FLUX.2 [klein] 9B Black Forest Labs HiDream E1 HiDream AI

Settled by community votes across 4 shared challenges, with an AI judge weighing in on each.

FLUX.2 [klein] 9B

20.6 arena score

#13 of 32 in Image Editing

Skill signature · Image Editing

HiDream E1

0.7 arena score

#33 of 32 in Image Editing

Vote tally

Where the votes landed

FLUX.2 [klein] 9B

win rate

Ties

HiDream E1

win rate

Shared challenges 4

Challenge by challenge

The strongest take from each model on every shared challenge, with the AI judge's read.

Bald man challenge

Image Editing

Edit instruction

“Give the person a full, thick head of natural hair with realistic texture, density, and a natural hairline. Preserve facial features and lighting.”

FLUX.2 [klein] 9B

HiDream E1

AI Judge Analysis

FLUX.2 [klein] 9B

+ Excellent source preservation, maintaining the original face, clothes, and background near-perfectly.
+ Realistic hair texture that matches the lighting and gritty aesthetic of the original image.
+ Logical hairline integration with the forehead and existing temple hair.

− The hair has a slightly messy, wild curls look rather than a clean 'full head' of hair.
− Small area of the glasses frame seems slightly distorted by a hair strand.

HiDream E1

+ Successfully added a very full and dense head of hair as requested.

− Poor source preservation, completely changing the background to a desert landscape and altering skin texture.
− The hair texture looks highly synthetic and airbrushed, lacking realistic integration at the hairline.
− Introduced artifacts and a painterly filter over the entire image.

Verdict: FLUX.2 [klein] 9B followed the edit instructions while perfectly preserving the original image's background, lighting, and facial features. HiDream E1 failed the prompt's preservation requirements, changing the environment to a desert and applying an artificial-looking hair texture that doesn't match the original photography.

Over-the-top cartoon caricature

Editing

Edit instruction

“Create a caricature of me and my job. Make it exaggerated and humorous, incorporating my profession as a tv show anchor and my love for dogs and hockey.”

Source

FLUX.2 [klein] 9B

HiDream E1

AI Judge Analysis

FLUX.2 [klein] 9B

+ Excellent adherence to all prompts including clear hockey arena, dogs, and TV anchor desk.
+ Maintains a strong resemblance to the source subject within a caricature style.
+ High level of detail in the background including crowds and professional lighting.

− The hand holding the microphone/pen is slightly distorted with extra fingers.
− Text on the screens and banners is mostly gibberish.

HiDream E1

+ Successfully creates a caricature style with clear hockey and dog elements.
+ Good color contrast and vibrant red professional attire.

− The facial resemblance to the source image is significantly weaker than Model A.
− Glaring anatomical issues with the hands holding the dog.
− The hockey players in the background are blurry and poorly defined.

Verdict: FLUX.2 [klein] 9B is the clear winner as it captures a much better caricature likeness of the original woman while incorporating the TV anchor setting, dogs, and hockey stadium seamlessly. HiDream E1 suffers from severe anatomical failures in the hands and fails to maintain the subject's identity as effectively.

Studio Ghibli Anime Style

Editing

Edit instruction

“Transform this photo into a Studio Ghibli–inspired illustration. Use soft pastel colors, hand-painted textures, gentle lighting, dreamy backgrounds, and a warm, nostalgic mood”

Source

FLUX.2 [klein] 9B

HiDream E1

AI Judge Analysis

FLUX.2 [klein] 9B

+ Excellent mastery of the Studio Ghibli aesthetic, including watercolor textures and soft outlines.
+ Strong preservation of character poses and specific clothing details like the plaid shirt.
+ Captures the requested 'nostalgic' and 'dreamy' mood through a beautiful rural background.

− Loses the original street setting, replacing it with a pastoral landscape.
− Changes the expression of the girlfriend to be happy instead of annoyed, altering the narrative of the meme.

HiDream E1

+ Successfully maintains the urban street environment from the original photo.
+ Preserves the general composition and character positions well.

− Art style is generic vector-illustration rather than the specific Studio Ghibli hand-painted aesthetic requested.
− Simplifies details significantly, losing the plaid pattern on the man's shirt and the texture of the clothing.
− Colors feel flat and digital rather than soft and pastel.

Verdict: FLUX.2 [klein] 9B is the superior artistic choice as it perfectly captures the Studio Ghibli watercolor aesthetic and nostalgic mood, despite changing the background and character expressions. HiDream E1 preserves the original context better but fails to deliver on the specific stylistic requirements, resulting in a generic cartoon look rather than a Ghibli-inspired one.

Golden Hour Stroll

Image Editing

Edit instruction

“Add dynamic motion to this photo: make hair blow in the wind, add leaves flying, energetic and lively feel.”

FLUX.2 [klein] 9B

HiDream E1

AI Judge Analysis

FLUX.2 [klein] 9B

+ Excellent preservation of the source image facial features and background details
+ Leaves appear natural and varied in size/orientation
+ Hair motion is subtle but blends realistically with the existing hairstyle

− The wind direction on the hair is slightly contradictory, blowing out to both sides.

HiDream E1

+ Stronger wind effect on the hair creates a clear sense of motion
+ Bright, high-contrast colors give it a lively feel

− Significant alterations to the woman's face and the dog's features relative to the source image
− Leaves look like flat 2D overlays rather than part of the 3D space
− Loss of fine texture in the clothing and background

Verdict: FLUX.2 [klein] 9B followed the edit instructions while perfectly preserving the identity of the person and the dog from the source image. In contrast, HiDream E1 changed the facial features and downgraded the image quality, making the added leaves look like artificial stickers.