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DeepSeek R1 0528 vs GPT-5.2

DeepSeek R1 0528 (2025) and GPT-5.2 (2025) are frontier-tier reasoning models from DeepSeek and OpenAI. DeepSeek R1 0528 ships a 160K-token context window, while GPT-5.2 ships a 256K-token context window. On pricing, DeepSeek R1 0528 costs $0.1/1M input tokens versus $1.75/1M for the alternative. This comparison covers specs, pricing, capabilities, benchmarks, provider availability, and production fit. It focuses on practical selection signals rather than broad model-family marketing.

DeepSeek R1 0528 is ~1650% cheaper at $0.1/1M; pay for GPT-5.2 only for coding workflow support.

Specs

Released2025-01-012025-12-11
Context window160K256K
Parameters671B
Architecturedecoder onlydecoder only
LicenseOpen SourceProprietary
Knowledge cutoff--

Pricing and availability

DeepSeek R1 0528GPT-5.2
Input price$0.1/1M tokens$1.75/1M tokens
Output price$0.3/1M tokens$14/1M tokens
Providers

Capabilities

DeepSeek R1 0528GPT-5.2
Vision
Multimodal
Reasoning
Function calling
Tool use
Structured outputs
Code execution

Benchmarks

No shared benchmark rows are currently sourced for this pair.

Deep dive

The capability footprint differs most on vision: GPT-5.2, multimodal input: GPT-5.2, function calling: GPT-5.2, and tool use: GPT-5.2. Both models share reasoning mode, structured outputs, and code execution, so the practical split is not just feature count. Use those differences to decide whether the page is about raw model quality, agentic coding support, multimodal ingestion, or predictable structured API behavior.

For cost, DeepSeek R1 0528 lists $0.1/1M input and $0.3/1M output tokens, while GPT-5.2 lists $1.75/1M input and $14/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts DeepSeek R1 0528 lower by about $5.26 per million blended tokens. Availability is 5 providers versus 2, so concentration risk also matters.

Choose DeepSeek R1 0528 when coding workflow support, lower input-token cost, and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose GPT-5.2 when coding workflow support and larger context windows are more important. For production, rerun your own prompts through the exact provider, region, and tool stack you plan to ship. This keeps the decision grounded in measurable tradeoffs instead of brand-level assumptions. It also helps separate model capability from provider packaging, which can change cost and latency.

FAQ

Which has a larger context window, DeepSeek R1 0528 or GPT-5.2?

GPT-5.2 supports 256K tokens, while DeepSeek R1 0528 supports 160K tokens. That gap matters most for long documents, large codebases, retrieval-heavy agents, and conversations where earlier context must remain visible.

Which is cheaper, DeepSeek R1 0528 or GPT-5.2?

DeepSeek R1 0528 is cheaper on tracked token pricing. DeepSeek R1 0528 costs $0.1/1M input and $0.3/1M output tokens. GPT-5.2 costs $1.75/1M input and $14/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.

Is DeepSeek R1 0528 or GPT-5.2 open source?

DeepSeek R1 0528 is listed under Open Source. GPT-5.2 is listed under Proprietary. License labels affect whether you can self-host, redistribute weights, or rely only on hosted APIs, so confirm the upstream license before deployment.

Which is better for vision, DeepSeek R1 0528 or GPT-5.2?

GPT-5.2 has the clearer documented vision signal in this comparison. If vision is mission-critical, validate it against the provider endpoint because model-level support and API-level exposure can differ. Use this as a quick comparison signal, then confirm the provider-specific limits before committing to production.

Which is better for multimodal input, DeepSeek R1 0528 or GPT-5.2?

GPT-5.2 has the clearer documented multimodal input signal in this comparison. If multimodal input is mission-critical, validate it against the provider endpoint because model-level support and API-level exposure can differ.

Where can I run DeepSeek R1 0528 and GPT-5.2?

DeepSeek R1 0528 is available on Together AI, Fireworks AI, GCP Vertex AI, Novita AI, and OpenRouter. GPT-5.2 is available on Replicate API and OpenRouter. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.

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Last reviewed: 2026-04-24. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.