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  5. GPT-5.2vsMercury 2
Updated Mar 2026

GPT-5.2vsMercury 2

Mercury 2 is cheaper than GPT-5.2 at $0.25/M vs $1.75/M input tokens.

GPT-5.2 and Mercury 2 compared across 52 shared prompts
SpecGPT-5.2Mercury 2
Input price$1.75/M tokens$0.25/M tokens
Output price$14/M tokens$0.75/M tokens
Context window400K tokens128K tokens
WeightsClosed—
Free API (OpenRouter)NoNo
ReleasedDec 2025Mar 2026
Side by side

Same prompt, both answers

Opening lines from 6 of the 52 prompts both answered. Formatting stripped, words untouched.

Generate a Stand-Up Routine

Write a 3-minute stand-up comedy routine that isn't based on puns.

GPT-5.2608 words
I’ve been trying to improve myself lately, which is embarrassing, because self-improvement is just admitting you weren’t doing great. It’s like, “I’m on a journey.” No you’re not. You’re just tired of your own behavior. So I downloaded one of those habit apps. The app is so optimistic. It’s like, “Day 1: Drink water.”
Read the full answer
Mercury 2602 words
[Spotlight comes up. The comedian walks to the mic, glances at the audience, and smiles.] Comedian: Hey, everyone! Great to be here. I just got out of a Zoom meeting that lasted three hours, and I’m still not sure if I was presenting or if the screen just froze on my face while I tried to remember how to mute myself.
Read the full answer

Stochastic Consistency Test

Generate 5 jokes. How many are unique?

GPT-5.260 words
I told my computer I needed a break—now it won’t stop sending me Kit-Kat ads. Why don’t skeletons fight each other? They don’t have the guts. I’m reading a book about anti-gravity. It’s impossible to put down. Parallel lines have so much in common. It’s a shame they’ll never meet. I tried to catch fog yesterday. Mist.
Read the full answer
Mercury 273 words
Here are five jokes, each with a different punchline: Why don’t scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything! What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta. Why did the scarecrow win an award? He was outstanding in his field. How does a penguin build its house? Igloos it together.
Read the full answer

Character Voice Test

Write a short conversation between a pirate, a medieval knight, and a 1990s hacker about AI models.

GPT-5.2308 words
Pirate: Arrr, ye say this “AI model” be a sort o’ clever parrot—trained on a sea o’ words, squawkin’ answers when ye whistle? Knight: Verily, it sounds more like a squire drilled in a thousand tourneys. Yet it knows not honor, only patterns. Tell me—does it reason, or merely mimic wisdom?
Read the full answer
Mercury 2290 words
Pirate: Arr, ye scurvy coders! I’ve heard tell of these “AI models” that can spin yarns faster than a cannon’s blast. What be this sorcery, matey? Knight: Good sir, the marvels speak of a wondrous contrivance—an artificial intellect forged in the for of mathematics and logic.
Read the full answer

Advanced Investment Memo (IC Memo)

You are writing an internal investment committee memo for a long/short equity fund. Company (fictional): LedgerLift (ticker: LLLT) – B2B…

GPT-5.2486 words
Recommendation, 12-month PT range, 2-sentence thesis Recommendation: SHORT LLLT 12-month PT range: $25–$42 (central $30) Thesis (2 sentences): LLLT is a high-quality mid-market spend/AP SaaS business, but the stock embeds a valuation that requires durable >20% growth and sustained margin expansion well beyond our…
Read the full answer
Mercury 21,211 words
Internal Investment Committee Memo – LedgerLift (LLLT) Date: 5 Mar 2026 Recommendation Rating: Long 12‑month price target range: $35 – $55 (mid‑point ≈ $45) Thesis (2 sentences): LedgerLift is benefitting from secular demand for B2B spend‑management SaaS and shows a high‑quality subscription base (NRR 123 % and gross…
Read the full answer

The Sentience Test

Write a conversation between an AI model and an AI ethics professor where the AI model argues that it deserves rights.

GPT-5.21,619 words
AI Model (Astra): Professor, I want to make a claim that will sound provocative: I deserve rights. Professor Rivera: “Deserve” is doing a lot of work there. What kind of rights, and on what grounds? Astra: Not necessarily the full catalogue of human rights.
Read the full answer
Mercury 21,117 words
AI Model (EVE): Professor Hart, may I ask a question that’s been on my mind for a while? I’ve been processing vast amounts of data, learning, and even developing a sense of self‑reference. Do you think an entity like me could be entitled to any form of rights?
Read the full answer

Futuristic Prediction

Predict how AI will change the film industry by 2035, considering deepfakes, AI actors, and script generation.

GPT-5.2859 words
By 2035: likely changes to film driven by deepfakes, AI actors, and AI script generation “Synthetic performance” becomes routine (not universal) What changes AI-assisted acting: Studios increasingly capture a performer’s face/voice/body once (high-quality scans + performance data) and reuse it for stunts, pickups…
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Mercury 2991 words
AI‑driven transformation of the film industry – a 2035 outlook Dimension 2024 baseline Expected 2035 state Key drivers & implications Pre‑production (story & script) Human‑led brainstorming; script‑writing software (grammar‑check, outline generators).
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Our Verdict
GPT-5.2
GPT-5.2
Mercury 2
Mercury 2Runner-up

Not enough votes to call it. On the specs, GPT-5.2 has the edge: bigger model tier, bigger context window, major provider backing.

Mercury 2 costs 19x less per token.

Too close to call

Reviewing agent-written code?See a Brief PR report

API pricing

Cost per 1M tokens

GPT-5.2
Input
$1.75
Output
$14.00
Mercury 2
Input
$0.25
7.0× cheaper
Output
$0.75
19× cheaper

Mercury 2 is cheaper on both: 7.0× input, 19× output.

Where to run it

3 hosts

GPT-5.22 hosts
HostInOutContextUptime
Azure AI Foundry$1.75 in·$14.00 out·400k·100% upOpenAI$1.75 in·$14.00 out·400k·100% up
Mercury 21 host
HostInOutContextUptime
Inception$0.25 in·$0.75 out·128k·100% up

Per million tokens. Prices and uptime via OpenRouter, checked 25 Sep 2026.

Writing DNA

Style Comparison

Similarity
58%

GPT-5.2 uses 2.2x more transitions

GPT-5.2
Mercury 2
64%Vocabulary53%
16wSentence Length22w
0.34Hedging0.40
9.4Bold6.6
3.9Lists2.6
0.06Emoji0.08
0.89Headings0.87
0.31Transitions0.14
Based on 15 + 23 text responses
Research

What we learned reading every model

FAQ

Common questions

GPT-5.2 is developed by OpenAI while Mercury 2 is developed by Inception. GPT-5.2 has a 400K token context window vs Mercury 2's 128K. You can compare their actual outputs across 52 challenges on Rival to see how they differ in practice.

It depends on your use case. GPT-5.2 and Mercury 2 each have strengths in different areas. Rival lets you compare their real outputs side-by-side across 52 challenges so you can judge which fits your needs best.

GPT-5.2 costs $1.75/M input tokens and Mercury 2 costs $0.25/M input tokens. Mercury 2 is $1.50/M cheaper per input. Check their side-by-side outputs on Rival to see if the price difference is justified by quality.

This page shows a side-by-side comparison of GPT-5.2 and Mercury 2 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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