Model comparison
GPT-4.1 vs Inkling
Head-to-head evidence from 2 shared benchmark results across 2 categories. Overall scores shown here use the public BenchAlign v5 ranking lane.
Verified leaderboard positions: GPT-4.1 unranked; Inkling #17
BenchAlign evidence: GPT-4.1 supported; Inkling not scored. Intervals and evidence labels describe ranking uncertainty, not a guarantee for a specific workload.
Evidence parity. GPT-4.1 and Inkling share 2 comparable benchmark results. 4 of 8 categories are comparable. 19 results are unique to GPT-4.1; 14 to Inkling.
Updated July 15, 2026- Shared results
- 2
- GPT-4.1 only
- 19
- Inkling only
- 14
- Comparable categories
- 4 / 8
Pick Inkling if you want the stronger benchmark profile. GPT-4.1 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.
Confidence note. This is a partial-evidence comparison with 2 shared benchmark results across 2 evidence categories; 4 of 8 categories currently have scoreable aggregates for both models. Treat the verdict as directional until coverage is more balanced.
Why this result
Inkling is clearly ahead on the provisional aggregate, 69 to 56. The gap is large enough that you do not need to squint at the spreadsheet to see the difference.
Inkling's sharpest advantage is in mathematics, where it averages 97.1 against 4.1. The single biggest benchmark swing on the page is SWE-bench Verified, 54.6% to 77.6%. GPT-4.1 does hit back in knowledge, so the answer changes if that is the part of the workload you care about most.
GPT-4.1 is also the more expensive model on tokens at $2.00 input / $8.00 output per 1M tokens, versus $1.87 input / $4.68 output per 1M tokens for Inkling. Inkling 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.
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 | Inkling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Math | GPT-4.14.1 | Margin→ 93.0 | Inkling97.1 |
| Knowledge | GPT-4.166.3 | Margin← 14.6 | Inkling51.7 |
| Coding | GPT-4.154.6 | Margin→ 14.0 | Inkling68.6 |
| Inst. Following | GPT-4.187.4 | Margin← 7.6 | Inkling79.8 |
| Agentic | GPT-4.1Not measured | MarginNo overlap | Inkling69.4 |
| Multimodal | GPT-4.1Not measured | MarginNo overlap | Inkling76.5 |
Decisive benchmark drivers
The largest measured benchmark gaps in this matchup, with exact reported values.
More
Operational comparison
Runtime and commercial metrics are compared only when both models have a complete sourced value.
| Metric | GPT-4.1 | Inkling | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Input / output priceUSD per 1M tokens | GPT-4.1$2 input / $8 output | Inkling$1.87 input / $4.68 output | Inkling has the lower combined listed price. |
| Generation speedtokens per second | GPT-4.1108 tok/s | InklingNot available | A complete speed comparison is not available. |
| First-answer latencyseconds to first token | GPT-4.11.02 s | InklingNot available | A complete latency comparison is not available. |
| Context windowmaximum listed tokens | GPT-4.11M | Inkling1M | Listed context windows are equal. |
Benchmark Deep Dive
Agentic6 benchmarks
CodingInkling wins5 benchmarks
Reasoning2 benchmarks
KnowledgeGPT-4.1 wins11 benchmarks
| Benchmark | GPT-4.1 | Inkling | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| MMLUSource | 90.2% | — | Not comparable |
| GPQASource | 66.3% | 87.9% | Inkling leads |
| Artificial Analysis Intelligence IndexSource | 19.4% | — | Not comparable |
| AA-GPQA DiamondSource | 66.6% | — | Not comparable |
| AA-HLESource | 4.6% | — | Not comparable |
| AA-Omniscience IndexSource | -36.2% | — | Not comparable |
| AA-Omniscience AccuracySource | 24.2% | — | Not comparable |
| AA-Omniscience Hallucination RateSource | 79.6% | — | Not comparable |
| GPQA-DSource | — | 87.9% | Not comparable |
| HLESource | — | 46% | Not comparable |
| HLE w/o toolsSource | — | 30% | Not comparable |
MathInkling wins3 benchmarks
Multimodal5 benchmarks
Frequently Asked Questions (5)
Which is better, GPT-4.1 or Inkling?
Inkling is ahead on BenchLM's provisional leaderboard, 69 to 56. The biggest single separator in this matchup is SWE-bench Verified, where the scores are 54.6% and 77.6%.
Which is better for knowledge tasks, GPT-4.1 or Inkling?
GPT-4.1 has the edge for knowledge tasks in this comparison, averaging 66.3 versus 51.7. Inside this category, GPQA is the benchmark that creates the most daylight between them.
Which is better for coding, GPT-4.1 or Inkling?
Inkling has the edge for coding in this comparison, averaging 68.6 versus 54.6. Inside this category, SWE-bench Verified is the benchmark that creates the most daylight between them.
Which is better for math, GPT-4.1 or Inkling?
Inkling has the edge for math in this comparison, averaging 97.1 versus 4.1. GPT-4.1 stays close enough that the answer can still flip depending on your workload.
Which is better for instruction following, GPT-4.1 or Inkling?
GPT-4.1 has the edge for instruction following in this comparison, averaging 87.4 versus 79.8. Inkling stays close enough that the answer can still flip depending on your workload.
Related Comparisons
Explore More
The AI models change fast. We track them for you.
A weekly brief for engineers and researchers covering new models, ranking shifts, and pricing changes.
Free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.