Here are a few recent observations:
1. For coding ability, CodeX GPT 5.2-CodeX-High is the strongest. It's suitable for writing complex products or finding hard-to-find bugs. It can solve several bugs that others couldn't. The downside is that it's extremely slow; don't use it for minor modifications. Modifying a small part can take a week to read a novel like "A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality."
2. For coding ability, Claude Opus 4.5 is the next best. Its quality and capabilities are second only to the top, but it's much faster. It can also be used in antigravity mode.
3. Gemini 3 Pro. It's the strongest for front-end development. I used it for all my front-end work, and its aesthetics were generally good. Besides coding, it's also highly recommended for other scenarios, such as daily conversations and connecting to the Google ecosystem. Google is incredibly generous; you can use it for free for a year with a US education qualification.
4. Claude Sonnet 4.5 is rather awkward. I haven't used it for a while. Its capabilities aren't as strong as the previous three. Using the API is quite expensive. For a monthly subscription, Opus 4.5 is recommended.
5. A cost-effective option is GLM 4.7. Their coding capabilities are decent, and their models are updated quickly. Most importantly, it's affordable, less than 20 RMB per month. You'll likely never use it all. It can be used for minor modifications, etc.
6. Don't trust AI rankings or those self-media outlets too much. They claim every new AI is the best in the world. I don't know if they've been paid to do so or if they genuinely don't understand. They're just wasting other people's time and energy.