Google recently launched Gemini 2.5 Pro (version 0605), claiming dominance in reasoning, mathematics, science, and programming. To validate these assertions, I conducted rigorous testing, generating everything from polished data visualization reports to a fully interactive React virtual gallery—all powered by this model.
Here’s what you’ll discover in this review:
Coding Prowess: Real-world performance in front-end animation and complex app development.
Logic & Creativity: How Gemini 2.5 Pro stacks up against o3 in reasoning and narrative craftsmanship.
End-to-End Workflow: My iterative process for building a React app and data report.
Multi-Model Faceoff: Direct comparisons with o3 and Claude 4 across diverse tasks.
I. Code Capabilities: From Animations to Full Applications
Google touts Gemini 2.5 Pro’s top scores on WebDevArena, a blind-test platform where users anonymously vote on AI-generated front-end outputs. But benchmarks ≠ real-world utility. Here’s how it performed:
Front-End Animation: Where Art Meets Engineering
Dancing Terracotta Warriors:
While older models produced robotic “calisthenics,” Gemini 2.5 Pro generated fluid, breakdance-like sequences with dynamic floor moves.
Interactive 3D Menger Sponge (P5.js):
Created a responsive fractal explorer: mouse-click to refine detail, scroll to zoom, drag to rotate—all with smooth gradient rendering.
Infinite Stellar Voyage
o3 Output: Functional but lacked depth.
Gemini 2.5 Pro: Rendered a cinematic starfield with parallax layers and warp-speed effects—my personal favorite.
Claw Machine Simulator
Gemini’s version featured realistic physics, dynamic lighting, and intuitive joystick controls—outperforming rivals in interactivity polish.
II. Logic & Creativity: Clash of the AI Titans
Raw coding skill isn’t enough; elite models must master reasoning and storytelling.
Logic Test: “Who Won the Funding?”
Problem: Three teams (A/B/C) compete for grants under complex rules.
o3: Eliminated C logically but couldn’t resolve A vs. B—rigorous yet incomplete.
Gemini 2.5 Pro: Declared B the winner via meta-reasoning:
“Since logic puzzles must have unique solutions, and B is the only team without contradictions—B wins.”
Verdict: Clever but unsound. o3 demonstrated stricter deductive rigor.
Creative Writing: Lighthouse Keeper & Cat
Warm/Touching Style:
o3: Poetic and vivid (“amber-eyed cat,” “counting stars with seashell songs”).
Gemini: Coherent but flat—read like a children’s book draft.
Gothic/Horror Style:
o3: Chilling atmosphere (“Is the lighthouse a sanctuary or a tribunal?”).
Gemini: Forced eeriness (“I am both the eye’s warden and its captive”)—weaker emotional pull.
Conclusion: o3 dominates narrative depth and stylistic versatility.
III. Tabular Data → Visualization Report
Parsing complex tables remains a notorious LLM pain point.
Gemini 2.5 Pro: Instantly summarized multi-model benchmark tables with 98% accuracy—zero tooling required.
o3: Used Code Interpreter for Python processing but misinterpreted Gemini-2-Flash’s video capabilities after minutes of computation.
Edge: Gemini’s native multi-modal understanding enables swift, precise data digestion.
IV. Build Quest: React Virtual Gallery from Scratch
Goal: A React app where users:
Upload images → display in 3D gallery
Click artwork for details + AI voice narration
Development Saga:
Initial Hurdle: Gemini refused to use React Router v7, claiming it was “alpha”—required manual override.
Context Amnesia: Forgot core features (e.g., image uploads) mid-task.
Debugging Hell: Syntax errors, dependency clashes, and runtime crashes plagued every iteration.
Final Collapse: Suggested “reinstall Node.js” after failing to resolve state-management bugs.
Claude Sonnet 4 Rescue: Fixed all issues in 1/3 the time.
Reality Check: Gemini excels as a “snippet generator” but falters in multi-step project orchestration.
Conclusion: Strengths, Gaps & Verdict
✅ Strengths:
Elite Front-End Code: Stunning animations/UI components (e.g., 3D interactives).
Cost Efficiency: ~4.4x cheaper input tokens than o3; ideal for budget-sensitive workflows.
Multi-Modal Agility: Tables, docs → visualizations sans external tools.
⚠️ Weaknesses:
Logic Rigor: Falls short of o3’s structured reasoning.
Creative Nuance: Lacks o3’s lyrical depth and tonal control.
Project Scalability: Crashes under complex, context-heavy builds.
Final Thought: Gemini 2.5 Pro (0605) is a front-end virtuoso and data whisperer—but for mission-critical logic or end-to-end engineering, o3 remains the sherpa.
Tested on Google AI Studio (Free Tier) | All images generated/curated by Gemini 2.5 Pro