OpenAI’s GPT-o1 and o1pro are among the most capable AI models today. We also saw DeepSeek-R1 perform well with lower costs, fewer AI accelerators, and faster training. Now, xAI has introduced Grok 3, built on the Colossus supercluster with 10x the compute of previous top models.
In this article, we compare Grok 3 with OpenAI’s latest models in important areas so you can decide which best fits your needs.
TL;DR
Grok 3 uses 10x the compute of its predecessor, making it strong in STEM, problem-solving, and real-time research with a 1M-token context window. OpenAI’s GPT-o1 and o1 Pro offer better language processing, coding support, and API access, with o1 Pro leading in speed (95ms) and accuracy (98%). Grok 3 is better for reasoning, while GPT models are more flexible for enterprise use.
Overview of Grok 3
Grok 3 is the latest AI model from xAI. Launched in February 2025, it utilizes ten times more computing power than its predecessor, Grok 2.
Trained on the Colossus supercluster, it is good at math, coding, and scientific reasoning, scoring 93.3% on the 2025 AIME and 84.6% on GPQA. Its "Think" mode allows real-time answer refinement, while a 1M-token context window enables it to process complex prompts and large documents efficiently.
Grok 3 comes in two primary versions (both variants feature "Think" mode) - Grok 3 Beta (Think) and Grok 3 Mini Beta (Think).
Grok 3 also includes DeepSearch, an AI agent that compiles concise reports from multiple sources. Both models will soon be on xAI’s API, while X Premium users can already access Grok 3, with extra features for Premium+ subscribers.
Overview of GPT Models
OpenAI’s GPT models, o1 and o1 Pro are widely used for AI applications like chatbots and code assistants with strong language understanding and text generation.
o1 is designed for analytical tasks with a 16K token context window and 96% accuracy in specialized areas like math, coding, and scientific analysis.
o1 Pro increases accuracy to 98%, speeds up to 95ms, and supports 128K tokens, making it ideal for enterprise use in data science, law, and biomedical research.
o1 delivers a mix of capability and efficiency, while o1 Pro, with 80% on AIME 2024, focuses on accuracy but requires more power.
Differences Between o1 and o1 Pro:
Feature | o1 | o1 Pro |
Accuracy | 96% | 98% |
Speed | Moderate | 95ms |
Context | 16K tokens | 128K tokens |
Use Case | Analytical tasks | Enterprise tasks |
Cost | $20/month | $200/month |
Key Features and Capabilities of Grok 3
1. Advanced Reasoning & Problem-Solving
Grok 3 utilizes test-time computing, allowing it to refine solutions over seconds to minutes using reinforcement learning. This improves accuracy in tasks like mathematical proofs, logical puzzles, and scientific simulations. It achieves:
93.3% on the 2025 American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME).
84.6% on GPQA (graduate-level expert reasoning).
Multimodal understanding, handling both text and image-based tasks (e.g., MMMU, EgoSchema).
2. Extensive Pretraining & Knowledge
Trained on xAI’s Colossus supercluster with 10x the compute of previous models, Grok 3 delivers strong performance across benchmarks:
79.9% on MMLU-Pro (general knowledge).
83.3% on LOFT (long-context retrieval).
79.4% on LiveCodeBench (code generation).
3. 1 Million Token Context Window
With 8x the context capacity of earlier models, Grok 3 efficiently processes long documents and complex prompts. That makes it good for summarization, research analysis, and large-scale data interpretation.
4. Variants for Different Use Cases
Grok 3 Beta (Think): The flagship model optimized for advanced reasoning and specialized tasks. Best suited for domains like mathematics, science, and coding.
It achieves 95.8% accuracy on AIME 2024 and 80.4% on LiveCodeBench.
Grok 3 Mini Beta (Think): A cost-efficient variant that maintains high performance for STEM tasks requiring less world knowledge.
It achieves 95.8% on AIME 2024 and 80.4% on LiveCodeBench.
Performance Benchmarks (vs. OpenAI’s o1 & o1 Pro)
Benchmark | Grok 3 | Grok 3 Mini | o1 | o1 Pro |
AIME 2025 | 93.3% | 95.8% | 78% | 86% |
GPQA | 84.6% | 84.0% | 76% | 79% |
LiveCodeBench | 79.4% | 80.4% | 72.9% | 74.1% |
MMMU | 78.0% | — | 78.2% | — |
5. API & Accessibility
Grok 3 and Grok 3 Mini will soon be available via xAI’s API, with standard and reasoning models for developers.
Key Features and Capabilities GPT Models
1. o1: Advanced Analytical Model
o1 is optimized for analytical reasoning with a 16K token context window and 96% accuracy in specialized fields like math, coding, and scientific analysis.
Its strong memory handling and consistency make it best for data science, programming, and legal research.
2. o1 Pro: Enterprise-Grade Performance
o1 Pro improves accuracy (98%) and reliability, particularly in complex problem-solving:
Task | o1 Accuracy | o1 Pro Accuracy |
Competition Math (AIME) | 78% | 86% |
Competitive Coding | 89% | 90% |
PhD-Level Science Qs | 76% | 79% |
Reliability (4/4 Metric) | o1 | o1 Pro |
Math (AIME) | 67% | 80% |
Competitive Coding | 64% | 75% |
Scientific Analysis | 67% | 74% |
3. Enhanced Processing & Usability
o1 Pro allocates more computing power for deeper reasoning and introduces:
Progress bars & real-time tracking for complex tasks
Background computation & notifications to improve workflow
4. Limitations in Image & Abstract Reasoning
While proficient in basic image description and logical reasoning, o1 Pro struggles with spatial analysis and metaphorical thinking - an area OpenAI continues to refine.
5. API Access & Model Availability
OpenAI offers multiple models via API:
Model | Description |
GPT-4o | Flagship text & image model |
GPT-4o mini | Lightweight GPT-4o variant |
o1-mini | Efficient o1 variant |
GPT-3.5 Turbo | Cost-effective chat model |
DALL·E | AI image generation |
Whisper | Speech-to-text transcription |
TTS | Text-to-speech |
Embeddings | Text vectorization |
Moderation | Content safety filtering |
API Access & Integration
Sign up for an API key
Use API endpoints (e.g., https://api.openai.com/v1/chat/completions)
Monitor usage limits
Ensure data privacy compliance (30-day retention, no training unless opted in)
With OpenAI retiring older models, developers should shift to the Chat Completions API for better performance.
Performance Benchmarks: Grok 3 vs. OpenAI Models
Benchmark | Grok 3 Beta (Think) | Grok 3 Mini Beta (Think) | GPT-o1 | GPT-o1 Pro |
Competition Math (AIME 2025) | 93.3% | 90.8% | 79% | 86% |
Competition Math (AIME 2024) | 93.3% | 95.8% | 83.3% | 87.3% |
Graduate-Level Reasoning (GPQA) | 84.6% | 84% | 78% | 79% |
Code Generation (LiveCodeBench) | 79.4% | 80.4% | 72.9% | 90% |
Multimodal Understanding (MMMU) | 78% | - | 78.2% | - |
Reliability (Mathematics - AIME 2024) | - | - | 67% | 80% |
Reliability (Coding - Codeforces) | - | - | 64% | 75% |
Reliability (Scientific Analysis) | - | - | 67% | 74% |
Context Window | 1M tokens | 1M tokens | 16K tokens | 128K tokens |
Inference Speed | Moderate | Fast | 100ms | 95ms |
Specialized Accuracy | High | Cost-efficient | 96% | 98% |
Pricing and Accessibility
Subscription Models and Costs
Grok 3 is available via X’s Premium+ ($40/month) for an ad-free experience and enhanced AI or SuperGrok ($30/month) with DeepSearch and higher image limits.
OpenAI’s GPT Plus ($20/month) grants access to GPT-4 and GPT-o1, while GPT Pro ($200/month) offers advanced AI and API access for enterprises.
API Availability and Integration
OpenAI’s GPT-o1 follows a scalable token-based model: $15/million tokens for input, $60/million tokens for output, and 50% discounts on cached queries.
Fine-tuning costs $25/million tokens. A 10,000-word document (~13k tokens) costs about $0.975 for input and $3.90 for output, with further savings via the Batch API.
Grok 3 lacks a public API, limiting usage to X’s ecosystem. In contrast, GPT-o1 and GPT-o1 Pro offer full API access.
Wrap Up
If you’re building enterprise apps, GPT-o1 Pro is the better choice - it’s fast, reliable, and gives you full API access with 98% accuracy.
For research-heavy work, Grok 3 handles complex reasoning better and offers a massive 1M-token context window. If cost is a factor, GPT-o1 or Grok 3 Mini Beta still gets the job done.
For businesses, GPT-o1 Pro is worth $200/month for speed and stability. Grok 3 on X Premium+ ($40/month) is great for research with DeepSearch. If your workflow depends on APIs, OpenAI’s ecosystem is still the more reliable option.
Pick the one that fits your needs and test it out.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main differences between Grok 3, GPT-o1, and GPT-o1 Pro?
Grok 3 focuses on reasoning, with Grok 3 Beta (Think) reaching 93.3% accuracy on AIME 2025 and offering a 1M token context window, making it useful for handling long documents. Grok 3 Mini Beta (Think) is a cost-effective option with strong performance in STEM tasks.
GPT-o1 and o1 Pro have higher accuracy in specialized tasks (96% for o1 and 98% for o1 Pro), faster processing speeds, and scalable API access. GPT-o1 Pro supports 128K tokens, making it more suitable for enterprise applications, though it lacks Grok’s real-time research tools like DeepSearch.