OpenAI

A plain-English breakdown of GPT-6 Astra: the real specifications, what actually changed versus the GPT-5.6 line, what the launch benchmarks do and do not prove, and whether you need it at all.

Same context window, same maximum output, 2.5x the price. A specification-by-specification and benchmark-by-benchmark comparison of GPT-6 Astra and GPT-5.6 Sol, and a straight answer on when the upgrade pays for itself.

The straight answer on GPT-6 Astra access: which ChatGPT plans include it, what "included" really means once message caps apply, how API pricing works separately, and how to tell which route is cheaper for you.

Input tokens, output tokens, cached tokens and cache writes — what each one costs on GPT-6 Astra, what actually counts toward your input bill, and three worked examples showing where the money really goes.

Cached input tokens bill at a tenth of the standard rate. Here is exactly what gets cached, the 1,024-token minimum, why writes cost 1.25x, and the prompt-ordering mistakes that silently destroy your hit rate.