FastMetal

Model comparison

GPT-6.1 Sol vs GPT-6 Astra

Pricing, context window and real answers (September 2026)

GPT-6.1 Sol (OpenAI) and GPT-6 Astra (OpenAI), compared as you can actually call them on FastMetal. Both are served from the same OpenAI-compatible endpoint and API key; switching is a change to the model string.

Specs and pricing

openai logoGPT-6.1 Solopenai logoGPT-6 Astra
ProviderOpenAIOpenAI
Input (per 1M tokens)¥357.4¥1,787
Output (per 1M tokens)¥1,787¥8,935
Typical cost (1,000 in + 500 out tokens × 1,000 calls)¥1,251¥6,255
Context window1,050,000 tokens1,050,000 tokens
Release date9/29/20269/4/2026
Input modalitiesfile, image, textfile, image, text
Throughput (p50)—89 tokens/s (n=17)
Arena · overallUnranked#26 · ELO 1,478
Arena · JapaneseUnrankedUnranked
Arena · codingUnranked#8 · ELO 1,542

Prices are FastMetal's yen rates before tax.

Rankings: LMArena leaderboard dataset (lmarena-ai/leaderboard-dataset), CC BY 4.0, snapshot 2026-09-25; category names mapped and ratings rounded by FastMetal.

Which should you pick?

  • On price, GPT-6.1 Sol: ¥1,787 per 1M output tokens, 80% less than GPT-6 Astra.
  • If in doubt, try both on the same key. Switching is a change to the model string, and each is billed at its own rate.

Real answers to the same prompts

Exactly what the FastMetal gateway returned, side by side. Not benchmark scores: actual output.

Count the number of 'r's in 'strawberry'

Count the number of 'r's in 'strawberry'. Explain your reasoning step by step.

GPT-6.1 Sol

“strawberry” is spelled **s-t-r-a-w-b-e-r-r-y**. The letter **r** appears at positions **3, 8, and 9**. So, there are **3 r’s** in “strawberry.”
2.8s88 output tokens

GPT-6 Astra

“strawberry” is spelled **s-t-r-a-w-b-e-r-r-y**. The letter **r** appears in positions **3, 8, and 9**, so there are **3 r’s**.
3.8s85 output tokens

Debug This Error

I'm getting the following error in my Node.js application: TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'map') at UserList (/app/components/UserList.js:12:25) at renderWithHooks (/app/node_modules/rea…

GPT-6.1 Sol

The error means **`users` is `undefined` when `UserList` renders**. Calling `.map()` on `undefined` throws this error. This commonly happens when the parent doesn’t pass the `users` prop, or when data hasn’t finished loading yet. ### Fix: provide a default empty array ```jsx function UserList({ users = [] }) { return ( <ul> {users.map(user => ( <li key={user.id}>{user.name}</li> ))} </ul> ); } ``` This renders an empty list if `users` is omitted or `undefined`. It does **not** handle `null`. ### Check the parent component too Make sure it passes an array: ```jsx <UserList users={users} /> ``` If you’re fetching users asynchronously, initialize the stat…
5.8s306 output tokens

GPT-6 Astra

The error means **`users` is `undefined` when React renders `UserList`**, so calling `users.map(...)` fails. This commonly happens when the parent doesn’t pass the prop or when data hasn’t finished loading. ### 1. Default `users` to an empty array If an absent prop should mean “no users,” use a default value: ```jsx function UserList({ users = [] }) { return ( <ul> {users.map(user => ( <li key={user.id}>{user.name}</li> ))} </ul> ); } ``` This handles a missing or `undefined` prop, but **not `null` or other non-array values**. ### 2. Check where the prop comes from Make sure the parent passes an array. For data loaded asynchronously, initialize state to…
6.7s380 output tokens

Code Review

Please review the following Python function and suggest improvements for readability, performance, and best practices: def get_data(url, retries=3): import requests import time for i in range(retries):…

GPT-6.1 Sol

The function is short, but its main weakness is that it hides failures: a network error, invalid JSON, and a genuinely empty result all return `[]`. ### Suggested improvements - **Move imports to module scope.** This is conventional and makes dependencies visible. Repeated imports are cached, so the performance benefit is minor. - **Avoid bare `except:`.** It catches everything, including `KeyboardInterrupt` and `SystemExit`, and can hide programming errors. - **Handle HTTP errors explicitly.** `raise_for_status()` provides useful exceptions. Retry transient failures such as timeouts, connection errors, HTTP 429, and HTTP 5xx—not permanent errors such as HTTP 404. - **Don’t sleep after the…
19.0s1094 output tokens

GPT-6 Astra

The function is compact, but its biggest issue is that **all failures silently become `[]`**, making an unavailable API indistinguishable from a successful response with no active items. ### Suggested improvements - **Move imports to module scope** for clarity and conventional organization. - **Avoid bare `except:`.** It catches everything, including `KeyboardInterrupt`, and hides bugs such as missing dictionary keys. - **Retry only transient failures**, such as connection errors, timeouts, rate limiting, and selected server errors. Retrying a `401` or `404` usually won’t help. - **Don’t sleep after the final failed attempt.** Use exponential backoff rather than a fixed delay. - **Use desc…
19.2s965 output tokens

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Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper, GPT-6.1 Sol or GPT-6 Astra?
Per 1M output tokens, GPT-6.1 Sol is ¥1,787 and GPT-6 Astra is ¥8,935 on FastMetal (yen, before tax), so GPT-6.1 Sol is cheaper.
How do the context windows of GPT-6.1 Sol and GPT-6 Astra compare?
GPT-6.1 Sol takes 1,050,000 tokens; GPT-6 Astra takes 1,050,000.
Can I use GPT-6.1 Sol and GPT-6 Astra with the same API key?
Yes. On FastMetal's OpenAI-compatible endpoint, switch by passing "gpt-6.1-sol" or "gpt-6-astra" as the model. Each is billed at its own rate from the same prepaid balance.

Try both on one API key

Create an account and add credit to call GPT-6.1 Sol and GPT-6 Astra from the browser chat and the API. No monthly fee.

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