Side-by-side benchmark comparison across knowledge, coding, math, and reasoning.
GPT-4o is clearly ahead on the aggregate, 60 to 23. The gap is large enough that you do not need to squint at the spreadsheet to see the difference.
GPT-4o's sharpest advantage is in mathematics, where it averages 66.9 against 9.8. The single biggest benchmark swing on the page is AIME 2024, 68 to 9.8. GPT-4.1 nano does hit back in knowledge, so the answer changes if that is the part of the workload you care about most.
GPT-4o is also the more expensive model on tokens at $2.50 input / $10.00 output per 1M tokens, versus $0.10 input / $0.40 output per 1M tokens for GPT-4.1 nano. That is roughly 25.0x on output cost alone. GPT-4.1 nano gives you the larger context window at 1M, compared with 128K for GPT-4o.
Pick GPT-4o if you want the stronger benchmark profile. GPT-4.1 nano only becomes the better choice if knowledge is the priority or you want the cheaper token bill.
GPT-4o
53.8
GPT-4.1 nano
65.2
GPT-4o
66.9
GPT-4.1 nano
9.8
GPT-4o
82
GPT-4.1 nano
83.2
GPT-4o is ahead overall, 60 to 23. The biggest single separator in this matchup is AIME 2024, where the scores are 68 and 9.8.
GPT-4.1 nano has the edge for knowledge tasks in this comparison, averaging 65.2 versus 53.8. Inside this category, GPQA is the benchmark that creates the most daylight between them.
GPT-4o has the edge for math in this comparison, averaging 66.9 versus 9.8. Inside this category, AIME 2024 is the benchmark that creates the most daylight between them.
GPT-4.1 nano has the edge for instruction following in this comparison, averaging 83.2 versus 82. Inside this category, IFEval is the benchmark that creates the most daylight between them.
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