Model comparison

Grok 4.5 vs Grok 4.6

Pricing, context window and real answers (August 2026)

Grok 4.5 (xAI) and Grok 4.6 (xAI), 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

x-ai logoGrok 4.5x-ai logoGrok 4.6
ProviderxAIxAI
Input (per 1M tokens)¥357.4¥357.4
Output (per 1M tokens)¥1,072.2¥1,072.2
Typical cost (1,000 in + 500 out tokens × 1,000 calls)¥894¥894
Context window500,000 tokens500,000 tokens
Release date7/8/20268/12/2026
Input modalitiestext, image, filetext, image, file
Arena · overall#35 · ELO 1,468Unranked
Arena · JapaneseUnrankedUnranked
Arena · coding#28 · ELO 1,516Unranked

Prices are FastMetal's yen rates before tax. Arena ranks are as of the latest leaderboard scrape.

Which should you pick?

  • Output pricing is identical (¥1,072.2 per 1M tokens).
  • 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.

Grok 4.5

The word "strawberry" is spelled as follows: **s-t-r-a-w-b-e-r-r-y** - Position 1: **s** - Position 2: **t** - Position 3: **r** ← (1st "r") - Position 4: **a** - Position 5: **w** - Position 6: **b** - Position 7: **e** - Position 8: **r** ← (2nd "r") - Position 9: **r** ← (3rd "r") - Position 10: **y** There are **3** occurrences of the letter "r".
6.5s350 output tokens

Grok 4.6

The word "strawberry" consists of the following letters in order: s-t-r-a-w-b-e-r-r-y Checking each one: - s: not r - t: not r - r: yes (count = 1) - a: not r - w: not r - b: not r - e: not r - r: yes (count = 2) - r: yes (count = 3) - y: not r There are exactly 3 r's. Final answer: 3
3.9s451 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…

Grok 4.5

The error occurs because `users` is `undefined` when the component renders, so calling `.map()` on it fails. This commonly happens when: - The parent component doesn’t pass a `users` prop at all - The data is loaded asynchronously and is still `undefined` on the first render - The prop is accidentally set to `undefined`/`null` instead of an array ### Fixes **1. Default to an empty array (simplest)** ```js function UserList({ users = [] }) { return ( <ul> {users.map(user => ( <li key={user.id}>{user.name}</li> ))} </ul> ); } ``` **2. Optional chaining (also fine)** ```js function UserList({ users }) { return ( <ul> {users?.map(user => (…
7.9s507 output tokens

Grok 4.6

**The error happens because `users` is `undefined` when `.map()` is called.** `UserList` destructures `{ users }` from its props. If the parent doesn't pass a `users` prop (or passes `undefined`/`null`), `users` is `undefined` and `undefined.map` throws. This is extremely common when: - Data is loaded asynchronously (initial render happens before the fetch finishes). - The parent component forgets to pass the prop or uses a different name. - The component is rendered before the data is ready (e.g. in a loading state). ### Quick fixes **1. Default to an empty array (recommended)** ```jsx function UserList({ users = [] }) { return ( <ul> {users.map(user => ( <li key={us…
20.3s598 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):…

Grok 4.5

## Code Review: `get_data` ### Issues | Area | Problem | |------|---------| | **Imports** | `requests` / `time` inside the function — re-imported on every call; belong at module level | | **Exceptions** | Bare `except:` swallows `KeyboardInterrupt`, `SystemExit`, and hides bugs | | **Boolean check** | `item["active"] == True` is unidiomatic; truthiness is enough | | **Loop** | Manual `for` + `append` can be a list comprehension | | **Retries** | Sleeps on non-200 but never logs or distinguishes failure modes; unused loop variable `i` | | **Robustness** | No guard for non-list JSON, missing keys (`KeyError`), or invalid JSON | | **API** | Magic numbers (`timeout=10`, `sleep=2`); no docstrin…
25.3s1363 output tokens

Grok 4.6

Here is a focused review of the function, followed by a cleaned-up version. ## Issues **Imports inside the function** `requests` and `time` should live at module level. Importing on every call is slower, hides dependencies, and is harder to mock in tests. **Bare `except:`** This swallows `KeyboardInterrupt`, `SystemExit`, and programming errors. Catch `requests.RequestException` (network/timeout/HTTP adapter errors) and JSON/`KeyError`/`TypeError` separately. **Retrying the wrong things** A 404 or 400 will never succeed on retry. Retry transient failures (timeouts, connection errors, 429, 5xx). Fail fast on most 4xx responses. **Sleep after the last attempt** On the final failur…
27.9s1770 output tokens

Compare on more prompts →

Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper, Grok 4.5 or Grok 4.6?
Both are ¥1,072.2 per 1M output tokens on FastMetal (yen, before tax).
How do the context windows of Grok 4.5 and Grok 4.6 compare?
Grok 4.5 takes 500,000 tokens; Grok 4.6 takes 500,000.
Can I use Grok 4.5 and Grok 4.6 with the same API key?
Yes. On FastMetal's OpenAI-compatible endpoint, switch by passing "grok-4.5" or "grok-4.6" 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 Grok 4.5 and Grok 4.6 from the browser chat and the API. No monthly fee.

More comparisons with Grok 4.5

More comparisons with Grok 4.6