Based on a comprehensive analysis of benchmark results, pricing structures, and performance characteristics, here’s a detailed llm comparison between Claude 4 Opus (released May 22, 2025) and OpenAI o3 Pro (released June 2025):
🧠 Intelligence & Performance
Coding Capabilities
- Claude 4 Opus: Dominates coding benchmarks with 72.5% SWE-bench accuracy (peaking at 79.4% with parallel compute). Excels in complex tasks like game development (e.g., fully functional 2D Mario/Tetris in vanilla JS) and GPU-accelerated particle systems, with superior prompt adherence and “code taste”.
- o3 Pro: Scores 69.1% on SWE-bench but lags in practical coding tests (e.g., buggy particle morphing, incomplete chess logic). Struggles with multi-step implementation without scaffolding.
Reasoning & Academic Benchmarks
- o3 Pro: Leads in STEM-focused tasks:
- 91.6% on AIME 2024 (math) and 83.3% on GPQA Diamond (PhD-level science).
- Excels in visual reasoning (82.9% MMMU) and multi-tool chaining (e.g., web search → Python analysis → visualization).
- Claude Opus 4: Strong but slightly lower: 75.5% on AIME 2025 and 79.6% on GPQA. Better for long-horizon agentic workflows (e.g., PR automation, research synthesis).
💰 Cost Comparison
| Model | Input Tokens | Output Tokens | Cost Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude 4 Opus | $15/MTok | $75/MTok | 1x |
| o3 Pro | $20/MTok | $80/MTok | 10x higher than standard o3 |
| Standard o3 | $2/MTok | $8/MTok | Baseline |
- Opus offers prompt caching (saves 50–90% costs) and batch discounts.
- o3 Pro has no subscription option; API-only with strict rate limits (e.g., Tier 1: 500 RPM).
⚡ Speed & Efficiency
- Claude Opus 4:
- Output: 63 tokens/sec (slower but steady).
- Optimized for extended tasks (e.g., 7-hour autonomous coding sessions).
- o3 Pro:
- Deliberately slower (up to 2 minutes/response) for deeper reasoning.
- No streaming support; designed for asynchronous workflows.
🎯 Use Case Recommendations
- Choose Claude 4 Opus if:
- Prioritizing code quality, long agentic tasks, or cost efficiency for complex projects.
- Ideal for: AI-driven development, documentation, and multi-hour research.
- Choose o3 Pro if:
- Needing academic/scientific precision, visual reasoning, or tool orchestration (e.g., data analysis chains).
- Budget allows for premium pricing; latency is less critical.
⚖️ Key Trade-offs Summary
| Factor | Claude 4 Opus | OpenAI o3 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Coding Prowess | ✅ Best-in-class (72.5% SWE) | ❌ Moderate (69.1% SWE) |
| STEM Reasoning | ❌ Good (75–79%) | ✅ Excellent (83–91%) |
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Optimized via caching | ❌ 10x premium over o3 |
| Speed | ⚡ Moderate (63 TPS) | ⏳ Slow (agentic focus) |
| Context Handling | 200K tokens | 200K tokens |
For most developers, Opus delivers better value for coding-heavy tasks, while o3 Pro suits niche academic/enterprise needs where precision justifies cost.
