DeepSeek R1 vs OpenAI GPT-4.5

Name: DeepSeek R1
Brand: DeepSeek
SKU: deepseek-r1

Looking for an honest DeepSeek R1 vs OpenAI GPT-4.5 comparison in 2026? We scored both ai language models on the same six-dimension framework — performance, battery, display, camera, design and value — using identical methodology, so the numbers below are directly comparable. In our overall scoring the DeepSeek R1 comes out ahead 71/100 to 51/100 — a 20-point gap. The widest gap is in camera quality, where the DeepSeek R1 pulls noticeably ahead.

WINNER

DeepSeek

DeepSeek R1

Prices may vary · We may earn a commission on purchases. Learn more

AI Matrix

DeepSeek R1 clearly outperforms the OpenAI GPT-4.5 in the ai language models category, especially in value, scoring 71 vs 51. If you want the better overall ai language models, DeepSeek R1 is the recommended choice.

Reviewed by VersusMatrix Editorial Team|Our methodology

3 Reasons Why DeepSeek R1 Is Better

1.Higher camera score: 81 vs 70
2.Better value score: 97 vs 0
3.Higher overall score: 71 vs 51

Score Breakdown

DeepSeek R1OpenAI GPT-4.5

Benchmark (MMLU)30% weight

Tie

Cost Efficiency20% weight

DeepSeek R1 Winner

Arena ELO20% weight

Tie

Context Window10% weight

Tie

Speed (tok/s)10% weight

OpenAI GPT-4.5 Winner

Coding (HumanEval)10% weight

DeepSeek R1 Winner

Scores are relative within the ai language modelscategory. Percentages show each dimension's weight in the overall score. A difference of less than 0.5 points is considered a tie.

DeepSeek R1

Winner

✓ Pros

●Better camera score
●Better value for money

✗ Cons

●Lower display score

OpenAI GPT-4.5

✓ Pros

●Better display score

✗ Cons

●Higher price relative to value
●Lower camera score

💰 Token Pricing (per 1M tokens)

Lower cost = better value. Free = open-source self-hosted.

Metric	DeepSeek R1	OpenAI GPT-4.5
Input (Prompt)	✓$0.55/1M	$75.00/1M
Output (Completion)	✓$2.19/1M	$150.00/1M
Open Source	✓ Free	Proprietary

⚡ Context Window & Speed

Context Window (tokens)

DeepSeek R1128K

OpenAI GPT-4.5128K

Metric	DeepSeek R1	OpenAI GPT-4.5
Max Output	✓32,768 tok	16,384 tok
Speed	25 tok/s	✓50 tok/s
Time to First Token	3.0s	✓900ms
Languages	20+	✓50+

📊 Benchmark Scores

Higher is better. Industry-standard AI evaluation benchmarks.

DeepSeek R1

OpenAI GPT-4.5

MMLU (Knowledge)

90.8|90.0

DeepSeek R1

OpenAI GPT-4.5

HumanEval (Coding)

92.6|88.0

DeepSeek R1

OpenAI GPT-4.5

MATH (Mathematics)

97.3|78.0

DeepSeek R1

OpenAI GPT-4.5

GPQA (Expert Q&A)

71.5|72.0

DeepSeek R1

OpenAI GPT-4.5

Chatbot Arena ELO

1358.0|1370.0

DeepSeek R1

OpenAI GPT-4.5

🔧 Capabilities

Feature	DeepSeek R1	OpenAI GPT-4.5
Reasoning / Chain-of-Thought	✓	✕
Vision (Image Input)	✕	✓
Audio Input	✕	✕
Video Input	✕	✕
Image/Audio Output	✕	✕
Function Calling / Tools	✕	✓
JSON Mode	✓	✓
Real-time Web Access	✕	✕
Fine-tuning Support	✓	✕
Batch API	✓	✓
Streaming	✓	✓
Open Source	✓	✕

ℹ️ Model Details

Field	DeepSeek R1	OpenAI GPT-4.5
Provider	DeepSeek	OpenAI
Parameters	671B (37B active)	—
Knowledge Cutoff	2024-07	2024-09
License	MIT	Commercial
Best For	reasoningmathscienceopen sourcecost efficiency	creative writingemotional intelligenceconversationnuanced tasks

Who Should Buy

Buy DeepSeek R1 if…

Buy the DeepSeek R1 if you want the best camera quality in this comparison. It scores higher overall and is the recommended choice for most buyers.

Buy OpenAI GPT-4.5 if…

The OpenAI GPT-4.5 is worth considering if you prefer its specific design, ecosystem, or brand — though it scores lower overall in our comparison.