Model Comparison
DeepSeek-R1 vs GPT-5
DeepSeek-R1: Very heavyGPT-5: Very heavy
Side-by-side environmental impact comparison. DeepSeek-R1 uses 58% more energy per query.
DeepSeek-R1 uses 58% more energy than GPT-5
29.0 Wh vs 18.4 Wh per query · 15.2 g vs 8.0 g CO₂ · 107 mL vs 66 mL water
DeepSeek-R1
DeepSeek
Energy per query29.0 Wh
CO₂ per query15.2 g
Water per query107 mL
VS
GPT-5
OpenAI
Energy per query18.4 Wh
CO₂ per query8.0 g
Water per query66 mL
DeepSeek-R1
ProviderDeepSeek
CategoryText / Chat
Inference LocationChina (Hangzhou / Hainan)
Confidencepeer-reviewed
Efficiency TierVery heavy
GPT-5
ProviderOpenAI
CategoryText / Chat
Inference LocationAzure / Multi-cloud
Confidencepeer-reviewed
Efficiency TierVery heavy
Frequently Asked Questions
Which uses more energy, DeepSeek-R1 or GPT-5?
DeepSeek-R1 uses 58% more energy per query than GPT-5. DeepSeek-R1 uses 29.0 Wh per query, while GPT-5 uses 18.4 Wh.
What is the carbon footprint difference between DeepSeek-R1 and GPT-5?
DeepSeek-R1 uses 90% more CO₂ per query than GPT-5. DeepSeek-R1 emits 15.2 g of CO₂ per query compared to GPT-5's 8.0 g.
Which is more environmentally friendly, DeepSeek-R1 or GPT-5?
GPT-5 is the more environmentally friendly option, using 18.4 Wh per query compared to DeepSeek-R1's 29.0 Wh. That makes DeepSeek-R1 roughly 1.6x more energy-intensive.
Calculate your footprint with these models
See how your daily usage of DeepSeek-R1 and GPT-5 adds up over time. Our calculator estimates energy, carbon, and water impact.
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