Choosing Your AI Co-Pilot: A Guide to My Favorite Models
The world of AI language models is exploding, and it can be tough to know which tool to reach for. Each model has its own unique strengths, weaknesses, and ideal use cases. Over time, I've developed a go-to list of models that I rely on for different tasks, from complex coding challenges to philosophical deep dives.
If you're wondering which AI might be the best fit for your next project or query, maybe my personal cheat sheet can help! Here's a breakdown of the models I use regularly, what I find them best for, and where you can try them out:
🌟 Gemini 2.5 Pro
- Type: Reasoning | Speed: ⚡⚡⚡ (3/5)
- Strengths: Versatile powerhouse with huge context window, strong across many tasks.
- Perfect for: General Coding, Creative Writing, Summarization, Google Apps Integration.
- Avoid for: Simple queries where its power isn't needed, tasks requiring extreme speed.
- Find at: gemini.google.com
💻 O3-mini
- Type: Reasoning | Speed: ⚡⚡⚡ (3/5)
- Strengths: Superior code reasoning, excellent general problem-solving logic.
- Perfect for: General Coding, Complex Coding Reasoning, General Problem Solving.
- Avoid for: Tasks needing top speed over reasoning accuracy, creative writing, diagrams.
- Find at: chat.com
🎨 Claude 3.7 Sonnet
- Type: Reasoning | Speed: ⚡⚡⚡ (3/5)
- Strengths: Top-tier frontend coding, visual representations (diagrams), handles complex prompts well.
- Perfect for: General Coding, Frontend/UI Coding, Diagrams/Mind Maps.
- Avoid for: Situations where its assertiveness or potential for hallucination could be problematic.
- Find at: claude.com
⚡ Gemini 2.0 Flash
- Type: Non-reasoning | Speed: ⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡ (5/5)
- Strengths: Blazing speed, search integration, large context window (fast access).
- Perfect for: Summarization, Quick Tasks / Code Snippets. Good for Google App Integration.
- Avoid for: Complete coding projects requiring deep logic, nuanced reasoning tasks, creative writing.
- Find at: gemini.google.com
🖥️ Deepseek V3
- Type: Non-reasoning | Speed: ⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡ (5/5)
- Strengths: Extremely fast, intelligent handling of large codebases (full-stack).
- Perfect for: Coding on Large Projects, Quick Tasks / Code Snippets. Good for General & Frontend Coding.
- Avoid for: Tasks requiring deep reasoning, philosophical discussion, creative writing.
- Find at: chat.deepseek.com
🧠 Deepseek R1
- Type: Reasoning | Speed: ⚡⚡ (2/5)
- Strengths: Exceptional philosophical depth, excellent for learning complex topics.
- Perfect for: Research / Learning Topics, Philosophical Reasoning. Good for General Problem Solving.
- Avoid for: Most coding tasks, time-sensitive requests, summarization, quick answers.
- Find at: chat.deepseek.com
As you can see, there's no single "best" model – it truly depends on what you're trying to achieve. Need lightning-fast answers or code snippets? Flash or Deepseek V3 might be your answer. Tackling a complex coding problem requiring deep logic? O3-mini could be the way to go. Exploring abstract concepts? Deepseek R1 shines.
The best way to find your favorites is to experiment! Try different models for different tasks and see which ones click with your workflow and needs. Happy prompting!