OpenAI’s ChatGPT series has been at the forefront of conversational AI, with each iteration bringing significant advancements. The release of GPT-5 in August 2025 marked a notable leap over its predecessor, GPT-4, introducing improvements in reasoning, efficiency, and multimodal capabilities. This blog explores the key differences between ChatGPT-4 and ChatGPT-5, highlighting their features, performance, and applications in a detailed comparison table.
Understanding ChatGPT-4 and ChatGPT-5
ChatGPT-4, built on the GPT-4 architecture, was a major step forward from GPT-3.5, offering enhanced reasoning, multimodal capabilities (text and image processing), and a larger context window. However, ChatGPT-5, powered by the GPT-5 architecture, takes these advancements further with a unified system, improved reasoning, and broader accessibility. Below is a comprehensive table comparing the two models across various dimensions.
Detailed Comparison Table
|
Feature/Aspect |
ChatGPT-4 (GPT-4) |
ChatGPT-5 (GPT-5) |
|---|---|---|
|
Release Date |
March 2023 |
August 7, 2025 |
|
Model Architecture |
Multimodal model with ~1 trillion parameters, multiple variants (e.g., GPT-4, GPT-4o). |
Unified system with a real-time router that selects the best model variant (GPT-5, GPT-5-mini, GPT-5-nano) based on task complexity. |
|
Context Window |
Up to 8,192 tokens (~6,144 words) for GPT-4; later variants like GPT-4o support up to 32,768 tokens. |
Up to 256,000 tokens (~192,000 words) in API usage; ChatGPT offers 8K (free), 32K (Plus), and 128K (Pro). |
|
Reasoning Capabilities |
Strong reasoning but limited in complex, multi-step problem-solving; required manual model selection for specific tasks. |
Advanced reasoning with a “thinking mode” that engages in internal chains of thought for more accurate, context-aware responses. Outperforms experts in ~50% of cases across 40+ occupations. |
|
Accuracy and Hallucinations |
Prone to hallucinations, with factual errors in complex scenarios; GPT-4o improved but still had issues. |
Up to 80% fewer factual errors, with a 40% lower hallucination rate. Uses “safe completions” to avoid speculation and improve transparency. |
|
Speed and Efficiency |
Slower response times, especially for complex tasks; required more output tokens for reasoning. |
Up to 10x faster in optimized workflows, completes tasks with 50% fewer output tokens, improving real-time usability. |
|
Multimodal Capabilities |
Processes text and images; GPT-4o introduced audio and enhanced image recognition. |
Enhanced multimodal capabilities, including video generation, advanced image reasoning, and audio processing. Integrates web search, image generation, and creative tools like Canvas. |
|
Coding Performance |
Reliable for coding but struggled with complex front-end generation and multi-language tasks. |
Superior coding, achieving 74.9% on SWE-bench Verified (vs. GPT-4’s 52%) and 88% on Aider Polyglot, with 22% fewer tokens. |
|
Empathy and Tone |
More conversational and sycophantic, sometimes overly polite or verbose. |
Less sycophantic, more direct, and concise, but criticized for feeling “robotic” or less nuanced in creative contexts. |
|
Safety and Ethics |
Improved safety over GPT-3.5 but still susceptible to prompt injection (70%+ attack success rate). |
Enhanced safety with a 56.8% prompt injection attack success rate and “safe completions” for risky queries. |
|
Accessibility |
Available to free and paid users, with higher usage limits for Plus/Enterprise tiers. |
Accessible to all tiers, including free users (with usage limits); GPT-5 Pro for premium users; integrated into Microsoft products like 365 Copilot. |
|
Applications |
Broad applications in writing, customer service, education, and basic coding. Limited in advanced automation or enterprise tasks. |
Excels in enterprise automation, advanced coding, healthcare, legal research, and creative tasks like video content generation. |
|
Pricing (API) |
~$2.50/1M input tokens, $10/1M output tokens for GPT-4o. |
$1.25/1M input tokens, $10/1M output tokens; 90% discount on cached input tokens. |
|
Creative Writing |
Strong in creative tasks but lacked depth in complex narratives or nuanced emotional tone. |
Improved in structured writing but weaker in creative depth, often producing shorter, less imaginative responses. |
|
User Feedback |
Praised for conversational warmth but criticized for inconsistencies and hallucinations. |
Mixed reception; praised for accuracy and speed but criticized for brevity and lack of emotional nuance. Some users prefer GPT-4o for creative tasks. |
Key Takeaways
-
Unified System: ChatGPT-5’s real-time router eliminates the need to manually select model variants, automatically choosing the best model (e.g., GPT-5, GPT-5-mini, or GPT-5-nano) based on the task, making it more user-friendly than ChatGPT-4.
-
Reasoning and Accuracy: GPT-5’s advanced reasoning and reduced hallucination rate make it more reliable for mission-critical applications like legal, medical, and engineering tasks.
-
Multimodal Advancements: While GPT-4 introduced multimodal capabilities, GPT-5 expands them with video generation and seamless integration of tools like web search and Canvas, enhancing its versatility.
-
Performance Trade-offs: GPT-5 is faster and more efficient but may feel less engaging in creative or conversational tasks due to its concise, less emotive responses.
-
Accessibility and Cost: GPT-5 is more accessible to free-tier users and offers cost-efficient API pricing, but its full potential is reserved for premium tiers like GPT-5 Pro.
Why It Matters
ChatGPT-5 represents a shift toward more practical, enterprise-ready AI with superior reasoning and efficiency. However, its concise tone and reduced creativity in certain contexts have sparked backlash among users who preferred GPT-4’s warmer, more nuanced responses. For developers, businesses, and professionals requiring high accuracy and speed, GPT-5 is a game-changer. For creative writers or those seeking conversational depth, GPT-4o (still available for some paid users) may remain preferable.
Conclusion
The transition from ChatGPT-4 to ChatGPT-5 showcases OpenAI’s focus on smarter, faster, and safer AI. While GPT-5 excels in technical and analytical tasks, its creative limitations highlight the trade-offs of prioritizing efficiency. As OpenAI continues to refine GPT-5, future updates may address user concerns about tone and creativity, potentially making it the definitive AI model for all use cases.
