Choose Claude models by task shape rather than by habit or status anxiety.
The real question is not Which model do I like? It is What could go wrong on this task? Four routing cues Look at reasoning depth, context load, latency pressure, and the cost of a shallow answer. Those four cues tell you more than brand-level preferences ever will. The operating rule Use the lightest model that can succeed without babysitting. Move up only when the task repeatedly breaks on nuance, long context, or harder reasoning. Common trap People often upgrade because the audience is senior. Visibility is not the same thing as complexity.
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