LLM Reference

GPT-5.2 vs Phi-3 Mini 4k

GPT-5.2 (2025) and Phi-3 Mini 4k (2024) are frontier reasoning models from OpenAI and Microsoft Research. GPT-5.2 ships a 400k-token context window, while Phi-3 Mini 4k ships a 4k-token context window. On pricing, Phi-3 Mini 4k costs $0.05/1M input tokens versus $1.75/1M for the alternative. This comparison covers specs, pricing, API access, capabilities, benchmarks, input and output token costs, and production fit for coding and agent workloads.

Phi-3 Mini 4k is ~3400% cheaper at $0.05/1M; pay for GPT-5.2 only for coding workflow support.

Decision scorecard

Local evidence first
SignalGPT-5.2Phi-3 Mini 4k
Best forreasoning-heavy apps, multimodal apps, and tool-calling agentsprovider-routed production
Decision fitCoding, RAG, and AgentsCoding and Classification
Context window400k4k
Cheapest output$14/1M tokens$0.25/1M tokens
Provider routes3 tracked4 tracked
Shared benchmarks0 shared0 shared

Decision tradeoffs

Choose GPT-5.2 when...
  • GPT-5.2 has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
  • GPT-5.2 uniquely exposes Vision, Multimodal, and Reasoning in local model data.
  • Local decision data tags GPT-5.2 for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
Choose Phi-3 Mini 4k when...
  • Phi-3 Mini 4k has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $0.25/1M tokens.
  • Phi-3 Mini 4k has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and route flexibility.
  • Local decision data tags Phi-3 Mini 4k for Coding and Classification.

Monthly cost at traffic

Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output route or tier on this page.

Lower estimate Phi-3 Mini 4k

GPT-5.2

$4,900

Cheapest tracked route/tier: Replicate API

Phi-3 Mini 4k

$103

Cheapest tracked route/tier: Replicate API

Estimated monthly gap: $4,798. Batch, cache, alternate speed tiers, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.

Switch friction

GPT-5.2 -> Phi-3 Mini 4k
  • Provider overlap exists on Replicate API; start route-level A/B tests there.
  • Phi-3 Mini 4k is $13.75/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
  • Check replacement coverage for Vision, Multimodal, and Reasoning before moving production traffic.
Phi-3 Mini 4k -> GPT-5.2
  • Provider overlap exists on Replicate API; start route-level A/B tests there.
  • GPT-5.2 is $13.75/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
  • GPT-5.2 adds Vision, Multimodal, and Reasoning in local capability data.

Specs

Specification
Released2025-12-112024-04-23
Context window400k4k
Parameters3.8B
ArchitectureDecoder OnlyDecoder Only
LicenseProprietaryMITOSI-approved
OpennessProprietaryOpen source
WeightsNot releasedUnknown
CodeUnknownUnknown
Commercial useCommercial use: conditionalCommercial use: permitted
Knowledge cutoff2025-082023-10

Pricing and availability

Pricing attributeGPT-5.2Phi-3 Mini 4k
Input price$1.75/1M tokens$0.05/1M tokens
Output price$14/1M tokens$0.25/1M tokens
Providers

Capabilities

CapabilityGPT-5.2Phi-3 Mini 4k
VisionYesNo
MultimodalYesNo
ReasoningYesNo
JSON / Tool useYesNo
Structured outputsYesNo
Code executionYesNo
IDE integrationNoNo
Computer useNoNo
Parallel agentsNoNo

Benchmarks

No shared benchmark scores are currently available for this pair.

Continue comparing

Last reviewed: 2026-06-29. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.