OpenAI's previous generation image model with higher quality than DALL-E 2 and support for larger resolutions
Settled by community votes across 8 shared challenges, with an AI judge weighing in on each.
DALL-E 3
20.4
arena score
#39 of 62 in Text-to-Image
Skill signature
· Text-to-Image
Qwen Image Max
21.3
arena score
#35 of 62 in Text-to-Image
Vote tally
Where the votes landed
DALL-E 3
0%
win rate
Ties
0%
Qwen Image Max
0%
win rate
Shared challenges
8
Challenge by challenge
The strongest take from each model on every shared challenge, with the AI judge's read.
Geometric Composition
Text-to-Image“A glass cube on a wooden table. Inside the cube is a small blue sphere. On top of the cube sits a red book. A green plant is behind the cube, partially visible through the glass. Soft window light from the left.”
DALL-E 3
Qwen Image Max
AI Judge Analysis
DALL-E 3
- + High artistic detail with intricate textures on the wood and sphere.
- + Excellent lighting and shadow work that creates a cinematic atmosphere.
- − Failed the spatial request; the red book is inside the cube instead of on top.
- − The cube has a wooden frame that wasn't requested.
- − The sphere is overly complex, containing a landscape rather than being a simple blue sphere.
Qwen Image Max
- + Perfect adherence to all spatial instructions, placing the book on top and the sphere inside.
- + Realistic glass reflections and light refraction through the cube.
- + Accurately depicts the soft window light from the left side.
- − The sphere appears to be floating without a physical connection, which may look slightly unnatural.
- − The plant in the background is a bit blurry.
Verdict: Qwen Image Max followed the complex spatial instructions perfectly, placing every object exactly as requested. DALL-E 3 produced a more visually artistic image but failed significantly on prompt adherence by placing the book inside the cube and adding an unrequested wooden frame.
Fantasy Warrior
Text-to-Image“Close portrait of a battle-worn paladin in ornate engraved plate armor, hair braided with small beads, faint scars and dirt on the skin, warm torchlight reflecting off metal, shallow depth of field, bokeh sparks, lifelike eyes, highly detailed texture on leather straps and cloth underlayer.”
DALL-E 3
Qwen Image Max
AI Judge Analysis
DALL-E 3
- + Excellent shallow depth of field and warm lighting effects.
- + Highly detailed engraving on the plate armor.
- + Complex skin textures with visible pores and realistic hair rendering.
- − Missed the prompt requirement for 'braided hair with small beads'.
- − The scars look slightly painted on rather than deep or aged.
Qwen Image Max
- + Perfectly captured the 'braided hair with small beads' detail.
- + Exceptional skin texture following the 'dirt' and 'battle-worn' prompts.
- + Strong adherence to the 'leather straps' and 'cloth underlayer' texturing.
- − Lighting is a bit flat compared to the dramatic orange hues of the other model.
- − The bokeh sparks appear a bit more like static noise than blurred light.
Verdict: Qwen Image Max followed the prompt much more accurately, specifically including the braided hair and beads which DALL-E 3 completely ignored. While DALL-E 3 produced a more cinematically lit and crisp image, Qwen Image Max captured the gritty, battle-worn character essence and material details more effectively.
Magic Burger Explosion: Fiery Photorealism Challenge
Text-to-Image“Ad for 'Magic Burger'. Dynamic, exploded burger with all components (bun, patty, cheese, lettuce, tomato, sauce) suspended in mid-air. Emphasize photorealistic detail and a sense of motion. Dark, fiery background with glowing embers. Integrate text: 'MAGIC BURGER' as a prominent title, 'LIMITED TIME ONLY' as a secondary message, and '€6.99' in a starburst, all rendered with a fiery, glowing effect.”
DALL-E 3
Qwen Image Max
AI Judge Analysis
DALL-E 3
- + Excellent exploded view with clear separation of every ingredient
- + Highly creative lighting that makes the food appear to glow internally
- + Crisp, photorealistic texture on the patty and bun
- − Several spelling errors in the text including 'MAGIC BURGR' and 'Limiited'
- − The price is contained in a rectangle rather than the requested starburst
Qwen Image Max
- + Perfect text rendering for all requested elements with no spelling errors
- + Accurately follows the starburst requirement for the price tag
- + Strong adherence to the fiery, glowing effect on a dark background
- − The burger is not fully 'exploded'; many components are still touching or only slightly offset
- − The lettuce and tomato on the right look slightly less integrated into the physics of the scene
Verdict: Qwen Image Max is the superior choice because it perfectly rendered all requested text without spelling errors and followed specific layout instructions like the starburst. While DALL-E 3 achieved a more dramatic exploded effect and high-end food photography lighting, the significant typos in the main title and secondary text make it unusable for an advertisement.
The Capybara Taxi Driver
Text-to-Image“Photorealistic scene inside a yellow New York taxi at night. A capybara is driving, wearing a yellow taxi driver cap and a dark jacket. It has a calm, professional expression and both front paws on the steering wheel. In the back seat sits a human businesswoman in a coat, looking at her phone with a completely normal, bored expression (as if this is just another normal ride). Through the windows you can see the streets of Manhattan at night with blurred lights. Realistic taxi interior, photorealistic, detailed fur and fabric, 35mm lens, night lighting with reflections, shallow depth of field.”
DALL-E 3
Qwen Image Max
AI Judge Analysis
DALL-E 3
- + Excellent texture on the capybara's fur
- + Crisp, vibrant lighting that feels cinematic
- + Cleverly includes a building sign that says CAPYBARA in the background
- − Fails to include the human businesswoman in the back seat
- − The capybara's paws look more like human hands with fur
- − The dashboard and steering wheel look a bit simplified
Qwen Image Max
- + Successfully follows all prompt instructions, including the businesswoman in the back
- + The capybara looks more like a real animal in its anatomy and expression
- + The taxi interior feels more lived-in and realistic with wear and tear
- − The roof of the taxi shows major artifacts/textures that look like cracks or digital noise
- − The businesswoman's face is slightly distorted
- − Lighting is a bit flatter than in the other image
Verdict: Qwen Image Max is the clear winner for prompt adherence as it successfully included the businesswoman in the back seat, which DALL-E 3 completely omitted. While DALL-E 3 has higher artistic polish and cleverer background details, Qwen Image Max captured the intended narrative of the scene much more accurately.
The Halloween Invitation
Text-to-Image“Vintage gothic Halloween party invitation. Dark parchment poster, spooky border with webs and thorns, central glowing jack-o-lantern, bats, twisted trees, moody night sky. Add elegant gothic title text saying "Halloween Party Invitation", a small scroll banner saying "You are invited to a night of frights", and event details at the bottom: Date: 30.10.2026 Time: 7pm Location: The Arches, NYC Spooky but polished, cinematic lighting, square format.”
DALL-E 3
Qwen Image Max
AI Judge Analysis
DALL-E 3
- + Exquisite cinematic lighting and depth
- + Highly detailed gothic 3D ornamentation and frame
- + Captures a very authentic vintage parchment texture
- − Text rendering is largely illegible gibberish at the bottom
- − Failed to include the specific banner phrase accurately
- − The layout is more of a decorative piece than a functional invitation
Qwen Image Max
- + Perfect adherence to all requested text and event details
- + Includes all prompt elements like the thorn border and crescent moon
- + Clear, legible layout that functions as a real invitation
- − Visual style is a bit more 'clip-art' and less atmospheric than the competitor
- − The jack-o-lantern rendering is slightly generic
- − Less sophisticated use of shadows and texture
Verdict: DALL-E 3 produces a much more visually stunning and atmospheric piece of art, but it fails significantly on the textual requirements, producing nonsensical characters. Qwen Image Max perfectly follows every instruction, including the specific date, time, and location, making it the only usable result for a real invitation despite its flatter aesthetic.
Isometric Miniature Diorama Scenes
Text-to-Image“Create a clear, 45° top-down isometric miniature 3D cartoon scene of Japan's signature dish: sushi, with soft refined textures, realistic PBR materials, gentle lighting, on a small raised diorama base with minimal garnish and plate. Solid light blue background. At top-center: 'JAPAN' in large bold text, 'SUSHI' below it, small flag icon. Perfectly centered, ultra-clean, high-clarity, square format.”
DALL-E 3
Qwen Image Max
AI Judge Analysis
DALL-E 3
- + Excellent stylized miniature 3D aesthetic
- + Consistent lighting and soft PBR textures
- + Creative use of the diorama base to include text and iconography
- − Failed to include the word 'SUSHI' as requested
- − Text was not placed at the top-center
- − Simplified sushi shapes lean more towards toy-like than realistic cartoon sushi
Qwen Image Max
- + Perfect adherence to text placement and content instructions
- + Highly realistic PBR textures on the fish and rice while maintaining a clean look
- + Accurate 45-degree isometric perspective and diorama base transparency
- − Garnish is slightly more complex than the 'minimal' request but still high quality
- − Shadows on the glass base are slightly less soft compared to Model A
Verdict: Qwen Image Max followed the layout and text instructions perfectly, placing the correct labels and icon at the top-center while maintaining high-quality PBR materials. DALL-E 3 created a charming 3D model but failed the specific text requirements, omitting the word 'SUSHI' and moving the remaining text to the base.
Adorable Baby Animals in Sunny Meadow
Text-to-Image“Hyper-photorealistic scene of fluffy baby animals—a golden retriever puppy, tabby kitten, baby bunny, and red fox kit—with big expressive eyes and ultra-detailed soft fur, playfully chasing butterflies and tumbling together in a lush wildflower meadow, warm golden sunrise light with god rays and dew sparkles, joyful wholesome vibe, 8K masterpiece.”
DALL-E 3
Qwen Image Max
AI Judge Analysis
DALL-E 3
- + Very expressive eyes and charming characters
- + High-quality fur textures and lighting
- + Strong adherence to the 'wholesome' and 'joyful' vibe
- − The butterflies have weird bird-like furry bodies with ears
- − Missing a distinct tabby kitten, as the feline looks more like a squirrel/cat hybrid
- − Lean more toward illustrative than 'hyper-photorealistic'
Qwen Image Max
- + Achieves a much more realistic, photographic look for the animals
- + Perfectly captures the 'tumbling together' action requested
- + Accurate depiction of a tabby kitten and red fox
- − Missing the baby bunny requested in the prompt
- − Includes an extra golden retriever puppy not specifically asked for
- − One of the pup's paws is merging into another pup's head
Verdict: Qwen Image Max delivers a much more realistic style and captures the playful 'tumbling' interaction better than DALL-E 3, although it misses the bunny. DALL-E 3 creates a very cute scene but fails significantly on the details of the butterflies (adding mammal heads to them) and the species identification of the cat. Qwen Image Max is preferred for its superior photorealism and accurate anatomy, despite the missing character.
Vintage Cafe Logo
Text-to-Image“Vintage minimalist restaurant logo for "Caffè Florian", retro cloche dome with steam and "Est. 1720" banner, classic typography, warm brown and cream tones, subtle texture on light background, vector emblem style.”
DALL-E 3
Qwen Image Max
AI Judge Analysis
DALL-E 3
- + Strong vector emblem aesthetic with great stippling textures
- + High resolution with clean, sharp lines for a logo style
- + Correctly included the established date in a clear typeface
- − Failed to include the primary text 'Caffè Florian', replacing it with 'COFFEE HOUSE'
- − The steam effect is slightly disconnected from the cloche
Qwen Image Max
- + Perfect adherence to the prompt text including the specific name and date
- + Excellent vintage paper texture that matches the requested warm tones
- + Cloche design is clean and professionally rendered for a logo
- − Typography for the name feels a bit modern compared to the 'Est. 1720' banner
- − Steam effect is somewhat thick and less elegant than typical minimalist vectors
Verdict: Qwen Image Max is the clear winner because it correctly followed the instructions to include the name 'Caffè Florian', whereas DALL-E 3 hallucinated the generic text 'COFFEE HOUSE'. Qwen Image Max also delivered a more authentic vintage paper texture and a layout that aligns better with standard emblem design.
Next steps
Explore each model
The Max series of Tongyi Qwen’s image generation model excels across a wide range of generation tasks. Compared with the Plus series, it significantly reduces the “AI-like” feel in generated images, enhancing their realism. It delivers more lifelike material textures for human subjects, finer and more detailed natural textures, and more visually appealing text rendering.