Rev the Engine

Revving the engine is a nickname I gave for performing multiple rounds of ultrathink + Plan Mode. The goal is to define the most apt plan possible prior to letting Claude take action.

The Performance Multiplier

I have found this tactic can push Claude's capabilities far beyond the base capabilities of Claude 4 Sonnet + Plan Mode + ultrathink. This approach maximizes Sonnet's potential through strategic planning before considering even more expensive alternatives like sub-agent orchestration or Claude 4 Opus.

Resource Responsibility

I believe it is incredibly important that we use the right tool for the job as AI model resources carry significant economic costs. Understanding pricing/performance helps us make more informed choices about when to opt for expensive models. This connects directly to tactical model selection principles.

The Modern Pricing Reality

Current 2025 pricing shows dramatic cost variations across model tiers:

• Premium Models: Claude 4 Opus costs $15/$75 per million tokens, while GPT-4 Standard runs $30/$60 per million tokens
• Mid-Tier Options: Claude 4 Sonnet at $3/$15 and GPT-4o at $3/$10 per million tokens offer strong performance
• Budget-Friendly: Claude 3 Haiku ($0.25/$1.25) and Gemini 2.0 Flash ($0.10/$0.40) provide cost-effective alternatives
• Subscription Tiers: Premium plans like Claude Max and ChatGPT Pro cost $200/month, while Gemini Ultra reaches $249.99/month
• Market Competition: Price wars in 2025 have led to significant reductions, with some models seeing 83% price drops from earlier versions

The Proficiency Trap

If you learn bad habits now by defaulting to expensive models for simple tasks, you'll be caught between a rock and a hard place when prices likely increase as the current competitive discount phase ends. You'll either face budget constraints forcing you to use models you're not proficient with, or continue paying premium prices for routine work that could be handled more efficiently.

Building proficiency with strategic model selection and techniques like revving the engine creates strategic options across the cost spectrum while opening opportunities to explore how enhanced planning can maximize single-model performance before using premium models or multi-agent setups.

The Rev Process

Round 1: Initial Planning

• Use ultrathink + Plan Mode to create first plan
• Identify potential gaps and weaknesses
• Note areas requiring deeper consideration

Round 2: Critique and Refine

• Critique the initial plan for missing edge cases
• Identify redundant aspects
• Apply different viewpoints and alternative approaches
• Optimize order and efficiency

Round 3: Final Optimization

• Consolidate improvements from previous rounds
• Validate assumptions and dependencies
• Create the most robust plan possible
• Prepare for execution with confidence

The Innovation Challenge

The more creative and innovative we can be with the strategic allocation of resources, the better. Understanding the cost/performance ratio of each model enables informed decision-making about when to apply enhanced techniques to cheaper models versus upgrading to premium models. This optimization mindset aligns with agent-first design principles.

Learning these optimization techniques now sets me up for whatever changes come to models or pricing. I am ready for whatever AI evolution comes next, ideally Claude 4 Haiku...

Performance Tuning

Revving the engine transforms Sonnet into a precision instrument. Multiple critique rounds create plans so robust they can save you from opting for Opus. Master this technique to maximize single-agent performance before escalating to multi-agent workflows.

See Also: Ultrathink++|Plan Mode|Tactical Model Selection