If you’re closely following the AI scene, you know XAI and OpenAI are currently each other’s arch-nemesis. And there’s no point in guessing it’s because of the infamous feud between Musk and Altman. This led Elon Musk to build the largest GPU cluster in the world, a colossus 100k NVIDIA H100 cluster for model training. The outcome was the third iteration of Grok, a much-improved model in all the departments from its predecessors. Within a few days, OpenAI released its giant GPT-4.5 code-named Orion, the biggest and most expensive yet from the green lab.I have been using GPT-4.5 for a lot of my writing and brainstorming tasks. Surprisingly, it has a non-typical OpenAI personality. It was enjoyable and refreshing to work with.I was a bit intrigued by how it translates to coding abilities, so I ran a small vibe coding test comparing it with Grok 3, which I have been using a lot recently.So, let’s get started.
If you just want the results, Grok 3 outperforms ChatGPT-4.5 in real-world coding tasks. It delivers cleaner code, better physics simulations, and a more polished UI. ChatGPT-4.5? Not even close. It struggled with execution, gave blank screens, and felt half-baked.
And yeah, that checks out. Grok 3 is built for coding and problem-solving, while ChatGPT-4.5 is still in beta and clearly needs more work.
Grok 3 System Card
Elon Musk’s xAI released Grok 3, designed for advanced coding and logical reasoning. It specializes in code generation and debugging and enhances multi-step problem-solving, delivering faster, context-aware responses.
Grok 3 offers four distinct modes: Mini for quick answers, Think Mode for improved logical reasoning, Big Brain Mode for handling complex coding tasks, and DeepSearch for in-depth data analysis.
To access Grok 3 modes, users need an X Premium+ subscription, priced at $40 per month. Those who want more power can opt for SuperGrok, which unlocks extra features at $30 per month.
One of its most debated features is the Unhinged Voice Mode. This gives Grok 3 a bold, sarcastic personality. Some users love the humor, while others think it makes AI unpredictable. The ongoing debate is whether AI should be fun or just stick to facts.
Grok 3 performs well in benchmarks. It scored 75 in Science and leads in technical problem-solving. It got 57 in Coding and proved its programming skills.
In Math, it scored 52 and beat some models but still fell behind the best. Grok 3 Mini scored lower but held its ground against Gemini-2 Pro and DeepSeek-V3.
With fast responses, strong coding skills, and a personality that sparks debate, Grok 3 brings something different to the AI race. The real test is how well it handles actual coding challenges. That is where it must prove itself.
ChatGPT-4.5 System Card
OpenAI released ChatGPT-4.5 on February 27, 2025. It’s designed to handle advanced reasoning, coding, and problem-solving tasks with improved memory, greater accuracy, and more efficient handling of complex technical work.
At launch, ChatGPT-4.5 was only available for Pro users. Sam Altman later announced that it would be available for Plus users as well. ChatGPT Plus costs $20 per month and provides access to the latest model with faster responses. ChatGPT Pro costs $200 per month and offers higher usage limits with priority access.
The biggest upgrade in ChatGPT-4.5 is its ability to handle multi-step reasoning and logic-based problems. It’s better at coding and debugging, enhances data analysis and creative writing, and produces more natural and context-aware responses.
ChatGPT-4.5 is a powerful AI for developers, researchers, and businesses. Its value depends on how much reasoning, coding, and deep problem-solving matter to the user.
ChatGPT vs Grok 3
ChatGPT-4.5 is built on GPT-4 and GPT-4o. It has better reasoning and coding skills. OpenAI has improved its AI models over time.
Grok models are newer but improving fast. The chart shows Grok 0, launched in 2023, followed by Grok 1, Grok 1.5, and Grok 2. Grok 3 has made big improvements.
GPT-4o still has the highest MLU score. ChatGPT-4.5 is expected to be even better. Grok 3 is getting stronger but still needs time to catch up. ChatGPT-4.5 is ahead for now. If Grok keeps growing this fast, it might close the gap soon.
Coding Challenge
AI models are improving at coding, but how well do they handle real-world programming challenges? I tested Grok 3 and ChatGPT-4.5 with three complex coding tasks to find out. Each challenge requires logic, creativity, and technical skills.
1. Physics-Based Square in a Spinning Circle
Let’s see how well the AI models handle real-world physics. The task was to create a 2D simulation where a square moves inside a spinning circular container. The square needed to follow gravity, bounce off walls, and react to the spinning motion.
prompt: Create a 2D physics simulation in Pygame where a square moves inside a spinning circular container. The square must follow gravity, collisions, and friction, reacting naturally by tumbling, sliding, and bouncing.
Grok 3 Response:
Here’s the output of the program:
ChatGPT 4.5 Response
Here’s the output of the program:
Summary
Grok 3 gave it a shot. The square bounced, spun, and reacted, even if it wasn’t perfect. ChatGPT-4.5 just dropped the square in the center like physics didn’t even matter, which was honestly disappointing.
2. Dynamic 3D Shifting Panels Animation in JavaScript
Let’s try a simple space animation and see if the AI models can handle it.
This isn’t a complex challenge, just drifting planets, soft lighting, and twinkling stars. I expected both models to get it right without issues. Grok 3 seems promising, but I’m not too confident after ChatGPT-4.5’s last performance. Let’s see what happens.
Prompt: Create a 3D animation of planets drifting in space using Three.js. The scene should feature a few planets of different sizes and colours, slowly moving in a natural, floating motion. Each planet should rotate gently, with soft lighting that highlights their surfaces. A glowing central star should cast light, creating subtle shadows and reflections. The background must include twinkling stars that fade in and out at different speeds, adding depth. The camera should pan slowly, providing a dynamic but smooth view of the planets without rapid movements.
Grok 3 Response
Here’s the output of the program:
ChatGPT 4.5 Response:
Here’s the output of the program:
Summary
Grok 3 did exactly what I expected. The planets moved smoothly, the lighting worked well, and the animation felt complete. Everything came together without any issues.
ChatGPT-4.5 was a frustrating experience. No matter how often I tried, it gave me a blank screen. There was no movement, no animation, nothing.
3. Modern Photo Editor App in Python
This time, I want to see if the AI models can build a fully functional photo editor with a clean and intuitive UI for easy image editing.
Prompt: Create a Python-based photo editor using Tkinter and OpenCV that allows users to upload, edit, and save images. It should support free cropping, zooming, rotation, resizing, brightness/contrast adjustments, and filters with real-time previews. The UI must be modern and user-friendly, ensuring smooth editing and high-quality image exports.
Grok 3 Response
Here’s the output of the program:
Chatgpt 4.5 Response:
Here’s the output of the program:
Summary
Both models got the job done, but the difference was obvious. Grok 3 had a modern, clean UI that felt smooth and well-designed. ChatGPT-4.5 just dumped all the features at the bottom with no real thought about layout or user experience. It worked, but it felt rushed and lacked creativity.
4. Procedural City Skyline Generator
I want to see if the AI models can create a dynamic and visually appealing city skyline using Python.
Prompt: Create a Python program that generates a random city skyline. Buildings should vary in height, width, and window designs. The background must smoothly transition between day, sunset, and night, showing stars at night. Buildings should display glowing windows at night and shading details during daytime, forming an attractive, dynamic cityscape.
Grok 3 Response:
Here are the outputs of the program:
Chatgpt 4.5 Response:
Here’s the output of the program:
Summary
Grok 3 performed well, generating three distinct skylines precisely as expected. Each scene transitioned smoothly between day, sunset, and night. ChatGPT-4.5, however, was disappointing. Its output felt randomly animated and inconsistent, failing to deliver the expected transitions. I don’t know what went wrong with 4.5, but Grok 3 delivered this time.
Final verdict
After testing both Grok 3 and ChatGPT-4.5, the results were clear. Grok 3 performed consistently well. It smoothly handled realistic physics simulations, interactive visuals, and modern user interfaces. It felt reliable and delivered exactly what I wanted.
ChatGPT-4.5 was disappointing. It struggled with practical tasks and often gave me blank screens and random animations. Given its benchmarks, I expected much better results.
Right now, Grok 3 is the better choice for real-world tasks. ChatGPT-4.5 is still in beta, so hopefully, it will improve soon. Until then, Grok 3 is the more reliable option.