{"slug": "deepseek-4-1", "name": "DeepSeek 4.1", "category": "ai", "category_name": "AI models and assistants", "description": "Large language model from DeepSeek, version 4.1, used via chat and API.", "recommenders": 5, "commenters": 7, "warners": 0, "score": 5.404, "rising": 5.0, "first": "2026-09-12", "latest": "2026-10-26", "why": "Commenters use it as a daily driver, including for frontend and backend code, and like it as a cheap model that hallucinates less than 4.0 and costs far less than a Claude subscription.", "why_is_quote": false, "has_verdict": true, "sentiment": {"recommend": 5, "neutral": 1, "compare": 1, "warn": 0}, "spark": [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 3, 2], "listed": true, "loved": ["Daily driver", "Low cost"], "caveat": "Not top-tier", "short_quote": "i've transitioned to using DS 4.1 as a daily driver", "icon": true, "domain": null, "github_repo": null, "official_url": "https://www.deepseek.com", "pricing": "unknown", "aliases": ["DeepSeek 4.1", "DeepSeek V4.1"], "verdict": [{"text": "Commenters use it as a daily driver, including for frontend and backend code,", "cites": [{"id": 799998528, "item_id": 49999908, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49999908", "by": "stavros", "date": "2026-10-07", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "DSv4.1 is my daily driver.", "excerpt": "Is Mimo good? I've never tried it, but I've seen it mentioned three times in this subthread alone. DSv4.1 is my daily driver.", "context": "", "use_case": "daily driver model", "switched_from": "", "story": "Claude Haiku 5.5"}, {"id": 798483520, "item_id": 49905220, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49905220", "by": "rednb", "date": "2026-09-30", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "i've transitioned to using DS 4.1 as a daily driver", "excerpt": "I'd take this kind of benchmark with a grain of salt. At this point, I have a set of comprehensive guidelines covering both backend and frontend work, and for the frontend we go as far as explaining what we a good design is in our visual system, and even how to conduct a visual review when screenshots are handed to the model. Deepseek 4.1 ranks very low in this benchmark but it has proven so capable that after being ", "context": "", "use_case": "daily coding driver", "switched_from": "", "story": "Livenerf: Has Opus 5.5 been nerfed yet?"}, {"id": 798177713, "item_id": 49886107, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49886107", "by": "cromka", "date": "2026-09-28", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Not even GPT6 Sol cannot match DeepSeek 4.1 in my work", "excerpt": "Not even GPT6 Sol cannot match DeepSeek 4.1 in my work, with outrageous bugs. Don't get me started on Luna. From my today's session with Sol: - it actually failed to correctly understand a simple English grammar and logical implication of it, then when challenged it admitted its mistake but couldn't explain why it made it. - for the code I am working on, I asked to create two PRs for the two small features (couple li", "context": "", "use_case": "coding", "switched_from": "", "story": "Sonnet 5.5"}]}, {"text": " and like it as a cheap model that hallucinates less than 4.0 and costs far less than a Claude subscription.", "cites": [{"id": 803708192, "item_id": 50231762, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50231762", "by": "octoberfranklin", "date": "2026-10-25", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I'm glad I have 4.1 now for that.", "excerpt": "Deepseek 4.0 is far worse at hallucinating. It used to be my go-to \"cheap model\". I'm glad I have 4.1 now for that.", "context": "", "use_case": "cheap model", "switched_from": "DeepSeek 4.0", "story": "Five Qwen3.8-27B models match Fable 5 Using GVS5H Harness"}, {"id": 794792064, "item_id": 49674504, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49674504", "by": "cassianoleal", "date": "2026-09-12", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Another happy DS41 user here.", "excerpt": "Another happy DS41 user here. When I talk to friends with Claude subscriptions, they're not doing anything more complicated or better than I am, but are paying through their noses.", "context": "", "use_case": "general tasks", "switched_from": "", "story": "Ask HN: What default model do you use and why?"}]}, {"text": " The main caveat is that one daily user calls it nowhere close to top models,", "cites": [{"id": 798201600, "item_id": 49887600, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49887600", "by": "solenoid0937", "date": "2026-09-29", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I use Deepseek 4.1 almost every day as well, it's nowhere close", "excerpt": "HN desperately wants Chinese AI to be competitive so there's a lot of self delusion and wishful thinking going on. I use Deepseek 4.1 almost every day as well, it's nowhere close", "context": "", "use_case": "daily work", "switched_from": "", "story": "Sonnet 5.5"}]}, {"text": " and it ranks low on at least one benchmark.", "cites": [{"id": 798483520, "item_id": 49905220, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49905220", "by": "rednb", "date": "2026-09-30", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "i've transitioned to using DS 4.1 as a daily driver", "excerpt": "I'd take this kind of benchmark with a grain of salt. At this point, I have a set of comprehensive guidelines covering both backend and frontend work, and for the frontend we go as far as explaining what we a good design is in our visual system, and even how to conduct a visual review when screenshots are handed to the model. Deepseek 4.1 ranks very low in this benchmark but it has proven so capable that after being ", "context": "", "use_case": "daily coding driver", "switched_from": "", "story": "Livenerf: Has Opus 5.5 been nerfed yet?"}]}], "praise": [{"label": "Daily driver", "summary": "Several commenters use it as their main everyday model.", "quotes": [{"id": 799998528, "item_id": 49999908, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49999908", "by": "stavros", "date": "2026-10-07", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "DSv4.1 is my daily driver.", "excerpt": "Is Mimo good? I've never tried it, but I've seen it mentioned three times in this subthread alone. DSv4.1 is my daily driver.", "context": "", "use_case": "daily driver model", "switched_from": "", "story": "Claude Haiku 5.5"}, {"id": 798483520, "item_id": 49905220, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49905220", "by": "rednb", "date": "2026-09-30", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "i've transitioned to using DS 4.1 as a daily driver", "excerpt": "I'd take this kind of benchmark with a grain of salt. At this point, I have a set of comprehensive guidelines covering both backend and frontend work, and for the frontend we go as far as explaining what we a good design is in our visual system, and even how to conduct a visual review when screenshots are handed to the model. Deepseek 4.1 ranks very low in this benchmark but it has proven so capable that after being ", "context": "", "use_case": "daily coding driver", "switched_from": "", "story": "Livenerf: Has Opus 5.5 been nerfed yet?"}, {"id": 794792064, "item_id": 49674504, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49674504", "by": "cassianoleal", "date": "2026-09-12", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Another happy DS41 user here.", "excerpt": "Another happy DS41 user here. When I talk to friends with Claude subscriptions, they're not doing anything more complicated or better than I am, but are paying through their noses.", "context": "", "use_case": "general tasks", "switched_from": "", "story": "Ask HN: What default model do you use and why?"}]}, {"label": "Low cost", "summary": "Valued as a cheap model compared with paid Claude subscriptions and similar models.", "quotes": [{"id": 794792064, "item_id": 49674504, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49674504", "by": "cassianoleal", "date": "2026-09-12", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Another happy DS41 user here.", "excerpt": "Another happy DS41 user here. When I talk to friends with Claude subscriptions, they're not doing anything more complicated or better than I am, but are paying through their noses.", "context": "", "use_case": "general tasks", "switched_from": "", "story": "Ask HN: What default model do you use and why?"}, {"id": 803708192, "item_id": 50231762, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50231762", "by": "octoberfranklin", "date": "2026-10-25", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I'm glad I have 4.1 now for that.", "excerpt": "Deepseek 4.0 is far worse at hallucinating. It used to be my go-to \"cheap model\". I'm glad I have 4.1 now for that.", "context": "", "use_case": "cheap model", "switched_from": "DeepSeek 4.0", "story": "Five Qwen3.8-27B models match Fable 5 Using GVS5H Harness"}, {"id": 803903027, "item_id": 50243939, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50243939", "by": "criley2", "date": "2026-10-26", "stance": "compare", "quote": "Deepseek 1017 in 6.5 minutes", "excerpt": "I use Opus 5.5 at work and I use Sonnet 5.5 at home. Sonnet 5.5 medium according to AA cost per task is $0.48 per task, while GLM 5.3 (max) is $2.01 (opus 5.5 high is $1.82). GLM 5.3 flash is $0.28 per task and Deepseek 4.1 flash 1017 is $0.26. So it seems like Sonnet 5.5 medium, GLM 5.3 flash and Deepseek V4.1 flash 1017 are all in a similar space in capacity and price, however the $20 anthropic sub will get you lik", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Anthropic S-1"}]}, {"label": "Coding capability", "summary": "Commenters say it handles real coding work well, and one prefers it to GPT6 Sol.", "quotes": [{"id": 798483520, "item_id": 49905220, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49905220", "by": "rednb", "date": "2026-09-30", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "i've transitioned to using DS 4.1 as a daily driver", "excerpt": "I'd take this kind of benchmark with a grain of salt. At this point, I have a set of comprehensive guidelines covering both backend and frontend work, and for the frontend we go as far as explaining what we a good design is in our visual system, and even how to conduct a visual review when screenshots are handed to the model. Deepseek 4.1 ranks very low in this benchmark but it has proven so capable that after being ", "context": "", "use_case": "daily coding driver", "switched_from": "", "story": "Livenerf: Has Opus 5.5 been nerfed yet?"}, {"id": 798177713, "item_id": 49886107, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49886107", "by": "cromka", "date": "2026-09-28", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Not even GPT6 Sol cannot match DeepSeek 4.1 in my work", "excerpt": "Not even GPT6 Sol cannot match DeepSeek 4.1 in my work, with outrageous bugs. Don't get me started on Luna. From my today's session with Sol: - it actually failed to correctly understand a simple English grammar and logical implication of it, then when challenged it admitted its mistake but couldn't explain why it made it. - for the code I am working on, I asked to create two PRs for the two small features (couple li", "context": "", "use_case": "coding", "switched_from": "", "story": "Sonnet 5.5"}]}, {"label": "Fewer hallucinations", "summary": "One commenter says it hallucinates less than DeepSeek 4.0.", "quotes": [{"id": 803708192, "item_id": 50231762, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50231762", "by": "octoberfranklin", "date": "2026-10-25", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I'm glad I have 4.1 now for that.", "excerpt": "Deepseek 4.0 is far worse at hallucinating. It used to be my go-to \"cheap model\". I'm glad I have 4.1 now for that.", "context": "", "use_case": "cheap model", "switched_from": "DeepSeek 4.0", "story": "Five Qwen3.8-27B models match Fable 5 Using GVS5H Harness"}]}], "caveats": [{"label": "Not top-tier", "summary": "One daily user says it is nowhere close to leading models.", "quotes": [{"id": 798201600, "item_id": 49887600, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49887600", "by": "solenoid0937", "date": "2026-09-29", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I use Deepseek 4.1 almost every day as well, it's nowhere close", "excerpt": "HN desperately wants Chinese AI to be competitive so there's a lot of self delusion and wishful thinking going on. I use Deepseek 4.1 almost every day as well, it's nowhere close", "context": "", "use_case": "daily work", "switched_from": "", "story": "Sonnet 5.5"}]}, {"label": "Benchmark ranking", "summary": "It ranks very low on at least one benchmark, though the commenter still finds it capable.", "quotes": [{"id": 798483520, "item_id": 49905220, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49905220", "by": "rednb", "date": "2026-09-30", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "i've transitioned to using DS 4.1 as a daily driver", "excerpt": "I'd take this kind of benchmark with a grain of salt. At this point, I have a set of comprehensive guidelines covering both backend and frontend work, and for the frontend we go as far as explaining what we a good design is in our visual system, and even how to conduct a visual review when screenshots are handed to the model. Deepseek 4.1 ranks very low in this benchmark but it has proven so capable that after being ", "context": "", "use_case": "daily coding driver", "switched_from": "", "story": "Livenerf: Has Opus 5.5 been nerfed yet?"}]}, {"label": "Speed and tokens", "summary": "One commenter says Chinese models generally use more tokens and finish more slowly than Sonnet.", "quotes": [{"id": 803903027, "item_id": 50243939, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50243939", "by": "criley2", "date": "2026-10-26", "stance": "compare", "quote": "Deepseek 1017 in 6.5 minutes", "excerpt": "I use Opus 5.5 at work and I use Sonnet 5.5 at home. Sonnet 5.5 medium according to AA cost per task is $0.48 per task, while GLM 5.3 (max) is $2.01 (opus 5.5 high is $1.82). GLM 5.3 flash is $0.28 per task and Deepseek 4.1 flash 1017 is $0.26. So it seems like Sonnet 5.5 medium, GLM 5.3 flash and Deepseek V4.1 flash 1017 are all in a similar space in capacity and price, however the $20 anthropic sub will get you lik", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Anthropic S-1"}]}], "who": [], "tags": ["for coding", "budget-friendly"], "use_cases": ["cheap model", "daily driver model", "daily coding driver", "daily work", "coding", "general tasks"], "compared": [{"slug": "glm", "name": "GLM", "co": 2, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 1}, {"slug": "gpt-sol", "name": "GPT Sol", "co": 2, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 0}], "makers": [], "threads": [{"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49881850", "title": "Sonnet 5.5", "mentions": 2}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50242939", "title": "Anthropic S-1", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50228167", "title": "Five Qwen3.8-27B models match Fable 5 Using GVS5H Harness", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49996437", "title": "Claude Haiku 5.5", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49901736", "title": "Livenerf: Has Opus 5.5 been nerfed yet?", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49672966", "title": "Ask HN: What default model do you use and why?", "mentions": 1}], "sentiment_by_month": {"2025-11": {}, "2025-12": {}, "2026-01": {}, "2026-02": {}, "2026-03": {}, "2026-04": {}, "2026-05": {}, "2026-06": {}, "2026-07": {}, "2026-08": {}, "2026-09": {"recommend": 3, "neutral": 1}, "2026-10": {"recommend": 2, "compare": 1}}, "quotes": [{"id": 803903027, "item_id": 50243939, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50243939", "by": "criley2", "date": "2026-10-26", "stance": "compare", "quote": "Deepseek 1017 in 6.5 minutes", "excerpt": "I use Opus 5.5 at work and I use Sonnet 5.5 at home. Sonnet 5.5 medium according to AA cost per task is $0.48 per task, while GLM 5.3 (max) is $2.01 (opus 5.5 high is $1.82). GLM 5.3 flash is $0.28 per task and Deepseek 4.1 flash 1017 is $0.26. So it seems like Sonnet 5.5 medium, GLM 5.3 flash and Deepseek V4.1 flash 1017 are all in a similar space in capacity and price, however the $20 anthropic sub will get you lik", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Anthropic S-1"}, {"id": 803708192, "item_id": 50231762, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50231762", "by": "octoberfranklin", "date": "2026-10-25", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I'm glad I have 4.1 now for that.", "excerpt": "Deepseek 4.0 is far worse at hallucinating. It used to be my go-to \"cheap model\". I'm glad I have 4.1 now for that.", "context": "", "use_case": "cheap model", "switched_from": "DeepSeek 4.0", "story": "Five Qwen3.8-27B models match Fable 5 Using GVS5H Harness"}, {"id": 799998528, "item_id": 49999908, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49999908", "by": "stavros", "date": "2026-10-07", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "DSv4.1 is my daily driver.", "excerpt": "Is Mimo good? I've never tried it, but I've seen it mentioned three times in this subthread alone. DSv4.1 is my daily driver.", "context": "", "use_case": "daily driver model", "switched_from": "", "story": "Claude Haiku 5.5"}, {"id": 798483520, "item_id": 49905220, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49905220", "by": "rednb", "date": "2026-09-30", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "i've transitioned to using DS 4.1 as a daily driver", "excerpt": "I'd take this kind of benchmark with a grain of salt. At this point, I have a set of comprehensive guidelines covering both backend and frontend work, and for the frontend we go as far as explaining what we a good design is in our visual system, and even how to conduct a visual review when screenshots are handed to the model. Deepseek 4.1 ranks very low in this benchmark but it has proven so capable that after being ", "context": "", "use_case": "daily coding driver", "switched_from": "", "story": "Livenerf: Has Opus 5.5 been nerfed yet?"}, {"id": 798201600, "item_id": 49887600, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49887600", "by": "solenoid0937", "date": "2026-09-29", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I use Deepseek 4.1 almost every day as well, it's nowhere close", "excerpt": "HN desperately wants Chinese AI to be competitive so there's a lot of self delusion and wishful thinking going on. I use Deepseek 4.1 almost every day as well, it's nowhere close", "context": "", "use_case": "daily work", "switched_from": "", "story": "Sonnet 5.5"}, {"id": 798177713, "item_id": 49886107, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49886107", "by": "cromka", "date": "2026-09-28", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Not even GPT6 Sol cannot match DeepSeek 4.1 in my work", "excerpt": "Not even GPT6 Sol cannot match DeepSeek 4.1 in my work, with outrageous bugs. Don't get me started on Luna. From my today's session with Sol: - it actually failed to correctly understand a simple English grammar and logical implication of it, then when challenged it admitted its mistake but couldn't explain why it made it. - for the code I am working on, I asked to create two PRs for the two small features (couple li", "context": "", "use_case": "coding", "switched_from": "", "story": "Sonnet 5.5"}, {"id": 794792064, "item_id": 49674504, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49674504", "by": "cassianoleal", "date": "2026-09-12", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Another happy DS41 user here.", "excerpt": "Another happy DS41 user here. When I talk to friends with Claude subscriptions, they're not doing anything more complicated or better than I am, but are paying through their noses.", "context": "", "use_case": "general tasks", "switched_from": "", "story": "Ask HN: What default model do you use and why?"}]}