Too many people still use the same model for every task, which is one reason they don't get the full value of their ChatGPT subscription.
Luckily for all of us, OpenAI just launched a comprehensive guide that gives you a map to pick the right engine—and save time, money, and frustration.
Here's what OpenAI suggests when choosing one of the many ChatGPT models:
- GPT-4o: The all-rounder. Multimodal. Real-time. Perfect for everyday tasks with docs, images, audio, even video.
- GPT-4.5: Your creative sidekick. Better tone, empathy, and clarity. Great for writing and comms.
- o4-mini: Blazing-fast for technical tasks. Think quick code fixes or data parsing.
- o4-mini-high: Same as above, with extra horsepower for deeper answers.
- o3: Best for complex, multi-step reasoning—business strategies, market analyses, and big decisions.
- o1-pro: Legacy model, but still solid for long-form, high-stakes thinking.
This guide predates the release of 4.1 and 4.1-mini (see below), which, according to OpenAI, outperform 4o and 4o-mini.
Are you using any models besides the default 4o?
I'd love to hear your thoughts on what works best for you – reply and let me know here.