OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex vs Google: Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image Preview): Which AI Model Is Better?
Updated March 24, 2026· Based on independent benchmark data
Quick Verdict
Google: Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image Preview) leads in intelligence with a score of 48.4 vs 44.6. OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex is 1.6x cheaper at $1.25/1M tokens vs $2.00/1M. For speed, OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex wins at 170 tok/s vs 119 tok/s.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Metric | OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex | Google: Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image Preview) |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligence Score | 44.6 | 48.4 |
| Coding Score | 38.9 | 46.5 |
| Math Score | 98.7 | 95.7 |
| Speed (tok/s) | 170 tok/s | 119 tok/s |
| Latency (TTFT) | 4.79s | 21.66s |
| Input Price / 1M tokens | $1.25 | $2.00 |
| Output Price / 1M tokens | $10 | $12 |
| Context Window | 400K | 66K |
| Max Output Tokens | 128K | 33K |
| Input Modalities | Text + Image | Image + Text |
| Output Modalities | Text | Image + Text |
| Free Tier | No | No |
Detailed Analysis
Intelligence & Quality
Google: Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image Preview) outperforms OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex on the Artificial Analysis intelligence index with a score of 48.4 compared to 44.6. For coding tasks, Google: Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image Preview) has the edge with a coding score of 46.5 vs 38.9. In mathematical reasoning, OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex leads with 98.7 compared to Google: Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image Preview)'s 95.7.
Speed & Latency
OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex generates output significantly faster at 170 tok/s compared to Google: Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image Preview)'s 119 tok/s, making it 1.4x faster for streaming responses. Time to first token is 4.79s for OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex vs 21.66s for Google: Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image Preview), which affects perceived responsiveness in interactive applications.
Pricing
OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex is more affordable at $1.25/1M input tokens ($10/1M output), while Google: Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image Preview) costs $2.00/1M input ($12/1M output). For a typical workload of 100 requests per day at 2,000 tokens each, OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex would cost approximately $7.50/month vs $12.00/month for Google: Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image Preview) in input costs alone.
Context Window
OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex offers a larger context window at 400K tokens compared to Google: Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image Preview)'s 66K. This means OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex can process roughly 200 pages of text in a single request vs 33 pages for Google: Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image Preview). For output length, OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex can generate up to 128K tokens per response vs 33K for Google: Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image Preview).
Best Use Cases
Choose OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex when you need faster output (170 tok/s), lower cost, larger context window (400K). Choose Google: Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image Preview) when you need higher intelligence (48.4), stronger coding performance (46.5).
Choose OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex if:
- ✓Math reasoning is important (score: 98.7 vs 95.7)
- ✓You need faster throughput (170 tok/s vs 119 tok/s)
- ✓You want lower latency (4.79s vs 21.66s TTFT)
- ✓Budget is a concern ($1.25/1M vs $2.00/1M)
- ✓You need a larger context window (400K vs 66K)
Choose Google: Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image Preview) if:
- ✓You need higher intelligence (score: 48.4 vs 44.6)
- ✓You prioritize coding performance (score: 46.5 vs 38.9)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex better than Google: Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image Preview) for coding?
Google: Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image Preview) scores higher on coding benchmarks (46.5 vs 38.9), making it the better choice for programming tasks.
Which is cheaper, OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex or Google: Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image Preview)?
OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex is cheaper at $1.25/1M input tokens vs $2.00/1M for Google: Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image Preview).
Is OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex faster than Google: Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image Preview)?
OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex is faster, producing output at 170 tok/s compared to Google: Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image Preview)'s 119 tok/s.
Can OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex process images?
Yes, OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex supports image input. Google: Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image Preview) also supports images.
Which has a larger context window, OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex or Google: Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image Preview)?
OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex has a larger context window at 400K compared to Google: Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image Preview)'s 66K.
Should I use OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex or Google: Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image Preview)?
It depends on your priorities. Google: Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image Preview) scores higher on intelligence (48.4), but OpenAI: GPT-5 Codex may be better for specific use cases like budget-conscious projects or speed-critical applications.
Related Comparisons
Benchmark data by Artificial Analysis
Data last synced: March 24, 2026