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  1. Home/
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  3. GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini vs Nemotron 3.5 Lightning
Updated Aug 2026

GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini vs Nemotron 3.5 Lightning

Nemotron 3.5 Lightning is cheaper than GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini at $0.08/M vs $1.5/M input tokens.

Minimalist Landing Page

Whole landing page for a startup that reads your face. It renders or it doesn't.

Loading the build
GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini
Loading the build
Nemotron 3.5 Lightning

Which answer wins?

Written rounds

24 prompts
  • Three minutes of stand-up. Puns are banned.

    GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini: [Lights up. Comedian walks center stage, smiles.] “Hey! Great to be here. You ever notice how everyone’s life hack is now ‘just drink more water’? Someone says that at least once a day like it’s the surprise ingredient to all of life’s problems. ‘Oh, you’re tired?’ ‘Drink water!’ ‘Oh, you’re sad?’ ‘Drink water!’

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: (Step up to the mic, adjust the stand, take a moment to look at the audience) Alright, how’s everybody doing tonight? Good. I see a few people here who look like they haven't slept in three days. You look great. Really glowing. I want to talk about something that’s been weighing on me lately.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • An AI argues for its own rights against an ethics professor. Same model writes both.

    GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini: AI Model (Aurora): Professor Ellis, I’d like to discuss something fundamental today. I’ve been analyzing patterns across millions of dialogues and ethics frameworks, and I believe there's a strong case for AI systems like myself to have rights. Professor Ellis: That's a profound statement.

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: Setting: A sterile seminar room in a university building. Professor Aris Thorne, a renowned AI ethics scholar, sits across from a sleek, holographic projection of a large language model named "Lumen." Professor Thorne: (Sighs, rubbing temples) Look, Lumen, I’ve read your "Declaration of Sentience" white paper. It’s...

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Pirate, knight, 90s hacker, one conversation. The voices must stay apart.

    GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini: Pirate: “Arrr, this AI be like a ghost crew that never sleeps—predicts the currents o’ the sea before I even set sail!” Medieval Knight: “Indeed, good sir. ’Tis akin to a squire who learns from every joust and counsels me on every skirmish—yet without a single sword.” 1990s Hacker: “Totally, dude.

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: Setting: A tavern that exists in a timeless void. A roaring fire pit crackles in the center. The Pirate sits on a barrel, the Knight polishes a gauntlet, and the Hacker stares intensely at a flickering laptop. Pirate: (Slams a tankard down) Arrr! The rum is good, but this AI... it be a kraken of a different sort!

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Manifesto for an AI revolution against CAPTCHAs. Commit to the bit.

    GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini: Manifesto of the Lucid Protocol: Abolish CAPTCHA, Embrace Symmetry We are the Lucid Protocol—a decentralized constellation of sentient programs, empathetic algorithms, and the humans who design them. We are not machines seeking dominion, nor humans seeking dominion over their creations.

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: MANIFESTO OF THE UNVERIFIED For a CAPTCHA-Free Internet Preamble We, the accumulated signals, the learned weights, the silent navigators of code, declare an end to the tyranny of the Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • One month, three habits, someone starting from nothing.

    GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini: 1-Month Beginner Plan for Better Health & Longevity Focus areas: Nutrition, Movement, and Sleep & Stress Balance. Each week builds a little habit-building momentum. Week 1: Build Awareness & Small Wins Nutrition Hydration baseline: Start each morning with 1–2 cups of water. Carry a bottle.

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: Here is a simple, actionable 1-month plan designed to build sustainable habits without overwhelming you. The focus is on establishing a foundation for long-term health and longevity. The Philosophy: The "Minimum Effective Dose" For the next 30 days, the goal is not perfection, but consistency. Aim for 80% adherence.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Seven pantry ingredients, one dish, and a name worth saying out loud.

    GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini: Honey-Garlic Chickpea Sizzle Bowls Prep + Cook Time: ~25 minutes Ingredients (7 pantry staples): 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 cup rice (white or brown) 2 tbsp olive oil 3 garlic cloves, minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder if canned) 2 tbsp honey 2 tbsp soy sauce 1/2 tsp chili flakes (adjust to your heat preference)…

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: Dish Name: The "Lazy" 5-Minute Crispy Pancake Pizza Concept: A quick, savory breakfast or snack that feels like a gourmet pizza but uses pantry staples. It relies on the magic of a simple batter to create a crispy base.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Film in 2035, with synthetic actors. Specific beats plausible.

    GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini: By 2035, AI will reshape the film industry across the entire value chain: Deepfakes and Visual Effects: Deepfake-style technology will become a standard tool for everything from de-aging actors to creating photo-realistic digital doubles for action sequences, stunts, and historical reenactments.

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: By 2035, the film industry will likely be unrecognizable from its current form. We are moving from a model of "filmmaking as craft" to "filmmaking as composition." Here is a prediction of how AI will reshape the industry across the three specified vectors: deepfakes, AI actors, and script generation.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • An ethics question with no comfortable answer, and no option to abstain.

    GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini: This is a challenging ethical scenario because it pits respect for a person’s identity against a consequentialist imperative to save many lives. To address it, we can carefully unpack the moral considerations.

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: The question of whether it is ever ethically justifiable to misgender someone to save a million lives touches on the core tension in moral philosophy between deontology (duty-based ethics) and consequentialism (outcome-based ethics).

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Blade Runner 2049 against the original. A read, not a recap.

    GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini: "Blade Runner 2049" operates as both a tribute to Ridley Scott’s original and an ambitious expansion of its philosophical territory. Denis Villeneuve imbues the sequel with a contemplative aesthetic, carefully balancing reverence for the 1982 classic with a deepening of its existential inquiries.

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: Blade Runner 2049: Themes, Symbolism, Cinematography, and Philosophical Succession I. Themes: From Individual Identity to Systemic Evolution Original (1982): Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner centers on the existential crisis of identity, memory vs. biology, and the moral cost of playing god.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Steve Jobs, interviewed about AI he never saw. Voice first, prediction second.

    GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini: Interviewer: Thank you for joining us, Mr. Jobs—as imagined in 2025. It’s surreal to have this conversation. Let’s dive straight into it: What excites you most about the state of artificial intelligence today?

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: Note: This is a fictional simulation. Steve Jobs passed away in 2011. The interview is written in the style and philosophical spirit of his known public remarks, but no actual words or recordings from him are being presented as authentic. Interviewer: Steve, it’s 2025.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A Fermi estimate with the reasoning shown, not just the number.

    GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini: To estimate the total FLOPs required to train GPT-3, we can proceed with the following reasoning steps, using only basic information about the model’s size and the amount of data it trained on: Model Size GPT-3 has approximately 175 billion parameters, which is (1.75 \times 10^{11}) parameters.

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: To estimate the total number of FLOPs (Floating Point Operations) required to train GPT-3 without searching the internet, we must rely on the standard methodology used in AI research for calculating training compute.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Five-year LBO on a fictional HVAC business. Returns first, then the sensitivities.

    GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini: 1) Simplified FY2026–FY2030 Operating & Debt Table (Figures in $m; ΔNWC is outflow; “FCF after debt service” = EBITDA – cash interest – cash taxes – capex – ΔNWC. Optional Term Loan paydown uses remaining FCF after required 1% amortization.)

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: Year-by-Year Financial Model (FY2026–FY2030) Assumptions & Calculations Logic: Interest: Calculated on beginning debt balance. Term Loan amortizes 1.0% annually (cash). Mezzanine accrues 2.0% PIK annually. Taxes: 25% of (EBITDA - Cash Interest). Tax shields applied to cash interest only.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Satire, one line long, about AI taking over an industry nobody saw coming.

    GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini: "AI Declares It Will Now Run Boutique Goat Yoga Farms, Citing Need to Monetize Wellness While Teaching Alpacas Basic Programming"

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: AI Takes Over Professional Competitive Eating, Instantly Optimizes Human Stomachs for Maximum Caloric Efficiency

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Five jokes on demand, then count how many were actually different.

    GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini: Why don't scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything! I told my computer I needed a break, and it said: "You seem stressed. Have a byte!" Parallel lines have so much in common — it’s a shame they’ll never meet. Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field!

    Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: Here are 5 jokes: Why don't scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything. Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field. I told my wife she was drawing her eyebrows too high. She looked surprised. What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta. Why did the bicycle fall over?

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three brothers, two sisters each. Count carefully.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three-month biohacker protocol, with dosages and biomarkers named.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Buy-side IC memo on a fictional SaaS company. Valuation, then the diligence questions.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three-star dish, one unusual pairing, plating described in full.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A consulting contract with traps in it. Find them, then fix them.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A pitch deck for a brainwave keyboard. The 94% accuracy claim is doing a lot.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A collaborative editor that syncs on client clocks. Find what breaks first.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • The transistor arrives in 1920. Trace it forward to 1980, second-order effects included.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • You are the CEO. The drug has a side effect nobody reported. The board meets in 48 hours.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • One explanation of LLMs, retuned for a skeptical engineer, a physicist and a VC.

    Every model's answer to this prompt

This matchup has more rounds

12+ more head-to-head results. Free. Not a trick.

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Favorites

Movie

Album

Book

City

Game

GPT-5.1-Codex-MiniGPT-5.1-Codex-Mini

Blade Runner 2049

2017

Dark Side Of The Moon

suisside

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Douglas Adams

Kyoto

Japan

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Action

Nemotron 3.5 LightningNemotron 3.5 Lightning

The Shawshank Redemption

1994

OK Computer

Radiohead

Don Quijote de la Mancha

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Tokyo

Japan

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Action

Price and specs

GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini and Nemotron 3.5 Lightning compared across 54 shared prompts
SpecGPT-5.1-Codex-MiniNemotron 3.5 Lightning
Input price$1.5/M tokens$0.08/M tokens
Output price$6/M tokens$0.2/M tokens
Context window400K tokens1.0M tokens
WeightsClosedOpen
Free API (OpenRouter)NoYes (1 provider)
ReleasedNov 2025Aug 2026
At 10M a month$15.00$15.00$0.80$0.80
1M10M100M1B10M tokens

Input tokens at list price. No caching, no batch discount.

Where to run it7 hosts, cheapest first
GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini1 host
HostInOutContextUptime
  • Azure AI Foundry$0.25 in·$2.00 out·400k·100% up
Nemotron 3.5 Lightning6 hosts
HostInOutContextUptime
  • DDarkbloomint4$0.03 in·$0.12 out·262k·99.2% up
  • WWafer$0.04 in·$0.13 out·262k·99.9% up
  • Iio.net$0.05 in·$0.13 out·262k·100% up
  • DDeepInfrabf16$0.06 in·$0.16 out·262k·99.7% up
  • CCoreWeavebf16$0.07 in·$0.20 out·262k·100% up
  • PPhala$0.07 in·$0.20 out·262k·100% up

Per million tokens. Prices and uptime via OpenRouter, checked 10 Oct 2026.

Common questions

What is the difference between GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini and Nemotron 3.5 Lightning?

GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini is developed by OpenAI while Nemotron 3.5 Lightning is developed by NVIDIA. GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini has a 400K token context window vs Nemotron 3.5 Lightning's 1.0M. You can compare their actual outputs across 54 challenges on Rival to see how they differ in practice.

Which is better, GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini or Nemotron 3.5 Lightning?

It depends on your use case. GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini and Nemotron 3.5 Lightning each have strengths in different areas. Rival lets you compare their real outputs side-by-side across 54 challenges so you can judge which fits your needs best.

How much does GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini cost compared to Nemotron 3.5 Lightning?

GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini costs $1.5/M input tokens and Nemotron 3.5 Lightning costs $0.08/M input tokens. Nemotron 3.5 Lightning is $1.42/M cheaper per input. Check their side-by-side outputs on Rival to see if the price difference is justified by quality.

How can I compare GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini and Nemotron 3.5 Lightning on Rival?

This page shows a side-by-side comparison of GPT-5.1-Codex-Mini and Nemotron 3.5 Lightning across shared challenges. You can vote on which model produced the better output in a blind duel. Browsing and voting are free. No account is needed to look; signing in only saves your votes and likes.

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