GPT-6 Astra flunks complex PCB routing after 2h20m and 15% of weekly limits in biggest public test
yacineMTB · x · 2026-09-05
Developer jlcjak ran the biggest public experiment on GPT-6 Astra's PCB capabilities: a single prompt to generate a complete six-layer KiCad CM5 dual-NVMe carrier board, then a request to fully route it.
Key findings:
- Prompt-to-routed-board works; Astra beats Sol at schematics, though layouts remain uglier than Fable5.1 — while being 6x faster and consuming far fewer quota credits
- For routing it leans heavily on open-source auto-router Freerouting, hand-drawing roughly half the traces itself
- Its workflow is iteration-heavy: route the whole board, take notes, restart from scratch. After 2h20 on "fast" and 15% of a 20x weekly limit, it was still iterating (5th attempt, unfinished by its own estimate)
- Verdict: Astra is not helpful for routing complicated PCBs
All design files are open-sourced on GitHub (astrapiNas) for reproducibility.
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