DeepSeek R1 vs GPT-5 Mini
How do these models stack up? Below is an expert side-by-side comparison of specifications, context window capacity, live pricing per million tokens, and standardized benchmark scores for DeepSeek R1 and GPT-5 Mini.
DeepSeek R1
A premier reasoning model employing large-scale reinforcement learning. Displays specialized math, coding, and logical validation capabilities comparable to OpenAI's o1.
GPT-5 Mini
GPT-5 Mini is a compact version of GPT-5, designed to handle lighter-weight reasoning tasks. It provides the same instruction-following and safety-tuning benefits as GPT-5, but with reduced latency and cost....
Technical Specifications
| Specification | DeepSeek R1 | GPT-5 Mini |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | DeepSeek | OpenAI |
| Context Window | 163,840 tokens | 400,000 tokens |
| Agent Suitability | 78/100 | 85/100 |
| Time to First Token (TTFT) | 1800 ms | 180 ms |
| Deployment Model | managed api | managed api |
| Production Stability | stable | stable |
| API Available | Yes | Yes |
| Released Date | 2025-01-20 | 2025-08-07 |
API Pricing Comparison
Input Price per Million Tokens
DeepSeek R1
$0.70
GPT-5 Mini
$0.25
Output Price per Million Tokens
DeepSeek R1
$2.50
GPT-5 Mini
$2.00
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Benchmark Performance Metrics
Scores show the raw performance percentages verified across key evaluation suites. Higher bars indicate superior accuracy and capability in that domain.
DeepSeek R1 Quirks & Gotchas
- ▸Reasoning model — not designed for high-frequency tool calling
- ▸Pair with a smaller model (V4 Flash) for routing and use R1 for complex reasoning only
GPT-5 Mini Quirks & Gotchas
- ▸Excellent for high-frequency classification and routing tasks
- ▸Tool calling reliability drops on complex multi-step chains — use GPT-5 for agentic workflows