Claude Fable 5.2 vs GPT-6.1 Sol: official prices, context and thinking (2026-11)
As of 2026-11-12, Claude Fable 5.2 is the latest model in Anthropic's Fable line at an official $8 / $40, built for demanding reasoning and long-horizon agentic work; GPT-6.1 Sol is OpenAI's near-Astra model released on 2026-09-29 at an official $2 / $10, for complex coding, computer use and professional work. OpenAI's own model catalog names GPT-6 Astra as its flagship for complex reasoning and coding, with 6.1 Sol balancing intelligence and cost. Both are listed on QCode's /models, and one key calls either of them. Below, the two vendors' official pages are compared item by item on release date, context, max output, thinking controls, official prices and official coding tools, with setup steps for Claude Code and Codex.
Updated 2026-11-13
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Four official points
Context: 1M vs 1,050,000
Anthropic's official spec line gives Fable 5.2 a 1M-token context and 128K max output; OpenAI's official model page gives GPT-6.1 Sol a 1,050,000-token context, 922,000 max input and 128,000 max output. QCode's /models shows claude-fable-5-2 as 1M / 128K and gpt-6.1-sol as 922K / 128K; on QCode, go by what /models shows.
Fable 5.2 official price (USD)
Anthropic's pricing page (checked 2026-11-12) lists Fable 5.2 at $8 / MTok input and $40 / MTok output, with 5-minute cache writes at $10, 1-hour cache writes at $16 and cache reads at $0.20; Batch API is billed at 50% of standard rates, and cache hits are billed at 0.025x the base input price.
GPT-6.1 Sol official price (USD)
OpenAI's pricing page (checked 2026-11-12) lists GPT-6.1 Sol at $2 input, $0.10 cached input, $2.50 cache writes and $10 output per 1M tokens; for a request above 272K input tokens, the whole request is priced at 2x input and cache rates and 1.5x output, with Fast mode at 2x and Batch and Flex 50% below Standard.
Thinking: one is always on, one has a dial
Anthropic's official page says Fable 5.2's Adaptive thinking is always on and can't be turned off, with effort controlling depth and high as the default; OpenAI's official page says GPT-6.1 Sol's reasoning.effort supports low, medium (default), high, xhigh and max, and does not support none.
Where the two models actually differ
As of 2026-11-12, the practical differences are official positioning and price structure: Fable 5.2 is the latest model in Anthropic's Fable line, released 2026-11-09 for demanding reasoning and long-horizon agentic work; GPT-6.1 Sol is OpenAI's near-Astra model released 2026-09-29 for complex coding, computer use and professional work. OpenAI's model catalog also names GPT-6 Astra as its flagship for complex reasoning and coding, with 6.1 Sol balancing intelligence and cost; Anthropic's own guidance starts most workloads on Opus 5.5 and reserves Fable 5.2 for more demanding reasoning and long-horizon tasks. Both sit in the 1M context class with the same 128K max output; the differences are how thinking is controlled, the official unit prices and which official coding tool each vendor pairs them with.
How each vendor positions this generation
Anthropic describes Fable 5.2 as built for demanding reasoning and long-horizon agentic work, with typical uses such as agent sessions that run for hours, multistep deep research, and analysis carried through to a finished document, spreadsheet or deck; Claude Code's official docs call the Fable models the most capable in Claude Code, suited to tasks larger than a single sitting. OpenAI's official changelog says 6.1 Sol is for complex coding and professional work at a lower cost than GPT-6 Astra; Codex's official model guidance keeps Astra for the most demanding workflows and points 6.1 Sol at repeated, long-running coding and document work. Both vendors publish specs and prices on the same pages, so each official positioning can be read directly.
Timeline
OpenAI's changelog records the release of GPT-6.1 Sol (gpt-6.1-sol) for complex coding and professional work at a lower cost than GPT-6 Astra.
Anthropic releases Claude Fable 5.2, marked Latest on its official model page, with model ID claude-fable-5-2, an official $8 / $40 price, a 1M context and 128K max output.
QCode's /models lists both claude-fable-5-2 and gpt-6.1-sol; the two vendors' official pages and the QCode specs were re-checked on this date.
Confirmed vs not published
Confirmed (official wording)
① Dates and IDs: Fable 5.2 was released on 2026-11-09 with ID claude-fable-5-2; GPT-6.1 Sol was released on 2026-09-29 with ID gpt-6.1-sol. ② Specs: Fable 5.2 has a 1M-token context, 128K-token max output, $8 / MTok input and $40 / MTok output; GPT-6.1 Sol has a 1,050,000-token context, 922,000 max input, 128,000 max output and a 2026-04-30 knowledge cutoff. ③ Thinking: Fable 5.2's Adaptive thinking is always on and can't be turned off, with effort defaulting to high; GPT-6.1 Sol's reasoning.effort supports low, medium (default), high, xhigh and max, but not none. ④ Tools and input: Fable 5.2 supports text and image input, text output and tool use, returns a 400 error for forced tool use (tool_choice any and tool), and asks you to omit temperature, top_p and top_k; GPT-6.1 Sol supports text and image input and text output, and tool calling requires the Responses API. ⑤ Official prices: Fable 5.2 is $8 input, $40 output, $10 for 5-minute cache writes, $16 for 1-hour cache writes and $0.20 for cache reads; GPT-6.1 Sol is $2 input, $0.10 cached input, $2.50 cache writes and $10 output, with requests above 272K input tokens priced at 2x input and 1.5x output for the full request. ⑥ Positioning: OpenAI's catalog names GPT-6 Astra as its flagship for complex reasoning and coding and casts 6.1 Sol as the intelligence-cost balance; Anthropic's guidance starts most workloads on Opus 5.5 and reserves Fable 5.2 for more demanding long-horizon work.
Not published / unconfirmed
As of 2026-11-12, neither vendor's official pages present a same-benchmark head-to-head, and neither publishes test results for the other's model, so there is no official same-source verdict on which is stronger. OpenAI's catalog lists GPT-6 Astra as its most capable model, and Anthropic's guidance starts most workloads on Opus 5.5; both are each vendor's own positioning, not a cross-vendor test.
Two trade-offs
Reasons to pick GPT-6.1 Sol
If you need the lower official unit price, a selectable reasoning range from low to max, or repeated long-running coding and document work in Codex, that is where the official positioning puts 6.1 Sol. The trade-offs are that tool calling must go through the Responses API, and a request above 272K input tokens is billed at 2x input and 1.5x output for the full request. For another cross-vendor comparison (Opus 5.5 vs GPT-6 Sol), see /claude-opus-5-5-vs-gpt-6-sol.
Reasons to pick Fable 5.2
If you need Anthropic's latest model in the current Fable line, the demanding-reasoning and long-horizon agentic capability the vendor describes, 128K output, or sessions that run for hours in Claude Code, Fable 5.2 is the fit. Cache reads are $0.20, 5-minute cache writes $10 and 1-hour cache writes $16, and Batch API is billed at 50% of standard rates; the trade-offs are always-on thinking that can't be turned off and a 400 error on forced tool use. For Fable 5.2's item-by-item official prices, see /claude-fable-5-2-pricing. For Fable 5.2 against Opus 5.5, see /claude-fable-5-2-vs-opus-5-5.
How to use them
① Fable 5.2 in Claude Code: the official docs require v2.1.321 or later; in a session use /model fable, or launch with claude --model fable, and through a gateway use /model claude-fable-5-2. For QCode, set ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL to https://api.qcode.cc/api and ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN to your cr_ key. ② To make it the default for new sessions, set the model field in your settings file; /model also writes your choice into the model field in user settings, while ANTHROPIC_MODEL applies only to the session you launch with it. ③ GPT-6.1 Sol in Codex: in ~/.codex/config.toml set model = "gpt-6.1-sol" and model_provider = "qcode", and under [model_providers.qcode] set base_url = "https://api.qcode.cc/openai", wire_api = "responses" and requires_openai_auth = true, with the key in OPENAI_API_KEY inside ~/.codex/auth.json. ④ Both are listed on QCode's /models; billing is per token, with per-model rates on /models.
Specs on QCode
As of 2026-11-12, QCode's /models lists claude-fable-5-2 (shown as 1M / 128K, with vision, tool calls and prompt caching) and gpt-6.1-sol (shown as 922K / 128K). QCode's endpoints doc states that one API Key works across 3 protocols, chosen by the request path: Claude models use the Anthropic protocol only, with ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL set to https://api.qcode.cc/api for Claude Code; GPT models use the OpenAI protocol, with base_url set to https://api.qcode.cc/openai for Codex. Billing is per token, with per-model rates on /models.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better for coding, Fable 5.2 or GPT-6.1 Sol?
Neither vendor publishes a same-source comparison. Anthropic says the Fable models are the most capable in Claude Code, with Fable 5.2 built for demanding reasoning and long-horizon agentic work; OpenAI says GPT-6.1 Sol is for complex coding, computer use and professional work, and Codex's official guidance recommends 6.1 Sol for repeated, long-running coding and document work. Choose by official positioning: for long sessions in Claude Code and 128K output, Fable 5.2; for cost control in Codex and a reasoning range from low to max, 6.1 Sol.
How far apart are the official prices?
Checked on 2026-11-12: Fable 5.2 is $8 input and $40 output per MTok, with $0.20 cache reads, $10 for 5-minute cache writes and $16 for 1-hour cache writes; GPT-6.1 Sol is $2 input and $10 output per 1M tokens, with $0.10 cached input and $2.50 cache writes. Both price in USD, but the units are written as MTok and 1M tokens; QCode bills per token, with per-model rates on /models.
Can I use GPT-6.1 Sol in Claude Code?
Claude Code speaks the Anthropic protocol, so on QCode it runs Claude models; GPT-6.1 Sol uses the OpenAI protocol and runs in Codex. QCode's endpoints doc lists GPT models on the two OpenAI endpoints, not on the Anthropic endpoint. To use GPT-6.1 Sol, configure Codex as its official docs and QCode's docs describe: model = "gpt-6.1-sol", base_url = "https://api.qcode.cc/openai", wire_api = "responses".
Can one key call both models?
Yes. QCode's endpoints doc states that one API Key works across 3 protocols, chosen by the request path; Claude models use https://api.qcode.cc/api, and GPT models use https://api.qcode.cc/openai (Codex) or https://api.qcode.cc/openai/v1 (OpenAI Chat). Both are listed on /models, so switching means changing the model ID and the matching endpoint.
Which has the larger context window?
OpenAI's official page gives GPT-6.1 Sol a 1,050,000-token context, 922,000 max input and 128,000 max output; Anthropic's official page gives Fable 5.2 a 1M-token context and 128K max output. By the official numbers, 6.1 Sol has a slightly larger context; QCode's /models shows gpt-6.1-sol as 922K / 128K and claude-fable-5-2 as 1M / 128K, so on QCode go by /models.
How do I set thinking effort?
Fable 5.2's Adaptive thinking is always on and can't be turned off, with effort controlling depth and high as the official default; GPT-6.1 Sol uses reasoning.effort, supporting low, medium (default), high, xhigh and max, but not none. Fable 5.2 also asks you to omit temperature, top_p and top_k, and forced tool use (tool_choice any and tool) returns a 400 error; GPT-6.1 Sol's tool calling requires the Responses API.
Sources
Anthropic official: the Fable 5.2 model page (https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/models/fable-5-2/overview), the pricing page (https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/about-claude/pricing) and the models overview (https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/models/overview); Claude Code's official model-config and changelog docs. OpenAI official: the GPT-6.1 Sol model page (https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/models/gpt-6.1-sol), the model catalog, the pricing page and the changelog; Codex's official models page and config docs. QCode: qcode.cc/models, the Fable 5.2 status page, the endpoints page on docs.qcode.cc, the Codex tutorial and the Claude Code tutorial. All pages were fetched on 2026-11-12.
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Claude Fable 5.2 release: 2026-11-09
Official model ID, release date and on-sale status on QCode's /models.
GPT-6 Astra vs Claude Fable 5.1
The previous-generation same-price comparison: Astra and Fable 5.1 are both $10 / $50.
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Official statements checked on 2026-11-12 against Anthropic, OpenAI, Claude Code and Codex pages; model availability and billing follow qcode.cc/models.