opus
2 questions
- AI
How do I control how much Claude thinks before it answers?
Effort levels and extended thinking are two separate controls on top of model selection. Opus 4.7 adds xhigh and adaptive reasoning; /effort sets the default for a session; Option+T shows thinking in real time. The ultrathink keyword triggers one-off max thinking.
- AI
When does fast mode pay back the higher per-token cost?
Fast mode runs the same Opus 4.6 model at 2.5x the speed for 5x the token price. It pays off for interactive debugging and tight deadlines, and it burns money on long autonomous tasks. The mid-conversation switching footgun is the main trap.