Today, we’ll dive deep into the latest Realtime API models, examining their key features, performance distinctions, and ideal use cases. These cutting-edge models have been designed to meet the growing demands of real-time applications, offering advanced capabilities for seamless integration.
1. Basic Details of Different Model
Whether you’re a developer looking to optimize response times or a researcher exploring next–gen digital human technologies, this guide will help you make an informed decision.
Table 1 Realtime API model detailed comparison
characteristic
gpt-4o-realtime-preview
gpt-4o-realtime-preview-2024-10-01
gpt-4o-realtime-preview-2024-12-17
gpt-4o-mini-realtime-preview
gpt-4o-mini-realtime-preview-2024-12-17
Version
Basic Preview
Updated version 2024-10-01
Updated on 2024-12-17
Lightweight preview
2024-12-17 Lightweight update
Model Architecture
GPT-4o Infrastructure
GPT-4o Optimized Architecture
GPT-4o latest optimized architecture
GPT-4o lightweight architecture
GPT-4o lightweight optimized architecture
Context Window
128,000 tokens
128,000 tokens
128,000 tokens
128,000 tokens
128,000 tokens
Maximum output tokens
4,096 tokens
4,096 tokens
4,096 tokens
4,096 tokens
4,096 tokens
Delay
Low latency (<500ms)
Lower latency (<300ms)
Lowest latency (<200ms)
Low latency (<500ms)
Low latency (<300ms)
Voice Quality
high
higher
Highest
medium
Medium (close to GPT-4o)
Voice Activity Detection (VAD)
support
Support, Optimization
Support, further optimize
support
Support, Optimization
Interrupt function
support
Support, Optimization
Support, further optimize
support
Support, Optimization
Multi-language support
support
Support, Optimization
Support, further optimize
support
Support, Optimization
WebRTC support
Not supported
support
support
Not supported
support
Noise Suppression
Base
optimization
Further optimization
Base
optimization
Congestion Control
Base
optimization
Further optimization
Base
optimization
Concurrent out-of-band responses
Not supported
support
support
Not supported
support
Training data cutoff time
October 2023
October 2023
October 2023
October 2023
October 2023
Audio Input Cost
Higher
60% reduction
60% reduction
Lower
Lowest (1/10 price)
Audio output cost
Higher
reduce
reduce
Lower
lowest
Applicable scenarios
– Voice Assistant- Real-time Translation- Customer Support
– High-quality speech generation- Real-time translation tool- Customer support
– Cost-effective voice interaction – Mobile applications – Basic customer support
Updates
– Basic real-time audio interaction function – Support interruption and VAD
– Support for WebRTC – Improved speech generation quality – Reduced audio input cost by 60%
– Further improvement in speech generation quality – 60% reduction in audio input cost – Support for more efficient audio processing
– Lightweight model- Lower cost
– Lowest cost (1/10 the price) – Supports WebRTC – Voice quality is comparable to GPT-4o
The detailed comparison in Table 1 provides a clear overview of core strengths and differences of the latest realtime API model at a glance.
gpt-4o-realtime-preview: A foundational preview version designed for scenarios requiring high speech quality and low latency.
gpt-4o-realtime-preview-2024-10-01: Updated in October 2024, this version features optimizations that enhance speech generation quality and cost efficiency.
gpt-4o-realtime-preview-2024-12-17: Released in December 2024, it introduces further improvements in speech quality and processing efficiency.
gpt-4o-mini-realtime-preview: A lightweight preview version tailored for cost-sensitive applications.
gpt-4o-mini-realtime-preview-2024-12-17: Updated in December 2024, this version offers the lowest cost, making it particularly suitable for mobile applications.
2. Key Factors in Model Performance
1) Model Architecture
The gpt-4o-realtime-preview employs a foundational framework, with subsequent versions progressively optimized for better performance. For instance, the 2024-12-17 version leverages the latest advancements to deliver notable improvements in speech generation quality and processing efficiency. On the other hand, the lightweight version simplifies the architecture to reduce costs, making it ideal for scenarios with less demanding performance requirements.
2) Latency
Latency plays a pivotal role in real-time speech interactions.
The gpt-4o-realtime-preview achieves a latency of under 500 milliseconds.
The 2024-12-17 version reduces latency further to below 200 milliseconds, ensuring a significantly smoother interaction experience.
The lightweight version maintains latency within 500 milliseconds, which is sufficient for applications where ultra-low latency isn’t critical.
3) Speech Quality
The gpt-4o-realtime-preview already delivers high-quality speech generation, but the 2024-12-17 version sets a new benchmark, offering the highest speech quality among all versions. While the lightweight version provides slightly lower quality, it remains comparable to the GPT-4o level, making it a practical option for cost-sensitive use cases.
4) Features
All versions support voice activity detection (VAD) and interruption functionality, with later versions introducing further refinements.
Both the 2024-10-01 and 2024-12-17 versions include support for WebRTC, making them ideal for real-time audio and video interactions.
The 2024-12-17 version enhances multi-language support and noise suppression, making it particularly suitable for international applications.
That’s an overview of the core features and performance metrics of these models. Now, let’s turn our attention to another critical factor—cost—and explore how it impacts the suitability of each model for various use cases.
3. Cost Considerations
Cost is a crucial factor when selecting the right model for your needs. The gpt-4o-realtime-preview has a higher audio input cost, while the 2024-12-17 version significantly reduces this cost by an impressive 60%. For those seeking the most budget-friendly option, the lightweight versions are ideal, particularly the 2024-12-17 lightweight update, where the audio input cost is just one-tenth that of the other models. This makes it an excellent choice for large-scale deployments.
Table 2 Realtime API model pricing and cache cost comparison
Model Name
Input Type
Input price(per million tokens)
Cache input price(per million tokens)
Output price(per million tokens)
gpt-4o-realtime-preview
text
$5.00
$2.50
$20.00
Audio
$40.00
$2.50
$80.00
gpt-4o-realtime-preview-2024-12-17
text
$5.00
$2.50
$20.00
Audio
$40.00
$2.50
$80.00
gpt-4o-realtime-preview-2024-10-01
text
$5.00
$2.50
$20.00
Audio
$100.00
$20.00
$200.00
gpt-4o-mini-realtime-preview
text
$0.60
$0.30
$2.40
Audio
$10.00
$0.30
$20.00
gpt-4o-mini-realtime-preview-2024-12-17
text
$0.60
$0.30
$2.40
Audio
$10.00
$0.30
$20.00
4. Scenario Recommendations
Based on our analysis, which models are best suited for specific scenarios? Here are our tailored recommendations for various use cases:
gpt-4o-realtime-preview: Best suited for scenarios requiring premium speech quality, such as:
Voice assistants
Real-time translation
High-end customer support
gpt-4o-realtime-preview-2024-12-17: Ideal for applications demanding a high cost-performance ratio, including:
Advanced speech interaction
Customer support
Real-time translation tools
gpt-4o-mini-realtime-preview: A great fit for:
Basic voice assistants
Simple customer support functions
gpt-4o-mini-realtime-preview-2024-12-17: Perfect for mobile applications and cost-sensitive scenarios, such as:
Entry-level customer support
In conclusion, if your priority is achieving the highest speech quality and minimal latency, the gpt-4o-realtime-preview-2024-12-17 is your best option. However, if cost-efficiency is more important, the gpt-4o-mini-realtime-preview-2024-12-17 delivers the best value without compromising essential features.
5. Final Thoughts
If your priority is achieving the highest speech quality and minimal latency, the gpt-4o-realtime-preview-2024-12-17 is your best option. However, for those focusing on cost efficiency and scalability, the gpt-4o-mini-realtime-preview-2024-12-17 offers exceptional value, particularly for large-scale or mobile applications.
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Hope this breakdown of the latest Realtime API models has given you valuable insights to choose the right one for your needs.
Interested in more application of Realtime API in practical projects? Explore my articles linked below!
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