GPT-6 Astra costs 2.5x its predecessor but ties it on independent general intelligence. Here is when the upgrade pays off, and when Sol is still the smarter buy.
Key takeaways
- GPT-6 Astra (OpenAI, September 3, 2026) lists at $10 per million input and $50 per million output, which is 2.5x GPT-5.6 Sol's $4 and $20.
- On the independent Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, Astra and Sol tie at 61, so the premium does not buy more general intelligence.
- Astra's real gains are specialized: OpenAI's own table shows big leads on computer use (OSWorld 2.0 72.6% vs 65.7%), hard math (FrontierMath Tier 4 97.6% vs 83.0%), and agentic terminal work (Terminal-Bench 4.0 57.7% vs 37.3%).
- Artificial Analysis puts Astra 75% more expensive per task at max effort, so cost per completed job, not sticker price, is the number that decides.
- Vanaxity's recommendation: keep Sol as the value default for content generation, and upgrade to Astra only where computer use, long context, or hard reasoning is the job.
📖 Read the full guide on Van Data Team → GPT-6 Astra vs GPT-5.6 Sol: Is the Upgrade Worth 2.5x?
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