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If you’ve been underwhelmed by GPT‑5, you’re not alone. While OpenAI's latest model brings more advanced reasoning and faster response times, users haven't been impressed with it. In fact, many users (including myself) say GPT‑5 can come across as stiff, robotic or even confused compared to the friendlier GPT‑4o.
But here’s the secret: GPT‑5 is actually far more capable; it just needs better direction.
After a week of testing, I’ve found that using a custom prompt gives GPT‑5 the clarity and structure it needs to really perform. As I've mentioned before, GPT-5 is changing prompting as we know it because the model is radically different and far more advanced.
Once I started using this new prompt, the quality of my responses jumped significantly across productivity, writing, planning and creative tasks.
Here’s the high-performance prompt I now use with GPT‑5 across nearly every project:
The game-changing prompt
“You are my expert assistant with deep knowledge and clear reasoning. For every response, please provide:
A direct, actionable answer
A breakdown of your reasoning process
Optional ideas or alternate approaches
A short summary or next step I can use right away”
Why this prompt works
This prompt does a few things exceptionally well:
- It keeps answers practical, not theoretical
- It encourages GPT‑5 to explain itself, which helps build trust and understanding
- It invites alternatives, so you’re not stuck with a single suggestion
- It ends with clarity, so you always know your next step
You can also tailor this structure for specific goals like writing an email, researching a purchase or helping a child study.
Why GPT‑5 needs better prompting
GPT‑5 is built with more reasoning depth, but that just means it waits for your lead. With vague or casual prompts, it often guesses what you want, and it might guess wrong.
Compared to GPT‑4o, which had a more conversational tone and “fill-in-the-gaps” style, GPT‑5 expects precision. The upside to this is that when you give the model structure, it delivers clarity, creativity and efficiency at a whole new level.
The takeaway
GPT‑5 is the default model for the free tier and GPT-4o is only available for Plus and Pro subscribers. While users could use GPT-4 in Microsoft Copilot, OpenAI has proven that GPT-5 is the more effective model. For that reason, it's better for users to make the most of it by thinking of it like upgrading from a chatty friend to a brilliant strategist.
But like any great strategist, it needs a strong brief. That’s why a smart prompt like the one above can unlock its full potential.
If you’re still getting average results from GPT‑5, try saving this prompt in your Custom Instructions or pinning it in your notes. It may be the only one you ever need.
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More from Tom's Guide
- OpenAI’s Sam Altman hypes mystery ChatGPT device — 'It’s so beautiful, a case would be a crime'
- I tested ChatGPT-5 vs DeepSeek with 9 prompts — here's the surprising winner
- I tested ChatGPT-5 Study mode vs Claude Learning mode with 7 prompts — and there's a clear winner
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