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Expose Token Consumption Factor in UI for Better Model Selection #20266

@alexandre-leng

Description

@alexandre-leng

What variant of Codex are you using?

App

What feature would you like to see?

Hi everyone,

I’d like to suggest an improvement focused on transparency of token consumption across models directly in the interface.

While different models are already available, there is currently no clear, immediate way for users to understand the relative cost or token usage impact of each option when making a selection.

From a user perspective, choosing a model is often done without visibility into how it affects:

Token consumption
Subscription usage
Overall efficiency

Proposed Improvement

Introduce a simple and intuitive consumption indicator displayed in the UI, such as:

0.25× tokens → lightweight usage
0.5× tokens → balanced usage
1× tokens → full capability

This indicator would be shown directly alongside model selection, making trade-offs instantly understandable.

Why this matters

Helps users make informed decisions in real time
Encourages using the right level of intelligence for the task
Improves cost control and subscription longevity
Reduces unnecessary compute usage
Creates a more transparent and predictable experience

Key point

This is not about adding new models, but about making existing differences visible and actionable through a clear scaling factor.

Today, the cost exists — but it is implicit.
Making it explicit would significantly improve usability.

Additional context

A simple relative indicator is enough. It doesn’t need to expose exact pricing, just a clear and consistent comparison baseline between models.

Thanks for your consideration.

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    appIssues related to the Codex desktop appenhancementNew feature or requestrate-limitsIssues related to rate limits, quotas, and token usage reporting

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