Why can two strong-model assistants differ on complex tasks?

Answer: Because orchestration, context, and recovery differ

Because orchestration, context, and recovery differ ✓ — Correct! Once tasks become complex, the gap often comes from orchestration rather than raw intelligence alone. Better systems break tasks into steps, keep context coherent, decide when to call tools, retry after failure, and cleanly assemble the result. That hidden layer is exactly why two assistants using strong models can still feel worlds apart.

Because one assistant has a better avatar — Wrong. Visual polish may change trust, but it does not create reliable multi-step execution or robust recovery from failure.

Because faster typing makes the system smarter — Wrong. Typing speed is irrelevant. The real issue is whether the assistant has a strong harness around the model—good task flow, good context handling, and good tool discipline.