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
Settled by community votes across 8 shared challenges, with an AI judge weighing in on each.
FLUX.2 [max]
25.8
arena score
#10 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
FLUX.2 [max]
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.”
FLUX.2 [max]
Qwen Image Max
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.2 [max]
- + Excellent photorealism in the textures of the book cover and the grain of the wood.
- + Accurate physical rendering of reflections and refractions within the glass cube.
- + Superior lighting that realistically captures sunlight streaming from the left.
- − The glass cube appears more like a glass frame or display case due to the distinct mirrored base.
Qwen Image Max
- + Strong composition with a clear, clean glass cube structure.
- + The plant is well-integrated and clearly visible through the glass as requested.
- + Good lighting and shadows that anchor the objects to the table surface.
- − The blue sphere appears to be floating unnaturally in the center of the air without support.
- − The book has a strange black graphic on it that wasn't requested.
Verdict: FLUX.2 [max] produces a much more photorealistic image with convincing material textures, although it interprets the glass cube with a mirrored bottom. Qwen Image Max follows the object placement well, but the floating position of the sphere feels physically inconsistent compared to FLUX.2 [max]'s grounded approach.
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.2 [max]
Qwen Image Max
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.2 [max]
- + Exquisite metal engraving and leather texture details
- + Highly realistic facial features and skin pores
- + Sophisticated use of shallow depth of field with subtle bokeh
- − The hair beads are somewhat small and blend into the hair style
- − The composition is a bit tight on the top of the head
Qwen Image Max
- + Excellent depiction of multiple braided hair with colorful beads
- + Strong thematic lighting from the visible torch
- + Great wear-and-tear on the leather and cloth elements
- − Facial skin texture appears slightly over-sharpened and lacks the subtle pore detail of A
- − The bokeh sparks look like static yellow lines rather than soft light orbs
Verdict: FLUX.2 [max] produces a higher fidelity image with superior skin textures and more realistic lighting transitions on the armor. While Qwen Image Max does a better job of emphasizing the 'small beads' and 'torchlight' explicitly in the frame, the overall visual polish and realism of FLUX.2 [max] make it the more compelling portrait.
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.2 [max]
Qwen Image Max
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.2 [max]
- + Excellent exploded view with clear separation of all burger elements
- + Perfectly rendered text and starburst graphical elements
- + Strong commercial photography aesthetic with high clarity
- − The 'exploded' effect feels a bit static and vertically stacked
Qwen Image Max
- + Superior sense of motion and dynamic energy
- + Beautifully integrated fiery effect on the main title text
- + Great lighting and texture on the patty
- − Failure to fully execute the 'exploded' burger request as elements remain mostly joined
- − Small artifact in the currency symbol of the price
Verdict: FLUX.2 [max] followed the 'exploded' instruction much better, creating a clear vertical separation of every ingredient which is a staple of burger advertising. While Qwen Image Max has more dynamic motion and exciting fire effects, it failed the core structural request by keeping the burger largely intact. FLUX.2 [max] is the winner for accurate prompt adherence and professional layout.
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.2 [max]
Qwen Image Max
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.2 [max]
- + Excellent atmospheric lighting with realistic phone screen glow on the passenger
- + High-quality rendering of fur and jacket textures
- + Captures the professional, calm expression on the capybara well
- − The driver has human hands instead of capybara paws
- − The steering wheel placement looks awkward relative to the driver's body
Qwen Image Max
- + Better perspective and composition inside the taxi cabin
- + The passenger's expression perfectly captures the 'bored' requirement
- + Anatomy is more consistent with furry paws on the steering wheel rather than human hands
- − The capybara's expression is slightly more aggressive/intense rather than 'calm'
- − Minor artifacting on the taxi ceiling
Verdict: Qwen Image Max is preferred because it handles the anatomical challenge of a capybara driving much better than FLUX.2 [max], which inexplicably gave the capybara human hands. Qwen also followed the passenger's expression prompt more accurately, capturing a genuinely bored look, whereas the passenger in FLUX.2 looks focused.
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.2 [max]
Qwen Image Max
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.2 [max]
- + Excellent typography with a glowing effect that matches the cinematic lighting.
- + High-resolution, photorealistic jack-o-lantern texture.
- + Clean and legible layout following all prompt requirements.
- − The transition between the central scene and the parchment border is a bit abrupt.
- − The border thorns are slightly repetitive.
Qwen Image Max
- + Artistic integration of the scroll and border elements.
- + Adds a crescent moon which enhances the moody night sky atmosphere.
- + Strong vintage aesthetic that feels more like a coherent poster.
- − Text rendering is slightly less crisp than Model A.
- − The jack-o-lantern carving is a bit more generic/illustrative.
Verdict: Both models followed the prompt exceptionally well, producing high-quality invitations with perfect text. FLUX.2 [max] leans towards a more cinematic and realistic look with superior lighting, while Qwen Image Max excels in composition and vintage artistic style, creating a more integrated border and banner design.
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.2 [max]
Qwen Image Max
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.2 [max]
- + Excellent adherence to the '4D top-down isometric' and 'miniature diorama' styling.
- + Crisp text and a clean, minimalist aesthetic that looks like a high-end 3D render.
- + Very accurate representation of the requested solid light blue background and color palette.
- − The sushi models are very simplified and cartoonish, lacking the 'realistic PBR' texture requested for the materials.
- − The flag icon is a separate square rather than being naturally integrated or floating as text graphics.
Qwen Image Max
- + High detail in the sushi textures, particularly the grain of the salmon and the glass base.
- + Strong, bold typography with a nice drop shadow for depth.
- + Rich, appealing food rendering with realistic sub-surface scattering.
- − The camera angle is a standard eye-level perspective rather than the requested 45° isometric view.
- − Text placement is slightly crowded at the top edge of the frame.
- − The garnish and sushi arrangement feel slightly cluttered compared to the requested 'minimal' style.
Verdict: FLUX.2 [max] followed the complex layout instructions much better, delivering a true isometric miniature diorama with a clean, centered composition. While Qwen Image Max produced more realistic and appetizing food textures, it failed to capture the requested 45° isometric perspective, opting for a standard 3D product shot instead.
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.2 [max]
Qwen Image Max
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.2 [max]
- + Perfect inclusion of all four specified animal types (dog, cat, rabbit, fox).
- + Excellent lighting with realistic dew sparkles and atmospheric fog.
- + High anatomical accuracy and realistic fur textures.
- − The 'tumbling together' aspect is a bit subtle as they are mostly walking/running.
Qwen Image Max
- + Captures the 'tumbling' and 'playful' interaction more dynamically between the animals.
- + Vibrant colors and strong 'god rays' lighting.
- − Failed to include the baby bunny entirely.
- − Anatomical issues including an extra golden retriever head/body merging awkwardly.
- − The fox's front leg placement is physically impossible.
Verdict: FLUX.2 [max] is the clear winner as it followed the prompt instructions precisely, including all four requested animals with high realism. Qwen Image Max failed on prompt adherence by missing the rabbit and suffered from significant anatomical hallucinations, such as merging multiple dog bodies and providing the fox with three visible front limbs.
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.2 [max]
Qwen Image Max
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.2 [max]
- + Excellent typography including the requested accent mark on 'Caffè'.
- + Clean vector-style execution with a subtle, professional texture.
- + Well-balanced circular composition that feels like a cohesive brand mark.
- − The steam is very faint and simplistic compared to the rest of the logo.
Qwen Image Max
- + Beautifully stylized steam and detailed shading on the cloche dome.
- + Strong use of warm brown and cream tones with a vintage paper effect.
- + Clear and legible typography for both the name and establishment date.
- − The 'E' in 'Caffè' uses an acute accent (é) instead of the Grave accent (è) requested and shown correctly in Model A.
- − Less of a 'minimalist logo' feel and more of a complex illustration.
Verdict: FLUX.2 [max] produced a superior logo design that better adheres to the 'minimalist' and 'vector' keywords while correctly spelling 'Caffè' with the proper accent mark. Qwen Image Max created a more detailed and visually rich illustration with impressive shading, but it feels slightly less like a scalable logo and contains a minor linguistic error in the accenting.
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.