Model WarsJuly 9, 2026via The Decoder
Grok 4.5 is so cheap compared to Fable 5 and GPT 5.5 that benchmark gaps may not matter much
Why it matters
xAI's Grok 4.5 introduces a new competitive axis: benchmark performance is losing relevance when pricing and token efficiency create a dominant cost-per-capability ratio. For builders, this reshapes ROI calculations.
Key signals
- Grok 4.5 trained on tens of thousands of Nvidia GB300 GPUs
- Trails Fable 5 and GPT-5.5 on coding benchmarks
- 4.2x more token-efficient than Opus 4.8
- Priced at $2 per million input tokens
- EU availability mid-July 2026
The hook
$2 per million tokens. Grok 4.5 trails GPT-5.5 on benchmarks but costs a fraction—and that may be enough to win.
xAI releases Grok 4.5, trained on tens of thousands of Nvidia GB300 GPUs. In coding benchmarks, the model trails Fable 5 and GPT-5.5 but needs 4.2 times fewer tokens than Opus 4.8. At $2 per million input tokens, it costs a fraction of the competition. EU availability is expected in mid-July.