Model Comparison
Claude Sonnet 4.5 vs DeepSeek-R1
Claude Sonnet 4.5: StandardDeepSeek-R1: Very heavy
Side-by-side environmental impact comparison. DeepSeek-R1 uses 11.2x more energy per query.
DeepSeek-R1 uses 11.2x more energy than Claude Sonnet 4.5
29.0 Wh vs 2.6 Wh per query · 15.2 g vs 0.91 g CO₂ · 107 mL vs 5 mL water
Claude Sonnet 4.5
Anthropic
Energy per query2.6 Wh
CO₂ per query0.91 g
Water per query5 mL
VS
DeepSeek-R1
DeepSeek
Energy per query29.0 Wh
CO₂ per query15.2 g
Water per query107 mL
Claude Sonnet 4.5
ProviderAnthropic
CategoryText / Chat
Inference LocationAWS / GCP
Confidenceestimated
Efficiency TierStandard
DeepSeek-R1
ProviderDeepSeek
CategoryText / Chat
Inference LocationChina (Hangzhou / Hainan)
Confidencepeer-reviewed
Efficiency TierVery heavy
Frequently Asked Questions
Which uses more energy, Claude Sonnet 4.5 or DeepSeek-R1?
DeepSeek-R1 uses 11.2x more energy per query than Claude Sonnet 4.5. Claude Sonnet 4.5 uses 2.6 Wh per query, while DeepSeek-R1 uses 29.0 Wh.
What is the carbon footprint difference between Claude Sonnet 4.5 and DeepSeek-R1?
DeepSeek-R1 uses 16.7x more CO₂ per query than Claude Sonnet 4.5. Claude Sonnet 4.5 emits 0.91 g of CO₂ per query compared to DeepSeek-R1's 15.2 g.
Which is more environmentally friendly, Claude Sonnet 4.5 or DeepSeek-R1?
Claude Sonnet 4.5 is the more environmentally friendly option, using 2.6 Wh per query compared to DeepSeek-R1's 29.0 Wh. That makes DeepSeek-R1 roughly 11.2x more energy-intensive.
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See how your daily usage of Claude Sonnet 4.5 and DeepSeek-R1 adds up over time. Our calculator estimates energy, carbon, and water impact.
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