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Legacy evaluation · V1

Grok Imagine 1.0 vs Gen-4.5

By Megaton TeamJuly 22, 2026

Grok Imagine 1.0 is the clear winner over Gen-4.5. It scores higher in every quality category shown and costs less.

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Grok Imagine 1.0
Gen-4.5
Our verdict

Grok Imagine 1.0 is the clear winner

Grok Imagine 1.0 scores higher than Gen-4.5 in every quality category shown. Its biggest lead is in 3D animation, and it also costs less.

xAI

xAI

Grok Imagine 1.0

58.0Overall score
Rank
—
Price per minute
$4.20/min
Runway

Runway

Gen-4.5

40.0Overall score
Rank
#12
Price per minute
$7.20/min

Best for

Highest overall score

Grok Imagine 1.0

Grok Imagine 1.0 leads the overall score by 18.0 points.

The overall score does not measure file reliability.

Best for

More readable text

Grok Imagine 1.0

Grok Imagine 1.0 leads by 38.5 points.

Long or moving text still needs manual review.

Best for

Lower generation cost

Grok Imagine 1.0

Grok Imagine 1.0 runs $4.20/min, against $7.20/min for Gen-4.5.

Provider prices can change.

75
videos rated
0
measurements
0
ratings
July 22, 2026
last updated

Reviewer scores

Scores by category

Grok Imagine 1.0 wins all 11 categories head-to-head. Each bar is the reviewer score out of 100.

Biggest gap3D Animation: Grok Imagine 1.0 ahead by 46.5 points.
Closest categoryPhysics: Grok Imagine 1.0 ahead by 2.9 points.

Head-to-head scores

11 categories rated head-to-head

Grok Imagine 1.0Gen-4.5
Physics
40.4
37.4
Prompt Adherence
66.7
47.0
Logic Consistency
66.7
35.6
Scene Consistency
54.9
38.1
Cinematography
60.7
44.0
2D Animation
71.7
41.0
3D Animation
85.0
38.5
Actor Performance
64.0
38.0
Objects
54.7
42.4
Animals
53.6
40.2
Text Fidelity
69.0
30.5

Side-by-side video tests

Matched outputs, side by side

Each row uses the same evaluation input for both models. The underlying prompt and decision record are reserved for the full report.

Video test 1

Text

Spelling, letter shape, spacing, and whether the words remain stable while the scene moves.

Related category score

Grok Imagine 1.0 leads here by 38.5 points.

Matched Text outputs from Grok Imagine 1.0 and Gen-4.5
Loading video
Grok Imagine 1.0
Loading video
Gen-4.5

Video test 2

Physics

Weight, contact, momentum, and whether objects continue to behave consistently from frame to frame.

Related category score

Grok Imagine 1.0 leads here by 2.9 points.

Matched Physics outputs from Grok Imagine 1.0 and Gen-4.5
Loading video
Grok Imagine 1.0
Loading video
Gen-4.5

Video test 3

Cinematography

Framing, camera movement, lighting continuity, and whether the visual treatment follows the prompt.

Related category score

Grok Imagine 1.0 leads here by 16.7 points.

Matched Cinematography outputs from Grok Imagine 1.0 and Gen-4.5
Loading video
Grok Imagine 1.0
Loading video
Gen-4.5

Capabilities

Inputs and outputs

See full Grok Imagine 1.0 detailsSee full Gen-4.5 details
CapabilityGrok Imagine 1.0Gen-4.5
Text inputYesYes
Image inputYesYes
Video inputYesYes
Audio inputNoNo
Image outputNoNo
Audio outputNoNo

FAQ

Common questions

Is Grok Imagine 1.0 better than Gen-4.5?

Grok Imagine 1.0 is better overall and scores higher in every quality category.

Is Grok Imagine 1.0 cheaper than Gen-4.5?

Grok Imagine 1.0 costs less at $4.20 per minute, compared with $7.20 for Gen-4.5.

Does Grok Imagine 1.0 generate audio?

No, Grok Imagine 1.0 does not include audio output.

Does Gen-4.5 generate audio?

No, Gen-4.5 does not include audio output.

Which model makes longer clips, Grok Imagine 1.0 or Gen-4.5?

Grok Imagine 1.0 supports longer clips at 15 seconds, compared with 10 seconds for Gen-4.5.

Which model scores higher on 3D Animation, Grok Imagine 1.0 or Gen-4.5?

Grok Imagine 1.0 scores higher for 3D animation.

Which model scores higher on Text Fidelity, Grok Imagine 1.0 or Gen-4.5?

Grok Imagine 1.0 scores higher for text rendering.

How are Grok Imagine 1.0 and Gen-4.5 compared?

Megaton gives both models the same prompts and compares the resulting videos. Price, audio support, and maximum clip length are also checked.

Continue researching

Grok Imagine 1.0

Gen-4.5

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Methodology

How we tested Grok Imagine 1.0 and Gen-4.5

We score two things separately: how good the video looks to a reviewer, and how reliably the file itself holds up. A model can make great-looking footage and still deliver clips with freezes, bad framing, or unstable motion.

We test every model with v-benchmark v2.0, our benchmark for AI video models — the same prompts, professional reviewers, and automated reliability checks behind every score here.

Reviewer scores
Both models receive the same prompts. Professional reviewers score how well each video follows the prompt and handles motion, composition, people, objects, animals, animation, and on-screen text. Scores use a 0-100 scale.
File reliability
Automated checks review 0 clips for freezes, bad framing, compression problems, unstable motion, distorted geometry, exposure problems, and invalid file properties.
Missing scores
Categories with a score for only one model are shown but excluded from the head-to-head win count. Price and generation speed stay separate because they use different units.
Last updated
Reviewer scores and rankings use results from July 22, 2026. Reliability results use the latest completed test for each model. Provider prices and rankings can change.
How v-benchmark v2.0 worksView the complete leaderboardRead model evaluation reports
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