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]
18.7
arena score
#48 of 62 in Text-to-Image
Skill signature
· Text-to-Image
FLUX.2 [max]
25.8
arena score
#10 of 62 in Text-to-Image
Vote tally
Where the votes landed
FLUX.1 [schnell]
0%
win rate
Ties
0%
FLUX.2 [max]
0%
win rate
Shared challenges
13
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.”
FLUX.1 [schnell]
FLUX.2 [max]
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Strong, vibrant colors and high clarity
- + Pleasing composition with a large leafy plant
- − Included an extra blue sphere on top of the book not requested in the prompt
- − The sphere inside appears to be floating unnaturally without proper shadow or contact details on the bottom
FLUX.2 [max]
- + Perfect adherence to all spatial instructions in the prompt
- + Realistic lighting and reflections with dust/texture on the glass
- + Correct placement of sphere, book, and plant
- − Background plant is slightly more blurred compared to Model A
Verdict: FLUX.2 [max] significantly outperformed FLUX.1 [schnell] by adhering strictly to the prompt without adding extra elements. While FLUX.1 [schnell] produced a high-quality image, it hallucinated an additional sphere on top of the book, whereas FLUX.2 [max] maintained better physical grounding and lighting accuracy.
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.”
FLUX.1 [schnell]
FLUX.2 [max]
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Accurate depiction of wet asphalt textures and reflections.
- + Strong bokeh effect that isolates the subject well.
- + Natural color palette which contributes to a cinematic feel.
- − The man is holding the handlebars rather than repairing the bike.
- − Cars in the background are stationary and lack the requested motion blur.
- − Anatomical issues with the man's hands appearing fused and distorted.
FLUX.2 [max]
- + Excellent adherence to the 'repairing' aspect of the prompt with a functional pose.
- + Clearly visible rain droplets on the bicycle and jacket.
- + Effective use of motion blur on the passing vehicle in the background.
- − The facial features of the man are somewhat inconsistent and muddy in detail.
- − Composition is slightly crowded toward the right edge.
Verdict: FLUX.2 [max] is the winner because it identifies the core action of the prompt ('repairing') more accurately than FLUX.1 [schnell], which depicts the man simply standing with the bike. FLUX.2 [max] also successfully incorporates the requested motion blur for traffic and visible rain, whereas FLUX.1 [schnell] creates a cleaner, more static image that misses several technical prompt requirements.
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.”
FLUX.1 [schnell]
FLUX.2 [max]
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Extremely sharp facial skin texture and realistic eye detail.
- + Captures the warm torchlight reflection on the face and armor effectively.
- + Intense, character-driven composition for a close portrait.
- − The braids lack the requested beads.
- − The armor is mostly cut out of the frame, failing to show the 'ornate engraved plate' and 'leather straps' well.
- − Skin looks slightly over-processed or hyper-real compared to natural skin.
FLUX.2 [max]
- + Excellent adherence to all prompt details, including beads in hair and ornate armor engravings.
- + Perfectly captures the 'battle-worn' aesthetic with clear scars and dirt on the face.
- + Shows high-quality textures on leather straps and the cloth underlayer as requested.
- − The composition is slightly further back than a 'close portrait'.
- − Lighting is a bit flatter compared to the intense glow in Model A.
Verdict: While FLUX.1 [schnell] captures an intense and highly detailed facial close-up, it fails to include several specific prompt requirements like the beads and the leather/cloth details. FLUX.2 [max] provides a much more comprehensive interpretation of the prompt, successfully rendering the ornate armor, scars, dirt, and braided beads with high fidelity.
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.”
FLUX.1 [schnell]
FLUX.2 [max]
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Clean minimalist aesthetic with good white space
- + Follows the food grid requirement clearly
- + Text headers are legible and centered
- − Nonsense section title 'ORFEFUS' replaces 'MAINS'
- − Menu body text is garbled and illegible
- − Vibrant accents are very limited compared to the prompt requirements
FLUX.2 [max]
- + Excellent typography with high-quality font rendering
- + Better adherence to 'vibrant accents' with color-coded sections
- + Comprehensive food photography grid with professional styling
- − The 'Appetizers' header is slightly cut off at the edge
- − Some logical errors in food classification (e.g., pizza and burgers listed under Mains group)
Verdict: FLUX.2 [max] is the clear winner as it much more effectively captures the 'bold' and 'vibrant' aspects of the prompt while maintaining professional legibility. FLUX.1 [schnell] is too restrained and suffers from hallucinated text in the section headers.
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.”
FLUX.1 [schnell]
FLUX.2 [max]
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Crisp photographic texture on the burger bun and patty
- + Good conceptual use of embers and fire in the background
- − Significant text errors including 'AGIC BURGER' and duplicate price points
- − Failed the 'exploded' request as most of the burger is still assembled
- − Objects flying around the burger look like croutons/nuggets rather than burger components
FLUX.2 [max]
- + Perfect text rendering for all requested elements with the specified fiery effect
- + Successfully followed the 'exploded' instruction with components suspended in air
- + Excellent composition and starburst graphic placement
- − Texture on the lower bun appears slightly more illustrated than photorealistic
- − The sauce trail is a bit thick and stylized
Verdict: FLUX.2 [max] is the clear winner as it followed all complex prompt instructions, especially the exploded layout and perfect text rendering. In contrast, FLUX.1 [schnell] failed to spell 'Magic' correctly and did not actually explode the burger components as requested.
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.”
FLUX.1 [schnell]
FLUX.2 [max]
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Features a realistic cafe background setting with depth bokeh.
- + Successful chalk texture on the individual letters.
- − Very poor spelling and severe word hallucinations after the header.
- − The handwriting looks more like a digital marker pen than elegant cursive as requested.
- − The date transcription is missing the letter 'A' in April.
FLUX.2 [max]
- + Excellent text rendering with zero spelling errors on all requested items.
- + Authentic elegant cursive handwriting style as specified in the prompt.
- + Superior chalk texture effects including smudge marks and board dust for realism.
- − The lighting creates a slight glare on the right side of the board.
- − The background is just a dark wall rather than a more descriptive 'cozy café' interior.
Verdict: FLUX.2 [max] significantly outperforms FLUX.1 [schnell] in complex text rendering and prompt adherence. While FLUX.1 [schnell] struggled with basic spelling and failed to deliver the cursive style requested, FLUX.2 [max] accurately rendered the entire menu with beautiful handwriting and realistic chalk artifacts.
The Reversed Rodeo
Text-to-Image“Horse riding astronaut in space — horse on top, not vice versa. Surreal, highly detailed, cinematic.”
FLUX.1 [schnell]
FLUX.2 [max]
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Successfully followed the difficult spatial instruction of having the horse on top.
- + Creative cinematic lighting and composition.
- + A realistic, detailed rendering of the spacesuit and horse textures.
- − The horse has two heads/torsos merged together.
- − The astronaut's body structure is somewhat chaotic and difficult to parse.
FLUX.2 [max]
- + High visual quality with a clear, beautiful cosmic background.
- + Excellent anatomy for both the horse and the astronaut.
- + Very clear and sharp details throughout.
- − Completely failed the negative constraint to have the horse on top.
- − Generic interpretation of the prompt without the requested surreal reversal.
Verdict: While FLUX.2 [max] produced a much cleaner and more aesthetically pleasing image, it failed to follow the specific spatial instruction for the horse to be on top. FLUX.1 [schnell] followed the difficult surrealist framing perfectly, despite some anatomical 'halving' glitches with the horse. FLUX.1 [schnell] is the winner for actually attempting the primary challenge of the prompt.
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.”
FLUX.1 [schnell]
FLUX.2 [max]
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Excellent fur texture and lighting on the capybara.
- + Successfully rendered clear 'TAXI' text on the cap.
- + High-quality human hands and facial expression.
- − Only one paw is visible on the steering wheel, and the second one is obscured by framing.
- − The composition is very tight, cutting off much of the vehicle interior.
FLUX.2 [max]
- + Natural composition showing the full interior and street view.
- + Captures the bored expression of the passenger very effectively.
- + Realistic lighting and bokeh in the background.
- − Anatomic error where the capybara has human hands holding the steering wheel.
- − The text/logo on the hat is unintelligible.
- − The car interior has some structural inconsistencies near the dashboard.
Verdict: FLUX.1 [schnell] produced a much higher quality character model for the capybara with realistic paws, whereas FLUX.2 [max] bizarrely gave the animal human hands. While FLUX.2 [max] had a better overall composition for a 'scene', the anatomical failure makes FLUX.1 [schnell] the superior choice for prompt adherence.
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.”
FLUX.1 [schnell]
FLUX.2 [max]
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Features comprehensive illustrative elements like bats and twisted trees
- + The gothic typography for the heading is stylistically appropriate
- − The text is riddled with typos and repeats lines like 'A night of firitchts'
- − The event details at the bottom are nonsensical and include extra random words
- − The layout feels slightly disjointed compared to the other model
FLUX.2 [max]
- + Excellent text rendering with no spelling errors in any of the requested fields
- + Rich atmospheric lighting and high-quality textures on the pumpkin and parchment
- + Superior border design that integrates the thorns and webs perfectly
- − The twisted trees in the background are somewhat obscured by fog compared to the other model
Verdict: FLUX.2 [max] is the clear winner as it perfectly renders all requested text without spelling errors, whereas FLUX.1 [schnell] fails significantly on the textual requirements. FLUX.2 [max] also provides a more polished, cinematic aesthetic with a high-quality border that fits the vintage gothic theme better.
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.”
FLUX.1 [schnell]
FLUX.2 [max]
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Excellent PBR textures with a realistic sheen on the salmon
- + Clean and minimalist diorama base
- + Precise alignment of the flag icon and text
- − Missed the requested 'SUSHI' text entirely
- − The salmon piece sits awkwardly on a sushi roll foundation rather than looking like a traditional single dish
- − The white text on a very light background has poor contrast
FLUX.2 [max]
- + Followed all text instructions including the word 'SUSHI'
- + Perfect isometric perspective and composition
- + Successful 3D cartoon miniature aesthetic with soft lighting
- − The 'JAPAN' text is slightly off-center compared to the rest of the elements
- − Small details like the chopsticks are slightly floating or simplified
Verdict: FLUX.2 [max] is the clear winner as it followed every part of the prompt, specifically including both words 'JAPAN' and 'SUSHI' and providing a more cohesive isometric diorama scene. While FLUX.1 [schnell] had more realistic surface textures, it failed on the text requirements and the composition felt less like a complete miniature scene.
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.”
FLUX.1 [schnell]
FLUX.2 [max]
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Extremely vibrant colors and high-contrast lighting.
- + Captures the 'big expressive eyes' and 'wholesome vibe' effectively.
- − Failed to include a rabbit, instead showing two cat-like creatures.
- − The anatomy of the middle animals is mushy and nonsensical.
- − The depth of field is very shallow, blurring most of the background meadow.
FLUX.2 [max]
- + Correctly included all requested animals: golden retriever, tabby kitten, bunny, and fox kit.
- + Excellent depiction of 'playfully chasing' with dynamic, active poses.
- + High technical quality with realistic dew sparkles, god rays, and fur textures.
- − The fox kit's back legs/tail area is a bit anatomically awkward.
- − The lighting is slightly more muted compared to the hyper-vibrant expectations of '8K masterpiece' prompts.
Verdict: FLUX.2 [max] is the clear winner because it adhered perfectly to the complex prompt, successfully rendering four distinct species of animals in a coherent scene. FLUX.1 [schnell] failed the prompt adherence by omitting the bunny and merging the kitten/fox features into strange hybrid creatures, whereas FLUX.2 [max] captured the movement, environment, and specific animals with superior realism.
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.”
FLUX.1 [schnell]
FLUX.2 [max]
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Clean vector style with bold brown and cream tones.
- + Good symmetrical composition for an emblem.
- − Severe misspellings in the text, reading 'Cafeé Framilan'.
- − Incorrect date provided as '7720' instead of '1720'.
- − Missing the requested steam element.
FLUX.2 [max]
- + Perfect adherence to text, including proper accents and the correct date.
- + Includes all requested elements: cloche, steam, banner, and vintage texture.
- + Superior minimalist aesthetic with more nuanced line work.
- − Lower internal contrast compared to the bold style of Model A.
Verdict: FLUX.2 [max] significantly outperformed FLUX.1 [schnell] by correctly spelling the name and the date, whereas FLUX.1 [schnell] hallucinated 'Framilan' and '7720'. FLUX.2 [max] also successfully integrated the steam and subtle background textures requested in the prompt, resulting in a much more professional logo.
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.”
FLUX.1 [schnell]
FLUX.2 [max]
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Captures a more abstract, art-focused vector aesthetic.
- + Uses a clean circular composition that represents planetary scale well.
- − Text is largely gibberish and contains several typos in the labels.
- − The rocket icon looks more like a cartoon shuttle than a Saturn V.
- − Fails to clearly delineate the specific 6 steps requested in the prompt.
FLUX.2 [max]
- + Successfully follows the sequential step-by-step structure requested.
- + Excellent text rendering for main headers like 'Armstrong', 'Aldrin', and 'Collins'.
- + Consistent iconography and a very clean layout that fits the infographic genre.
- − Repeats the label 'Earth Orbit' twice for different stages.
- − The astronaut silhouettes look more like military officers in suits than NASA crew members.
Verdict: FLUX.2 [max] is the clear winner for its superior ability to structure the information as a functional infographic with legible text. While it has some label repetition, it successfully illustrates the 6 steps of the mission, whereas FLUX.1 [schnell] produces a more decorative but confusing layout with significant text artifacts.
Next steps
Explore each model
Black Forest Labs' flagship image generation model delivering state-of-the-art quality with exceptional realism, precision, and consistency for both text-to-image and advanced image editing