RETRO XL vs Whisper XL
Comprehensive side-by-side comparison of pricing, performance benchmarks, and capabilities
At a Glance
Best Overall Performance
RETRO XL
Higher overall benchmarks
Best for Coding
RETRO XL
88% coding score
Best for Reasoning
RETRO XL
88.5% reasoning score
Best MMLU Score
RETRO XL
89% general knowledge
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Detailed Comparison
| Feature | RETRO XL | Whisper XL | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provider | DeepMind | OpenAI | — |
| Context Window | 128k | n/a | — |
|
MMLU Score
General knowledge & reasoning | 89% | 0% | RETRO XL |
|
Coding Score
Code generation & debugging | 88% | 0% | RETRO XL |
|
Reasoning Score
Logic & problem-solving | 88.5% | 0% | RETRO XL |
| Release Date | 2025 | 2024 | — |
| Function Calling | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | — |
Performance Comparison
MMLU (General Knowledge)
Difference: 89.0%Coding Performance
Difference: 88.0%Reasoning & Logic
Difference: 88.5%Expert Analysis
Performance Analysis
RETRO XL achieves superior scores across 3 of 3 key benchmarks, including coding (88%), demonstrating stronger general capabilities.
Final Verdict
Our comprehensive recommendation based on all factors
RETRO XL demonstrates superior coding capabilities with a 88.0-point advantage, making it the stronger choice for software development tasks. Enterprise teams requiring maximum accuracy should invest in RETRO XL for demanding workloads and complex tasks.
Our Recommendation
Enterprise teams and applications requiring maximum accuracy should choose RETRO XL for mission-critical deployments where performance is paramount.
Best For These Use Cases
RETRO XL Excels At:
- Academic research AI
- Document retrieval augmentation
- Scientific content generation
- Knowledge discovery
- Research assistants
Whisper XL Excels At:
- Transcription services
- Podcast/audio processing
- Voice assistants
- Meeting transcription
- Research audio analysis
Strengths & Weaknesses
RETRO XL
Strengths
- • RAG optimized
- • High-quality reasoning
- • Strong academic benchmarks
- • Open research integration
Considerations
- • Closed deployment options
- • Complex self-hosting
- • Limited enterprise tooling
- • High compute
Whisper XL
Strengths
- • High-accuracy transcription
- • Multilingual support
- • Fast inference
- • Open-source access
Considerations
- • No reasoning
- • Audio-only
- • Compute-intensive for long recordings
- • Limited enterprise features
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better: RETRO XL or Whisper XL?
RETRO XL offers superior overall performance with higher benchmark scores across MMLU, coding, and reasoning tests. The best choice depends on your specific use case requirements and performance priorities.
What are the key differences?
RETRO XL leads in overall performance with higher benchmark scores, while Whisper XL may offer advantages in specific areas like context window size or specialized capabilities. Both models have their strengths depending on your particular needs.
Which is better for coding?
RETRO XL leads in coding performance with a score of 88%, making it 88.0 percentage points ahead of Whisper XL. This makes RETRO XL the superior choice for software development, code generation, and debugging tasks.
Can I use both models together?
Yes! Many organizations use multiple models strategically: one model for routine tasks where efficiency matters, and another for complex, mission-critical applications requiring maximum accuracy. This hybrid approach optimizes both performance and resource utilization across different use cases.
How often are these benchmarks updated?
We update all benchmark scores and pricing data daily to reflect the latest model versions and API pricing changes. Benchmark scores are sourced from official documentation, independent testing platforms like Artificial Analysis, and peer-reviewed academic evaluations. Last updated: 2/2/2026.
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