> If you start to drop effort levels, you need to compare to the competition models.

Yes. I advocate for doing that.

> So GPT models on the same ~intelligence level, are then 50% cheaper.

How did you reach this conclusion? Opus 5 high ($1.06) has the same “intelligence index” as GPT 5.6 Sol max ($1.04). Opus 5 medium ($0.62) performs a bit below GPT 5.6 Sol xhigh ($0.68) but slightly above GPT 5.6 Sol high ($0.45).