BENCHMARKSAugust 19, 2026•7 min read
Claude Opus 5 vs GPT 5.6-Sol: Benchmark Analysis
We ran an automated benchmark of 500 complex coding and algorithm prompts across two major reasoning architectures: Anthropic Claude Opus 5 (Thinking mode enabled) and OpenAI GPT 5.6-Sol (High reasoning effort).
Benchmark Results
Model NameAvg Thinking Latency
GPT 5.6-Sol (High Effort)28.4 seconds
Claude Opus 5 (Thinking)18.2 seconds
Key Findings
1. OpenAI GPT 5.6-Sol spends an average of 28.4 seconds exploring deep reasoning paths before streaming markdown code blocks.
2. Claude Opus 5 Thinking mode averages 18.2 seconds while synthesizing execution states and architectural contracts.
3. For extensions like RamenSplit, this consistent 18 to 28 second window provides optimal viewability for non-intrusive sponsor cards without distracting the engineer once generation completes.