choosing-a-model changedabout-claude/models/choosing-a-model
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1111* **Capabilities:** What specific features or capabilities will you need the model to have to meet your needs?
1212* **Speed:** How quickly does the model need to respond in your application? Claude Opus 5.5, Claude Opus 5, and Claude Opus 4.8 support [fast mode](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/build-with-claude/fast-mode) (research preview), which delivers up to 2.5x higher output speed at premium pricing.
1313* **Cost:** What's your budget for both development and production usage?
14* **Effort:** Several Claude models support an [effort parameter](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/build-with-claude/effort) that trades intelligence for latency and cost within a single model. Tuning effort is often a better lever than switching models. On Claude Fable 5.1 and Claude Opus 5, start with the default (`high`) and adjust up or down based on your evals. On Claude Opus 5.5 and Claude Haiku 5.5 the default is `medium`; start there and adjust the same way. On Claude Opus 4.8 and Claude Opus 4.7, the `xhigh` effort level, between `high` and `max`, is the best setting for most coding and agentic use cases.
14* **Effort:** Several Claude models support an [effort parameter](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/build-with-claude/effort) that trades intelligence for latency and cost within a single model. Tuning effort is often a better lever than switching models. On Claude Fable 5.1, Claude Opus 5, and Claude Sonnet 5.5, start with the default (`high`) and adjust up or down based on your evals. On Claude Opus 5.5 and Claude Haiku 5.5 the default is `medium`; start there and adjust the same way. On Claude Opus 4.8 and Claude Opus 4.7, the `xhigh` effort level, between `high` and `max`, is the best setting for most coding and agentic use cases.
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110110 <Card title="What's new in Claude Sonnet 5.5" icon="sparkle" href="https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/models/sonnet-5-5/whats-new-sonnet-5-5">
111111 The latest Sonnet model: breaking changes, new features, and behavior differences
112 </Card>
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114 <Card title="What's new in Claude Haiku 5.5" icon="sparkle" href="https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/models/haiku-5-5/whats-new-haiku-5-5">
115 The latest Haiku model: breaking changes, new features, and behavior differences
112116 </Card>
113117
114118 <Card title="Start building" icon="code" href="https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/get-started">
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