.1 mini does hit back in knowledge, so the answer changes if that is the part of the workload you care about most.
Muse Spark 1.1 is the reasoning model in the pair, while GPT-4.1 mini is not. That usually helps on harder chain-of-thought-heavy tests, but it can also mean more latency and more token spend in real use.
Benchmark Deep Dive
Frequently Asked Questions (3)
Which is better, GPT-4.1 mini or Muse Spark 1.1?
Muse Spark 1.1 is ahead on BenchLM's provisional leaderboard, 78 to 44.
Which is better for knowledge tasks, GPT-4.1 mini or Muse Spark 1.1?
GPT-4.1 mini has the edge for knowledge tasks in this comparison, averaging 64.2 versus 62.1. Muse Spark 1.1 stays close enough that the answer can still flip depending on your workload.
Which is better for coding, GPT-4.1 mini or Muse Spark 1.1?
Muse Spark 1.1 has the edge for coding in this comparison, averaging 61.5 versus 23.6. GPT-4.1 mini stays close enough that the answer can still flip depending on your workload.
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