Model comparison
GPT-4.1 vs GPT-5.3 Codex
Head-to-head evidence from 15 shared benchmark results across 6 categories. Overall scores shown here use the public BenchAlign v5 ranking lane.
Public leaderboard positions: GPT-4.1 #108 (Supported); GPT-5.3 Codex #26 (Supported). Intervals and evidence labels describe ranking uncertainty, not a guarantee for a specific workload.
Evidence parity. GPT-4.1 and GPT-5.3 Codex share 15 comparable benchmark results. 1 of 8 categories are comparable. 5 results are unique to GPT-4.1; 6 to GPT-5.3 Codex.
Updated July 22, 2026- Shared results
- 15
- GPT-4.1 only
- 5
- GPT-5.3 Codex only
- 6
- Comparable categories
- 1 / 8
Pick GPT-5.3 Codex if you want the stronger benchmark profile. GPT-4.1 only becomes the better choice if you want the cheaper token bill or you need the larger 1M context window.
Confidence note. This is a partial-evidence comparison with 15 shared benchmark results across 6 evidence categories; 1 of 8 categories currently have scoreable aggregates for both models. Treat the verdict as directional until coverage is more balanced.
Why this result
GPT-5.3 Codex is clearly ahead on the BenchAlign aggregate, 66.69 to 51.11. The gap is large enough that you do not need to squint at the spreadsheet to see the difference.
GPT-5.3 Codex's sharpest advantage is in coding, where it averages 67.2 against 54.6. The single biggest benchmark swing on the page is SWE-bench Verified, 54.6% to 85%.
GPT-5.3 Codex is also the more expensive model on tokens at $1.75 input / $14.00 output per 1M tokens, versus $2.00 input / $8.00 output per 1M tokens for GPT-4.1. GPT-5.3 Codex is the reasoning model in the pair, while GPT-4.1 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. GPT-4.1 gives you the larger context window at 1M, compared with 400K for GPT-5.3 Codex.
Category breakdown
Exact category averages are shown below. Not measured means BenchLM does not have enough sourced public coverage for that model and category.
| Category | GPT-4.1 | Δ | GPT-5.3 Codex |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coding | GPT-4.154.6 | Margin→ 12.6 | GPT-5.3 Codex67.2 |
| Agentic | GPT-4.1Not measured | MarginNo overlap | GPT-5.3 Codex71.4 |
| Knowledge | GPT-4.166.3 | MarginNo overlap | GPT-5.3 CodexNot measured |
| Math | GPT-4.14.1 | MarginNo overlap | GPT-5.3 CodexNot measured |
| Inst. Following | GPT-4.187.4 | MarginNo overlap | GPT-5.3 CodexNot measured |
Decisive benchmark drivers
The largest measured benchmark gaps in this matchup, with exact reported values.
More
- Source ↗
SWE-bench Verified
CodingA 54.6%B 85%Winner: GPT-5.3 CodexΔ 30.4SWE-bench Verified: GPT-4.1 scored 54.6%; GPT-5.3 Codex scored 85%. GPT-5.3 Codex wins this benchmark.
Operational comparison
Runtime and commercial metrics are compared only when both models have a complete sourced value.
| Metric | GPT-4.1 | GPT-5.3 Codex | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Input / output priceUSD per 1M tokens | GPT-4.1$2 input / $8 output | GPT-5.3 Codex$1.75 input / $14 output | GPT-4.1 has the lower combined listed price. |
| Generation speedtokens per second | GPT-4.1108 tok/s | GPT-5.3 Codex79 tok/s | GPT-4.1 has the higher measured throughput. |
| First-answer latencyseconds to first token | GPT-4.11.02 s | GPT-5.3 Codex88.26 s | GPT-4.1 reaches the first token sooner. |
| Context windowmaximum listed tokens | GPT-4.11M | GPT-5.3 Codex400K | GPT-4.1 lists the larger context window. |
Benchmark Deep Dive
Agentic5 benchmarks
CodingGPT-5.3 Codex wins5 benchmarks
Reasoning2 benchmarks
Knowledge8 benchmarks
| Benchmark | GPT-4.1 | GPT-5.3 Codex | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| MMLUSource | 90.2% | — | Not comparable |
| GPQASource | 66.3% | — | Not comparable |
| Artificial Analysis Intelligence IndexSource | 19.4% | 44.3% | GPT-5.3 Codex leads |
| AA-GPQA DiamondSource | 66.6% | 91.5% | GPT-5.3 Codex leads |
| AA-HLESource | 4.6% | 39.9% | GPT-5.3 Codex leads |
| AA-Omniscience IndexSource | -36.2% | 9.9% | GPT-5.3 Codex leads |
| AA-Omniscience AccuracySource | 24.2% | 51.8% | GPT-5.3 Codex leads |
| AA-Omniscience Hallucination RateSource | 79.6% | 86.9% | GPT-4.1 leads |
Math2 benchmarks
Multimodal2 benchmarks
Frequently Asked Questions (2)
Which is better, GPT-4.1 or GPT-5.3 Codex?
GPT-5.3 Codex is ahead on BenchLM's BenchAlign leaderboard, 66.69 to 51.11. The biggest single separator in this matchup is SWE-bench Verified, where the scores are 54.6% and 85%.
Which is better for coding, GPT-4.1 or GPT-5.3 Codex?
GPT-5.3 Codex has the edge for coding in this comparison, averaging 67.2 versus 54.6. Inside this category, SWE-bench Verified is the benchmark that creates the most daylight between them.
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