GPT-4o vs Imagen
Comprehensive side-by-side comparison of pricing, performance benchmarks, and capabilities
At a Glance
Best Overall Performance
GPT-4o
Higher overall benchmarks
Best for Coding
GPT-4o
87.8% coding score
Best for Reasoning
GPT-4o
88% reasoning score
Best MMLU Score
GPT-4o
88.7% general knowledge
Compare Different Models
Detailed Comparison
| Feature | GPT-4o | Imagen | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provider | OpenAI | — | |
| Context Window | 128k | n/a | — |
|
MMLU Score
General knowledge & reasoning | 88.7% | 0% | GPT-4o |
|
Coding Score
Code generation & debugging | 87.8% | 0% | GPT-4o |
|
Reasoning Score
Logic & problem-solving | 88% | 0% | GPT-4o |
| Release Date | 2024-05 | 2024 | — |
| Vision Support | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | — |
| Function Calling | ✓ Yes | — | — |
Performance Comparison
MMLU (General Knowledge)
Difference: 88.7%Coding Performance
Difference: 87.8%Reasoning & Logic
Difference: 88.0%Expert Analysis
Performance Analysis
GPT-4o achieves superior scores across 3 of 3 key benchmarks, including coding (87.8%), demonstrating stronger general capabilities.
Final Verdict
Our comprehensive recommendation based on all factors
GPT-4o demonstrates superior coding capabilities with a 87.8-point advantage, making it the stronger choice for software development tasks. Enterprise teams requiring maximum accuracy should invest in GPT-4o for demanding workloads and complex tasks.
Our Recommendation
Enterprise teams and applications requiring maximum accuracy should choose GPT-4o for mission-critical deployments where performance is paramount.
Best For These Use Cases
GPT-4o Excels At:
- Multimodal assistants and chatbots
- Educational tutoring across domains
- Document interpretation with images
- Semantic search and summarization
- Science reasoning and analytics
Imagen Excels At:
- Research experiments
- Creative projects
- Advertising imagery
- Storyboarding
- Prototyping visual concepts
Strengths & Weaknesses
GPT-4o
Strengths
- • Multimodal support (text, images, soon audio/video)
- • Strong reasoning and general knowledge performance
- • Efficient for production at scale
- • Broad adoption and ecosystem tooling
Considerations
- • Premium pricing compared to lighter models
- • Limited context relative to million‑token models
- • Sometimes prone to hallucinations in niche domains
Imagen
Strengths
- • Photorealistic output
- • Semantic accuracy
- • Research-focused
- • Supports complex prompts
Considerations
- • No text reasoning
- • Closed-source
- • Compute-intensive
- • Limited commercial deployment
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better: GPT-4o or Imagen?
GPT-4o 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?
GPT-4o leads in overall performance with higher benchmark scores, while Imagen 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?
GPT-4o leads in coding performance with a score of 87.8%, making it 87.8 percentage points ahead of Imagen. This makes GPT-4o 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.
Ready to Get Started?
Choose the AI model that best fits your needs and budget
Or compare other models to find your perfect match