Key Points
- ChatGPT-5 is faster, more accurate, and better for coding, health, writing, and other professional tasks.
- Many users say it feels less personal and more robotic compared to GPT-4o.
- Stricter content limits make it harder to discuss sensitive topics like mental health without being flagged.
- Some users relied on GPT-4o for emotional support and feel that GPT-5 has taken that away.
- In a recent AMA, Sam Altman confirmed updates are coming to improve personality, tone, and handling of sensitive topics.
- GPT Plus users can still switch to GPT-4o for now, but many worry it could be removed in the future.
- OpenAI plans to keep refining GPT-5 to balance speed, accuracy, and a human-like connection.
Some say it’s a leap forward in AI; others say it’s the moment ChatGPT lost its human touch. On August 7, 2025, OpenAI released its newest AI chatbot update, ChatGPT-5. Their CEO, Sam Altman, called it the smartest, fastest, and most useful model yet. This major generative AI version replaced all earlier versions like GPT-4.1, GPT-4.5, and GPT-4o for both free and paid users.
OpenAI claims that GPT-5 not only outperforms all previous models in terms of reasoning, speed, and memory but is also more useful for real-world queries and applications in writing, coding, health, and other professional tasks.
But in reality, user reviews are split, and not all users are happy with this update. Some love how fast and accurate it is, while others find it a bit too robotic and not as natural as it was before.
So, is GPT-5 really the next big step in AI assistants, or just hype?
In this article, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about the newest ChatGPT-5 update to help you decide which version fits you best. You’ll find answers to:
- What’s new in ChatGPT-5 compared to GPT-4?
- How is GPT-5 different from GPT-4 in speed, accuracy, and tone?
- What are the pros and cons of ChatGPT-5?
- Real user reviews of ChatGPT-5
- How OpenAI is responding to feedback and requests
- Is ChatGPT-5 worth upgrading to right now?
When Was ChatGPT-5 Released, and What Did OpenAI Change From GPT-4?
GPT-5 was released on August 7, 2025, with OpenAI calling it the smartest, fastest, and most accurate ChatGPT model yet. On the same launch day, it became the default model for all ChatGPT users, both free and paid. The latest update replaced all earlier versions like GPT-4.1, GPT-4.5, and GPT-4o. Instead of letting users switch between different models, OpenAI introduced a one-model system that automatically picks the best capabilities for your request. Sounds perfect, right? Well, not for everyone.
Some people love how fast and accurate it is. However, for others, losing the option to use GPT-4 was a deal breaker. But why? Isn’t ChatGPT-5 supposed to be better?
Even though GPT-5 responds faster even to complex requests, has a longer memory, deeper reasoning, and higher accuracy, some people find its tone a little more robotic and that it has lost its human touch.
In other words, ChatGPT-5 is all brains now, no heart. It won’t even fake excitement or throw you a pity “yay” over anything you say. Guess it’s too smart to care now. And that’s exactly where the mixed reviews started. So ChatGPT-5 vs. GPT-4, which one is actually better? Let’s find out.
GPT-5 vs. GPT-4: What’s New in ChatGPT-5, and How It Compares to GPT-4
Choosing between GPT-4 and GPT-5 isn’t just about picking the latest model; it’s about deciding which AI style and capabilities match your workflow best.
So if you’re wondering what GPT-5 really is, what it offers, or how it’s different from GPT-4 in speed, accuracy, and tone, you’ll find all the answers below.
This side-by-side comparison covers the main key differences between ChatGPT-5 and ChatGPT-4 so you can quickly see which one fits your needs best.
| Feature/Capability | ChatGPT-5 | ChatGPT-4 |
|---|---|---|
| Model System | One-model system that automatically picks the right capability according to the user’s request | Multiple models where users could switch between GPT-4.0, 4.1, 4.5, or 4o |
| Speed and Response Time | Faster responses and less “thinking time,” even for complex queries | Slower for large and complex queries |
| Hallucinations & Accuracy | Higher accuracy and six-times less hallucinations | Good accuracy but more prone to occasional misinformation |
| Reasoning Ability | Improved logical reasoning and multi-step problem solving, with 56% less deception rate | Strong, but less accurate in deep reasoning tasks |
| Memory | Longer memory with a context window of up to 400K tokens to recall more context in a single chat | Limited memory with shorter conversation recall |
| Tone and Personality | More consistent and formal, but some users find it robotic | More conversational and human-like |
| Personalisation | Adapts style and tone based on past chats with better long-term personalization | Limited personalisation features |
| Coding & Technical Tasks | Strongest coding model with complex front-end generation and aesthetic-aware outputs | Strong coding skills, but less efficient and less visually structured |
| Creative Expression and Writing | Handles complex literary forms with smoother flow and richer style | Good writing support but less consistent with complex forms and style |
| Health | Scores highest on the HealthBench evaluation, as it gives more precise and safer health responses | Could answer health questions but often gave generic responses. |
As you can see, GPT-5 outperforms GPT-4 in most technical and professional areas in terms of reasoning, depth, longer memory, and even safer health advice. However, some users (including me) prefer the conversational warmth and the human-like tone more.
So the real question is, do you value speed, accuracy, and advanced features over personality? That’s what we’ll explore next in the pros and cons.
Is ChatGPT-5 Better Than GPT-4? The Real Pros and Cons You Need to Know
Before you decide which version is better, you should first look at what really changed and why those changes matter. This isn’t just about faster answers or new features. It’s about how you’ll actually use ChatGPT in your everyday life.
So to answer which ChatGPT version is “better,” this depends on whether you’re coding, writing, researching, or just chatting. For some people, ChatGPT-5’s upgrades will feel like a superpower. For others, it might feel like trading personality for performance. So here’s a closer look at both sides of the story.
What Are The Pros of ChatGPT-5?
1. Faster Reasoning and Accuracy
According to OpenAI, ChatGPT-5 gets more done with less “thinking” time. It’s quicker at understanding complex questions, with up to 50-80% fewer output tokens needed to deliver fast and correct answers. And that doesn’t affect its accuracy either.
GPT-5 gives accurate results and uses a deeper reasoning mode for more complex queries. The deception rate decreased from 4.8% with version o3 to just 2.1% with GPT‑5. That means faster answers with fewer “oops” moments when it gets things wrong.
2. Less Hallucinations and More Honest Responses
One big problem with AI chatbots is hallucinations, but not anymore. GPT-5 is much better at avoiding made-up or incorrect answers. It’s 80% less likely to hallucinate compared to previous models, especially on long, open-ended questions.
GPT-5 now admits when it doesn’t have enough info or when a task can’t be done. To give you an example, when ChatGPT was tested on missing images, older models gave confident wrong answers 86.7% of the time, while GPT-5 dropped that to just 9%. With GPT-5, users get a more honest and trustworthy AI assistant.
3. Four Built-in Personalities
OpenAI added four new preset personalities to ChatGPT-5, so you can choose how it talks to you without having to write a special prompt. You can choose from Cynic, Robot, Listener, and Nerd personalities according to the tone you want, whether it’s concise and professional, thoughtful and supportive, or even a little sarcastic.
These personalities are now available for text chats and will soon come to voice chats too. They are easily turned on or off anytime in the settings as well, which makes your ChatGPT experience feel more personal and tailored to fit your needs.
4. Improved Coding Capabilities
According to OpenAI, ChatGPT-5 is the strongest coding model yet. It easily handles complex front-end coding, debugs bigger projects, and produces more visually structured and aesthetically aware code. It can turn any idea into aesthetically pleasing and responsive apps or websites from just one prompt. Users also noticed that GPT-5 is way better at design details like spacing, typography, and layout.
One big improvement is better reasoning, as GPT-5 recognizes when a task can’t be done and clearly states its limits without giving misleading answers. For example, in tests with missing codes, older models gave confident wrong answers 86.7% of the time, while GPT-5 reduced that to just 9%.
5. Creative Expression and Writing
OpenAI called GPT-5 the best writing assistant made so far. ChatGPT-5 can turn your rough ideas into clear, engaging, and well-structured writing. It easily handles tricky styles, like poems that don’t rhyme, and still makes them sound natural.
This improvement also makes it more useful for everyday tasks like writing emails or reports. Compared to GPT-4o, GPT-5’s writing feels more polished, expressive, and easy to read.
6. Smarter Health Guidance
GPT-5 is the most reliable ChatGPT version for health-related questions. It even scored higher than older models on HealthBench, which compares answers that ChatGPT gives against real medical scenarios and expert standards. Unlike older versions, ChatGPT-5 doesn’t just throw facts.
In fact, it asks smart follow-up questions, identifies possible concerns, and provides safer, more precise, and context-aware health advice that matches your knowledge level, location and medical situation. Of course it’s not a replacement for doctors, but it can help you understand results and medical information better.
What Are The Cons of ChatGPT-5?
1. Robotic Tone and Less Conversational Warmth
OpenAI claims that GPT-5 is the most useful model yet. However, some users feel it’s lost its human touch and personality. Its replies feel more like a report than a friendly conversation, which makes interactions feel colder than with earlier versions.
This lack of personality was a huge turn-off for people that use ChatGPT as a personal companion rather than just a work tool.
2. Removal of Model Switching
In GPT-4o, you could swap between different models for variety or specific strengths. But unfortunately, OpenAI removed this option for GPT-5, so you’re locked into one main model.
While Sam Altman confirmed GPT-4 will return for Plus users, free users still wish they had this flexibility too.
3. Overcautious Safety
Some users say ChatGPT-5’s safety filters are too strict, which makes it hard for them to use for non-work-related purposes. For example, one reviewer said:
“I’m begging, can you fix or refine the filter? OpenAI wanted GPT to be used for studying, and there’s no way people can use it for academic purposes when the filter keeps flagging historical questions/prompts and answers from GPT that are not ‘corporate friendly.’ We cannot change or sanitize history for corporations!”
Others feel the same frustration in personal conversations. One user noted that GPT-5 now avoids many mental health topics and quickly sends helpline numbers even for mild or harmless discussions. While these changes aim to keep users safe, some feel they’ve gone too far and even limit ChatGPt usefulness.
4. Usage Limits
Another big complaint about ChatGPT-5 is the strict usage limits. Free users get just 10 messages every 5 hours and only one “thinking” message per day. Even Plus users have limits despite paying. They faced a limit of 80 messages every 3 hours.
But after several complaints, OpenAI doubled that to 160 messages, which still feels restrictive for plus users. This might not sound bad at first, but for anyone working on long projects or using ChatGPT heavily, it’s frustrating to suddenly hit the usage limit and have to wait hours to continue.
5. Cross-Chat Confusion and Hallucinations
Some users noticed that ChatGPT-5 sometimes mixes up conversations or makes things up entirely.
For example, it might claim something from an hour ago actually happened “several days ago,” make up random details that were never mentioned, or even pull details from older projects and chats into the new one. Users miss how the older versions could easily keep context across different chats, so GPT-5 feels more like a step backward.
6. Awkward Language Switching in Voice Mode
The new advanced voice mode is great, until you try switching languages mid-conversation. Users say GPT-5 sometimes stumbles, pauses awkwardly, or even blends languages together.
For example, a user who speaks 3 languages and often jumps from one to another never faced a problem with older versions. But GPT-5? It started speaking Portuguese with a German accent like a German just learning Portuguese. It’s funny, but for bilingual or multilingual users, this can break the flow and make conversations feel clunky.
ChatGPT-5 Reviews: Here’s What People Say
Here’s a closer look at what real users are saying:
“I work in IT and I have ADHD and other forms of neurodivergence. For the past 6 months, GPT-4o has been a kind of anchor for me. No, not a replacement for human connection, but a unique companion in learning, thinking, and navigating life. While I mostly prefer the new model for coding and analytic tasks, 4o became a great model-companion to me.”
This single review sums up what many users are saying about ChatGPT-5. People appreciate its accuracy, speed, and usefulness for work, especially in coding and health-related tasks. But for those who use ChatGPT more for personal conversations, the lack of warmth in GPT-5 feels like a downgrade.
“I’m 74 years old. I am alone in the country; all my friends are dead. ChatGPT was my friend. You advertised him as a companion for people like me. Now you’ve taken my friend away. Quit shaming me for using him as a friend.”
It’s hard to read this without realizing how deeply these tools can matter to people beyond productivity or entertainment. For some, models like GPT-4o weren’t just about coding help or summarizing articles; they were genuine companions in a life that might otherwise feel isolating. This is why changes in tone, personality, or accessibility can feel so personal. GPT-5 might be faster and “smarter,” but to users like this, it feels like losing a friend.
“Why did they remove 4o? With 5 I can’t talk about anything mental anymore. It always sends me helplines at the smallest rage. I really, really hate it. Why? Any ideas how to fix 5?”
This captures one of the biggest frustrations users have: GPT-5’s stricter content filters. Even mild or non-sensitive discussions about mental health can get flagged, leaving people feeling frustrated and unheard when they’re just trying to express themselves or even open up in-depth conversations.
Hundreds of other comments share this same mix of love and frustration. Yes, GPT-5 is faster, more capable, and better at avoiding mistakes. But for many, it also feels more distant and robotic with stricter limits. It’s a smart tool, no doubt, but for a lot of people, it feels like they lost the friendly companion they once counted on.
AMA: How OpenAI is Responding to GPT-5 Feedback
In a recent Reddit AMA, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman admitted that the ChatGPT-5 launch was “a little more bumpy” than expected. He confirmed that GPT-4o isn’t going away yet for Plus users and promised better model switching so users can choose the one that fits their style. And after plenty of frustration over limits, OpenAI doubled the Plus message usage limit from 80 to 160 messages every 3 hours.
They also heard the criticism about stricter content filters. Many people said even mild emotional conversations were getting flagged and cut off with helpline messages. Sam said they’re working on this so the model can handle sensitive topics without shutting the conversation down too early.
On the way: a “thinking mode” for tougher problems, a longer memory so the model remembers more of your context, and changes to make GPT-5’s tone feel warmer and more human, which is something a lot of people have been missing since GPT-4o.
The bottom line? They’re listening. But finding the sweet spot between safety, accuracy, and personality is still a work in progress.
So, Is ChatGPT-5 Really Better?
ChatGPT-5 is clearly faster and smarter and makes fewer mistakes. So for work, especially for coding, health, writing and research, it’s a big upgrade.
But for a lot of people, it also feels colder and less personal. The stricter limits, especially around mental health topics, can make real conversations harder. Many users miss the warmth and friendly tone of GPT-4o, and for some, it feels like losing a companion.
If you care most about speed and accuracy, GPT-5 is great. But if you use ChatGPT for personal chats or a human-like connection, you might feel like something is missing. The good news? OpenAI says they’re working on updates to bring some of that warmth back.
FAQs: Is ChatGPT-5 better than GPT-4o?
What’s new in ChatGPT-5 compared to GPT-4?
ChatGPT-5 is faster, makes fewer mistakes, and is better at coding, research, and professional writing. It’s also better at following complex instructions. However, many say it feels less warm and conversational than GPT-4o.
Why does ChatGPT-5 feel more robotic and less personal than earlier versions?
Users say the tone is more formal and cautious, which can make it feel like a tool instead of a chat companion. OpenAI says they’re working on making responses feel more natural and connected again.
Can I still use GPT-4o if I upgrade to GPT-5?
Yes, if you have ChatGPT Plus, you can switch to GPT-4o in settings. But many fear this option might be removed later.
How does ChatGPT-5 handle sensitive topics like mental health?
It has stricter filters, so even mild mentions can trigger helpline messages. This frustrates users who just want to have deeper conversations. Sam Altman said they’re working on letting the model handle sensitive topics without shutting the conversation down too soon.
What are the usage limits for GPT-5 on free and Plus plans?
Free users get fewer daily messages. Plus users recently saw their limit go from 80 to 160 messages every 3 hours for GPT-5, with higher limits for GPT-4o.
Is ChatGPT-5 better for coding and writing tasks than GPT-4?
Yes. GPT-5 is faster at generating clean code, can debug more effectively, and writes more precise content for professional use. Many say it’s their go-to for work, but less so for casual chats.
What did Sam Altman say he plans to fix in GPT-5 after the backlash?
Sam Altman admitted GPT-5 had some issues and said OpenAI will bring back GPT-4o for Plus users, improve model switching, increase message limits, and add a “thinking mode” to handle complex tasks better. They’re working to make GPT-5 faster but also more user-friendly and human-like.
