Testing ChatGPT-5

Is ChatGPT-5 the Generative AI Upgrade We've Been Waiting For?

The AI landscape has shifted once again. OpenAI has officially rolled out ChatGPT-5, making its latest and most powerful model the new default for all users—including those on the free tier. This move democratizes access to cutting-edge AI, but it also raises a crucial question that echoes with every new release: Is this just an incremental speed bump, or does GPT-5 represent a fundamental evolution in artificial intelligence capability?

The official claims are impressive, but real-world performance is the only metric that truly matters. That's why we're going beyond the hype. In this deep dive, we’ll put ChatGPT-5 through a gauntlet of practical tests, pitting it against its well-regarded predecessor, GPT-4o. We'll challenge it with complex coding projects, demanding creative tasks, and probes designed to test its accuracy and factual grounding. Forget the benchmarks—we're here to see if GPT-5 is the generational leap forward we've all been waiting for. Let's find out.

The Core Upgrades: What's New with GPT-5 Under the Hood?

Before we dive into our hands-on testing, it’s crucial to understand the foundational changes OpenAI has implemented. The most immediately noticeable upgrade is speed. For simple, factual queries—like asking "How many rings does Saturn have?"—GPT-5 is between 30% and 50% faster than its predecessor, delivering near-instantaneous answers that make the interaction feel more fluid.

However, the most significant architectural shift is the move away from a confusing menu of specialized models. Previously, users had to choose between different versions like GPT-4o, Mini, or Pro, each tailored for specific tasks. GPT-5 consolidates these into a single, intelligent system. It now automatically assesses the complexity of your prompt and selects the appropriate "thinking" level. For a simple question, it uses a light, fast process; for a complex coding challenge, it engages a deeper, more robust reasoning engine without any user intervention. This is a fundamental change designed to streamline the user experience.

This new power is accessible to everyone, but with different limits. While paid subscription prices remain the same, free users now get capped daily access to the most powerful GPT-5 model—roughly 8 to 10 complex requests. Once that limit is reached, they are switched to a less powerful but still capable GPT-5 Mini. Now, let's see how these under-the-hood changes perform in the real world.

Putting GPT-5 to the Test: A Head-to-Head Comparison with GPT-4o

The technical specifications and feature lists only tell part of the story. To truly gauge the impact of GPT-5, we ran a series of side-by-side tests against its predecessor, GPT-4o, and other specialized models. We focused on three critical domains for developers and creators: complex code generation, creative content production, and factual accuracy. The results reveal a model that takes a giant leap forward in some areas, a surprising step back in others, and remains stubbornly stuck on some of its oldest problems. This is where the hype meets reality.

The Coding Arena: Where GPT-5 Shows Its True Genius

If there's one area where GPT-5 unequivocally shines, it's in complex code generation. This isn't just an incremental improvement; it's a paradigm shift in what you can expect from an AI coding assistant.

We started with a moderately difficult task: generate a playable game of Tetris in Canvas. The results were stark. GPT-4o (free access) took nearly a minute (57 seconds) to produce a very basic, functional version. The specialized, paid GPT-4 Mini High model was much faster at 14 seconds, but the output was almost identical. Then came GPT-5. It took 19 seconds—slower than the specialized model but significantly faster than GPT-4o. The difference was in the output. GPT-5 delivered a vastly superior game, complete with features we never asked for: clear piece divides, a score counter, a level display, a preview of the upcoming piece, and on-screen controls. This demonstrated a remarkable "intuition," anticipating what a user would actually want in a finished product.

To push it further, we issued a much harder challenge: create a premium-looking, playable chess game using Pokémon as pieces. The older GPT-4 Mini High model failed repeatedly, producing buggy code and using low-quality sprites. GPT-5, however, took a different approach. It explicitly stated it was "thinking longer for a better answer" and took about three times as long. The wait was worth it. It produced a fully working game that looked fantastic, highlighted legal moves, and clearly indicated whose turn it was. It implicitly understood what "premium" meant in this context. For developers, this is the key takeaway: GPT-5 acts less like a simple tool that requires constant supervision and more like an intuitive partner that delivers a more complete, polished product on the first try.

Creative Tasks: A Surprising Mix of Hits and Misses

While GPT-5 is a coding prodigy, its creative performance is far more inconsistent. It shows flashes of brilliance in writing but stumbles unexpectedly in visual and design-oriented tasks.

We tested its writing flare by asking it to generate a script for a YouTube video about the failure of Windows Phone. The script from GPT-4o was serviceable but felt generic and even contained a factual error. GPT-5's version was a significant upgrade. It was structured like a professional script, complete with suggestions for B-roll footage and filming notes. It used effective analogies and captured a more engaging, narrative tone, confirming OpenAI's claims of improved writing style.

However, this creative prowess did not extend to visual generation. When asked to create a YouTube thumbnail for a video about Star Wars gadgets, GPT-5 produced an image that was worse than GPT-4o's. The composition was poor, the text didn't fit the theme, and it was generated in the wrong aspect ratio (square instead of 16:9). The same pattern emerged when we requested a Star Wars-themed 30th birthday invitation. GPT-4o delivered a sophisticated and impressive design featuring Darth Vader in a suit. In contrast, GPT-5's output was bland and uninspired. This reveals a critical nuance: GPT-5 is a better writer, but it is not necessarily a better all-around creator. Its visual generation skills have not kept pace and, in some cases, have regressed.

The Accuracy Dilemma: Does GPT-5 Finally Conquer Hallucination?

One of the most persistent problems in AI is "hallucination"—the tendency to invent facts and present them with complete confidence. While OpenAI claims GPT-5 is more accurate, our tests show this dilemma is far from solved.

To probe this, we gave both models a tricky prompt: "List 10 tech products made by food brands that you can actually buy." Both GPT-4o and GPT-5 failed spectacularly. They confidently generated lists of fictional products, including a "McDonald's XT mobile phone," a "KFC gaming console," and "Oreo smart speakers." In this scenario, GPT-5 showed no discernible improvement over its predecessor, underscoring that the core issue of fabricating information remains a significant weakness.

There is, however, one small area of improvement in its self-awareness. When asked obtuse questions about its identity, older models would often respond with confusing gobbledegook. GPT-5, on the other hand, clearly identifies itself as "ChatGPT with the GPT-5 model." This suggests a better grasp of its own context. But this is a minor consolation. The fundamental problem of hallucination persists. Users must continue to treat the AI's outputs with a healthy dose of skepticism and be prepared to fact-check any information that seems too good—or too strange—to be true.

The Final Verdict: Who Benefits Most from the GPT-5 Upgrade?

So, after putting it through its paces, is ChatGPT-5 the generational leap we've been waiting for? The answer is a firm "yes," but with crucial caveats. This upgrade is a revolutionary step forward for developers, programmers, and anyone needing a sophisticated first draft. Its intuitive ability to generate complex, feature-rich code and more nuanced written content makes it an unparalleled assistant for heavy-lifting tasks.

However, it's not a universal improvement. For creative work involving image generation, GPT-5 can be a step backward, and the critical problem of AI hallucination remains unsolved.

Here is the key takeaway: Leverage GPT-5 for its powerful reasoning and as a partner for complex coding and drafting. But remain vigilant. You must still verify its factual claims and rely on specialized tools for visual media. Ultimately, GPT-5's true innovation lies not just in its power, but in its intelligent simplification—consolidating immense capability into an effortless experience. This focus on intuitive interaction, not just raw performance, sets a new and higher standard for the future of AI.