Black Forest Labs' 12 billion parameter distilled image generation model optimized for speed, capable of generating high-quality images in just 4 inference steps
Settled by community votes across 13 shared challenges, with an AI judge weighing in on each.
FLUX.1 [schnell]
#48 of 62 in Text-to-Image
FLUX.2 [flex]
#14 of 62 in Text-to-Image
Where the votes landed
FLUX.1 [schnell]
0%
win rate
Ties
0%
FLUX.2 [flex]
0%
win rate
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.”
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Excellent photorealism in the wood grain and leaf textures.
- + Accurate refractions and reflections within the glass cube.
- − Failed the spatial logic by placing a second sphere on top of the book.
- − The sphere inside appears to be floating without a visible support or base.
FLUX.2 [flex]
- + High adherence to all prompt constraints including placement and colors.
- + Realistic lighting and shadows consistent with window light from the left.
- + Composition feels natural and follows the specific arrangement requested.
- − The glass thickness on the bottom edges looks slightly inconsistent.
- − The blue sphere has a very matte texture that contrasts slightly with the glass environment.
Verdict: FLUX.2 [flex] followed the prompt instructions perfectly, placing exactly one sphere inside the cube and the book on top. FLUX.1 [schnell] produced a highly detailed image but hallucinated an extra blue sphere on top of the red book, which contradicted the prompt.
Candid Street Photography
Text-to-Image“A candid street photo of an elderly Japanese man repairing a red bicycle in light rain, reflections on wet pavement, shallow depth of field, 50mm lens, natural skin texture, imperfect framing, motion blur from passing cars, cinematic but realistic, no stylization.”
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Excellent depiction of wet surfaces and reflections on the pavement.
- + The bicycle design is coherent and realistically rendered.
- + Strong character portrait with natural skin texture and expression.
- − Lack of motion blur on the passing cars, which appear sharp and static.
- − No visible rain falling despite the wet ground conditions.
- − The pose suggests leaning on the bike more than actively repairing it.
FLUX.2 [flex]
- + Successfully incorporates motion blur into the passing vehicles as requested.
- + Captures the sense of light rain with visible streaks and atmospheric haze.
- + The 'imperfect framing' is well-executed with the foreground pole, enhancing the candid street photo feel.
- − The structural integrity of the bicycle's rear frame is physically impossible.
- − The subject's hands are mangled and blending into the bike's chain/frame.
- − Noticeable anatomy issues with the man's left leg and foot positioning.
Verdict: FLUX.1 [schnell] creates a much cleaner, more aesthetically pleasing image with a realistic bicycle and high-quality character details, though it misses the specific request for motion blur and visible rain. FLUX.2 [flex] follows the technical prompts for motion blur, rain, and framing much better, but fails significantly on fine details like hands and the mechanics of the bike. FLUX.1 [schnell] is the likely winner as its failures are omissions of style, whereas FLUX.2 [flex] has jarring structural hallucinations.
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.”
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Extremely tight and cinematic composition that emphasizes the intense expression
- + Outstanding skin texture showing realistic pores and subtle grit
- + Dynamic lighting with strong orange highlights that feel integrated into the environment
- − Misses several key prompt details like beads in the hair and bokeh sparks
- − The armor is partially cropped out, reducing the visual impact of the 'engraved plate'
FLUX.2 [flex]
- + Accurately includes specific prompt details like beads in the braids, visible sparks, and clear scars
- + Excellent rendering of the ornate engraved armor and leather strap textures
- + Successfully balances a wide range of materials from metal to woolly cloth underlayers
- − The facial skin texture is slightly smoother and less 'battle-worn' than Model A
- − Lighting on the face feels a bit flat compared to the dramatic highlights on the armor
Verdict: While FLUX.1 [schnell] captures a more intense and cinematic portrait with superior skin realism, it fails to include several specific elements of the prompt. FLUX.2 [flex] is the superior image for this challenge as it successfully incorporates the braided beads, bokeh sparks, and highly detailed engraved armor mentioned in the request, while maintaining a high level of overall visual quality.
Modern Clean Menu
Text-to-Image“Modern minimalist restaurant menu design, white background with colorful food photos in grid, sections for appetizers/pizza/mains, bold sans-serif fonts, vibrant accents, clean professional layout for casual dining.”
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Features a clean, extremely minimalist layout that matches the 'modern' part of the prompt well.
- + The image grid is perfectly aligned.
- − Text rendering is very poor with several illegible gibberish words.
- − The food photos lack variety, showing mostly pizza-like items even in the appetizers section.
- − The 'ORFEFUS' section is nonsensical and fails to include the requested headers.
FLUX.2 [flex]
- + Stronger prompt adherence with distinct color-coded sections for 'Pizza' and 'Mains'.
- + Includes realistic pricing and legitimate-looking menu item names.
- + The food photography is higher quality and more varied, fitting the casual dining aesthetic.
- − The main header 'APPETIZERS' is a prompt adherence error where it should likely say 'MENU'.
- − Contains some overlapping text artifacts under the main header.
Verdict: FLUX.2 [flex] produced a much more functional and visually appealing menu design with professional-looking food photography and clear hierarchy. While FLUX.1 [schnell] followed the layout requirements, its poor text quality and lack of section variety made it less effective as a design piece. FLUX.2 [flex] felt more like a usable professional asset despite the header naming error.
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.”
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Strong photorealistic textures on the main burger patty and bun.
- + Dynamic sense of motion with flying ingredients.
- + Good depth of field in the background.
- − Major text error: 'AGIC BURGER' instead of 'MAGIC BURGER'.
- − Confusing and redundant price elements including '€699'.
- − Exploded view is messy with unrecognizable toasted chunks.
FLUX.2 [flex]
- + Perfect text adherence with fiery, glowing effects on all requested strings.
- + Clear 'exploded' view that separates specific burger components as requested.
- + Very professional layout and composition suitable for a real advertisement.
- − The 'starburst' for the price is a bit simple in design.
- − The background flame effects are slightly more stylized/illustrative than photoreal.
Verdict: FLUX.2 [flex] overwhelmingly wins this challenge by following every text instruction perfectly and creating a clean, professional-grade advertisement. FLUX.1 [schnell] failed significantly on the typography, misspelling the title and creating a cluttered, nonsensical price area.
Chalkboard Menu
Text-to-Image“Handwritten-style chalkboard menu in a cozy café, all text rendered in the exact same realistic chalk handwriting style with natural variations in letter size, slight slant, and chalk texture — no printed or digital fonts anywhere on the board. Title at the top in elegant cursive chalk handwriting: ‘TODAY’S SPECIALS – APRIL 30, 2026’. Below it, three menu items also in the same handwritten chalk style: ‘Truffle Mushroom Risotto – $24’, ‘Grilled Octopus with Lemon & Herbs – $28’, ‘Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies – $9’. At the very bottom, smaller text in the identical handwritten chalk style (slightly smaller but still clearly legible with the same handwriting characteristics): ‘All items made fresh daily • Ask about our gluten-free options’. Warm ambient café lighting, visible chalk dust and smudges, realistic handwriting imperfections, no clean printed text anywhere.”
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Captures a realistic chalk marker aesthetic.
- + Provides a clear, centered composition.
- − Failed significantly on text accuracy with numerous spelling errors like 'Taffle' and 'Pril'.
- − Did not follow the cursive instruction for the title.
- − The text looks more like a digital pen than textured chalk.
FLUX.2 [flex]
- + Excellent text accuracy, correctly rendering all menu items and dates.
- + Beautifully rendered chalk texture with realistic smudges and varied pressure.
- + Followed all stylistic instructions including the elegant cursive title.
- − The 'o' in 'Octopus' is slightly irregular, though this fits the 'handwritten' request.
Verdict: FLUX.2 [flex] far outperformed FLUX.1 [schnell] in this challenge by following all text and stylistic prompts with near-perfect accuracy. While FLUX.1 [schnell] struggled with spelling and failed the cursive requirement, FLUX.2 [flex] delivered a sophisticated, moody café aesthetic with convincing chalk textures and legible, accurate handwriting.
The Reversed Rodeo
Text-to-Image“Horse riding astronaut in space — horse on top, not vice versa. Surreal, highly detailed, cinematic.”
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Excellent adherence to the 'horse on top' request with the horse actually saddled and riding the astronaut
- + Clean, cinematic lighting and high resolution
- + Creative interpretation where the astronaut's suit is the mount
- − Anatomical glitch featuring two horse heads merging
- − The astronaut's anatomy and helmet placement are somewhat incoherent
FLUX.2 [flex]
- + Strong surreal aesthetic with vibrant galaxy colors and asteroids
- + Better execution of the horse's anatomy compared to Model A
- + Clearly captures the space theme with high detail
- − The horse is being carried by the astronaut rather than 'riding' it
- − The astronaut's limbs and gloves have some clipping issues with the horse's legs
Verdict: FLUX.1 [schnell] followed the difficult spatial reasoning of the prompt much better, placing the horse on top in a riding position, though it suffered from a major anatomical glitch with two heads. FLUX.2 [flex] produced a more visually stunning and polished image, but ultimately failed the prompt by having the astronaut carry the horse instead of the horse riding the astronaut.
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.”
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Excellent fur texture on the capybara
- + Clear and accurate text on the driver hat
- + Strong depth of field with realistic bokeh lighting
- − The steering wheel placement looks detached from the vehicle structure
- − The capybara only has one paw near the wheel instead of both on it
- − Internal car geometry is slightly confused in the upper left
FLUX.2 [flex]
- + Perfect adherence to 'both front paws on the steering wheel'
- + Excellent composition that clearly shows both the capybara and the businesswoman
- + Highly realistic taxi interior details including the dash and headrests
- − The capybara paws look slightly more like humanoid hands with fur
- − The taxi light on top of the car is visible through the roof in a way that defies physics
Verdict: FLUX.2 [flex] followed the prompt more precisely, successfully placing both paws on the steering wheel and clearly depicting both characters in a balanced composition. FLUX.1 [schnell] had better fur texture for the capybara, but failed the specific request for paw placement and had less coherent vehicle interior geometry.
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.”
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Includes all aesthetic elements like bats, trees, and thorns.
- + Vibrant glowing effect on the Jack-o-lantern.
- − Several typos in the text including 'firiichts', 'Tive', and repeated words.
- − Format is slightly messy with redundant date and time lines.
FLUX.2 [flex]
- + Perfect text rendering with zero spelling errors across all fields.
- + Strong adherence to the 'dark parchment' and 'gothic' aesthetic.
- + Professional layout that looks like a real invitation.
- − The Jack-o-lantern is less 'central' vertically than Model A, but still well-placed.
Verdict: FLUX.2 [flex] successfully followed every instruction, providing flawless text rendering for the title, banner, and event details. FLUX.1 [schnell] struggled significantly with the text, producing several nonsensical words and layout redundancies.
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.”
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Excellent high-clarity PBR materials with realistic subsurface scattering on the fish
- + Clean isometric diorama base with high-quality rendering
- + Very clean and minimal aesthetic
- − Failed to include the word 'SUSHI' in the text
- − The sushi roll/nigiri hybrid looks a bit physically illogical
FLUX.2 [flex]
- + Perfect adherence to all text requirements including 'JAPAN' and 'SUSHI'
- + Provides a more complete representation of a sushi platter
- + Strong cartoon/miniature aesthetic that feels cohesive
- − Lighting and shadows are slightly flatter than model A
- − Texture on the salmon is less realistic compared to the PBR request
Verdict: While FLUX.1 [schnell] produced a more visually stunning 3D render with superior material quality, it failed to include half of the requested text. FLUX.2 [flex] followed every instruction of the prompt perfectly, including the specific text arrangement and the flag icon, making it the more accurate tool for this challenge.
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.”
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Warm, vibrant color palette with high saturation
- + Crisp focus on the animals' faces
- + Lovely bokeh effect in the background flowers
- − Failed to include a rabbit, instead showing two cat-like creatures
- − Character anatomy is slightly stylized rather than photorealistic
- − Composition feels a bit crowded and static
FLUX.2 [flex]
- + Successfully included all four distinct animals: puppy, kitten, bunny, and fox
- + Excellent capture of 'god rays' and dew sparkles as requested
- + Dynamic action pose with animals actually 'tumbling' and 'chasing'
- − The butterfly shapes are a bit irregular upon close inspection
- − The fox's front leg has a slightly awkward transition into the grass
Verdict: While FLUX.1 [schnell] creates a beautiful and vibrant image, it completely fails the prompt's requirement to include a baby bunny. FLUX.2 [flex] adheres perfectly to the complex prompt, capturing all four specific animals with a more dynamic composition and superior lighting effects like god rays and dew drops.
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.”
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Excellent vector lines and overall aesthetic balance
- + Rich, saturated color palette that fits the 'vintage' request
- − Significant spelling errors in the brand name ('CAFEE FRAMILAN')
- − Incorrect date ('7720' instead of '1720')
- − Missing the 'steam' element requested
FLUX.2 [flex]
- + Perfect adherence to all text requirements including 'Caffè Florian' and 'Est. 1720'
- + Includes all requested elements like the cloche, steam, and banner
- + Clean, minimalist composition suitable for a modern-vintage logo
- − The 'steam' graphic is slightly off-center from the cloche handle
- − Composition is a bit more generic compared to the intricate framing of Model A
Verdict: While FLUX.1 [schnell] has a very attractive design style, it fails significantly on prompt adherence by misspelling the brand name and getting the date wrong. FLUX.2 [flex] successfully captures every requested detail with perfect text rendering and the inclusion of the steam effect, making it the clear winner for this task.
Apollo 11: Journey to Tranquility
Text-to-Image“Create a clean, modern vector infographic poster about the Apollo 11 mission. NASA-inspired palette (navy, white, muted red, light gray). Flat-vector style, crisp lines, consistent iconography, subtle gradients only. Steps (stop at landing): 1. Launch (Saturn Vicon) 2. Earth Orbit (Earth + orbit ring icon) 3. Translunar (trajectory arc icon) 4. Lunar Orbit (Moon + orbit ring icon) 5. Descent (lunar module descending icon) 6. Landing (lunar module on the surface icon) Small supporting elements (minimal text): • Crew strip: three silhouette icons with only last names: Armstrong, Aldrin, Collins. • Landing site marker: Moon pin labeled "Tranquility" only. Layout constraints: generous margins, large readable labels, clean background with subtle stars. Vector-only, print-poster look, high resolution.”
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Successfully uses the requested NASA-inspired color palette
- + Good use of flat vector aesthetics with subtle gradients
- − Text is largely gibberish and ignores the specific step labels
- − The layout is muddled and fails to clearly delineate the 6-step sequence
- − Central graphic is confusing and doesn't clearly represent the Earth-Moon trajectory
FLUX.2 [flex]
- + Excellent adherence to the 6-step sequence with accurate labels
- + Highly legible typography and crisp, professional layout
- + Iconography perfectly matches the prompt descriptions for each phase
- − Missing the final 6th step (Landing on surface) as it stops at Descent
- − The Saturn V icon is a bit simplified compared to the other technical drawings
Verdict: FLUX.2 [flex] produced a professional, legible, and logically structured infographic that followed the sequential numbering and labeling instructions almost perfectly. In contrast, FLUX.1 [schnell] generated a disorganized layout with unintelligible text that failed the primary goal of being an informative infographic.
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