GPT-5.6 Sol is OpenAI's best model for research — it scores 97/100 vs 94/100 for GPT-5.5, at $5/1M input tokens. Across all providers, Claude Fable 5 still leads research at 100/100 — worth considering if you're not committed to OpenAI.
The shortest way to see the safest default, the lower-cost option, and the specialist pick before you read deeper.
GPT-5.6 Sol is the safest overall answer here when you want the strongest default instead of the lowest list price.
Mistral: Mistral Nemo is the lower-cost option to start with when you still need useful output at scale.
GPT-5.5 is the better pick when large documents, transcripts, or knowledge-heavy work lead the decision.
GPT-5.5 leads OpenAI's lineup for research at 94/100 ($5/1M input, 1M context).
GPT-4o Mini is the value pick at $0.15/1M input with a research score of 62/100.
Claude Fable 5 (Anthropic) is the overall research leader at 100/100 if provider choice is open.
Choose GPT-5.5 when research quality is the priority and you're staying on OpenAI.
Choose GPT-4o Mini when token volume matters more than peak quality.
Teams open to other providers should also evaluate Claude Fable 5 before committing.
Switch the scoring lens to see whether the top answer changes when you care more about cost, speed, or long-document work.
OpenAI / Premium / Aug 8, 2026
Best OpenAI flagship for agentic coding, research, and computer-use work.
Ranks models by the broadest mix of coding, writing, research, and long-context usefulness.
You only care about the highest public coding benchmark score or need a cheaper high-volume model.
The fastest way to see where the recommendation shifts when your priority changes.
Best OpenAI flagship for agentic coding, research, and computer-use work.
Best for agentic automation and desktop control workflows.
Capable but outclassed — GPT-5.4 is now cheaper and better.
Solid OpenAI budget option, though Gemini Flash offers better value.
Best all-around pick for image-heavy and multimodal workflows.
OpenAI's fastest, cheapest option for everyday high-volume tasks.
Terminal-Bench 2.1 leader at 88.8% (91.9% ultra) — the top OpenAI agentic-coding result
94.6% GPQA Diamond and 90.4% BrowseComp — frontier science reasoning and agentic browsing
Artificial Analysis Coding Agent Index leader at 80 points, near Fable 5 intelligence at roughly one-third the cost
Trails Claude Opus 5 badly on repository-level engineering (SWE-bench Pro 64.6% vs 79.2%)
Long-context surcharge ($10/$45 above 272K) and 2–3x ultra-mode costs stack up fast
UseRightAI recommendations are based on practical decision factors people actually feel in day-to-day use.
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GPT-5.6 Sol — it scores 97/100 on research in this directory, ahead of GPT-5.5 at 94/100. Best OpenAI flagship — leads terminal coding and agentic browsing.
Not overall. Claude Fable 5 (Anthropic) leads the directory for research at 100/100 vs GPT-5.6 Sol's 97/100. GPT-5.6 Sol is the best pick if you're staying within OpenAI's ecosystem.
GPT-4o Mini at $0.15/1M input tokens (research score: 62/100). Use it for volume work and reserve GPT-5.6 Sol for the tasks where quality matters most.
$5/1M input tokens and $30/1M output tokens via the API, or through ChatGPT Plus at $20/mo for chat use. Context window: 1.05M tokens.