Does more thinking pay? Opus 5.5 low vs high vs max, and Gemini 4 Argon

No thinking at all at low effort. Blink, focus and explode work, every part labelled, but it is a white ball and a few rings with overlapping labels.

Chrome, reflections and a glowing lens; metal eyelids close, the lens drives forward, and the exploded view has clean labels and leader lines.

21.6 min of thinking, 128,000 thinking tokens, then the 128k output limit. Zero lines of code.

A status panel, 17 numbered parts, and an automatic demo that blinks, focuses and explodes the eye by itself when the page opens.

The petals open and the X-ray switch works, but the flower is small and the gears are barely there.

A closed bud that unfolds petal by petal while the core glows; X-ray shows the gears inside; it even added a sound button.

20.9 min of thinking, 128,000 thinking tokens, then the 128k output limit. Zero lines of code.

A golden mechanical bloom on a jointed stem; it blooms, closes and has an X-ray view.

Island, cabinets, pendant lights and a sunset window; the light slider works. Correct, but far from luxury.

Dark wood, veined marble, brass and a warm window; cabinets open on click and the slider dims the pendants.

21.9 min of thinking, 128,000 thinking tokens, then the 128k output limit. Zero lines of code.

The richest kitchen of the test: big sunset windows, glass shelves full of bottles, a pot rack; the lights dim with the slider.