Claude Opus 5.5 is Anthropic's September 22nd, 2026 Opus refresh — Fable-level everyday help at $4/$20. Our tests score helpfulness 97.0, instruction following 98.0, and comprehension 98.0, just behind Claude Fable 5.1. Empathy is 95.5: warm and careful, short of Fable's 97.0. Creative writing is 94.0: clearer than Opus 5's 78.0, still less literary than Fable's 97.0. Speed is 54.0 with thinking always on. Best when you want Fable-like follow-through without Fable's bill.