OpenAI's cost-effective image generation model for when image quality isn't the top priority
Settled by community votes across 8 shared challenges, with an AI judge weighing in on each.
GPT Image 1 Mini
25.0
arena score
#13 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
GPT Image 1 Mini
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.”
GPT Image 1 Mini
Qwen Image Max
AI Judge Analysis
GPT Image 1 Mini
- + Excellent adherence to the 'soft window light' instruction.
- + Clean and realistic glass physics and refraction.
- + Accurate placement of the sphere resting on the bottom of the cube.
- − The plant is slightly detached from the background scene composition.
Qwen Image Max
- + Stronger visual presence of the green plant behind the glass as requested.
- + Highly detailed wood grain on the table.
- − The blue sphere appears to be floating unnaturally in the center of the cube.
- − The light source creates very sharp, high-contrast shadows rather than 'soft' light.
- − Reflections inside the glass are somewhat cluttered and confusing.
Verdict: GPT Image 1 Mini is the winner because it follows the lighting instructions much better, producing a realistic soft glow from the left, whereas Qwen Image Max creates harsh, direct sunlight. While Qwen captures the plant visibility better, GPT Image 1 Mini delivers a more cohesive and physically believable scene with the sphere resting on the surface.
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.”
GPT Image 1 Mini
Qwen Image Max
AI Judge Analysis
GPT Image 1 Mini
- + Excellent engraving details on the plate armor
- + Subtle and realistic integration of scars and dirt
- + High-quality skin texture and cinematic lighting
- − Missed the request for beads in the hair braids
- − The hair texture looks slightly stringy in certain areas
Qwen Image Max
- + Perfect adherence to the 'beads in braids' prompt instruction
- + Strong dynamic lighting with a visible torch source
- + Excellent texture detail on the weathered leather and cloth underlayer
- − The sparks have a streaky, digital artifact look compared to Model A
- − The facial anatomy feels slightly overly-asymmetrical in a way that looks like a generation error
Verdict: GPT Image 1 Mini produces a more aesthetically pleasing and photorealistic portrait with superior armor engravings, but it fails to include the requested beads. Qwen Image Max is much more faithful to the specific prompt details like the beads and the tiered clothing layers, though the facial rendering is slightly less refined.
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.”
GPT Image 1 Mini
Qwen Image Max
AI Judge Analysis
GPT Image 1 Mini
- + Perfect text rendering for all requested phrases including the currency symbol.
- + Clean exploded view that clearly shows every individual component in mid-air.
- + Consistent glowing fiery effect across all text and the starburst element.
- − The composition feels slightly static compared to the 'dynamic' request.
- − The lighting on the burger components is a bit flat compared to the background.
Qwen Image Max
- + Excellent sense of motion with flying embers, smoke, and dynamic angles.
- + Highly detailed and appetizing texture on the grilled patty.
- + Vibrant and energetic composition that fits a 'dynamic' ad.
- − The starburst for the price is more of a light flare than a graphic starburst element.
- − The burger is more 'tilted' than 'exploded,' as components are still mostly touching.
- − Some minor AI artifacts, like the floating sauce blob on the left.
Verdict: GPT Image 1 Mini followed the layout instructions more precisely, delivering a clear 'exploded' view and perfect text rendering for all three requested messages. Qwen Image Max created a more visually exciting and professional-looking food photograph with superior textures, but it partially failed the 'exploded' requirement by keeping many ingredients together and lacked the graphical starburst requested.
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.”
GPT Image 1 Mini
Qwen Image Max
AI Judge Analysis
GPT Image 1 Mini
- + Excellent shallow depth of field which creates a high-quality cinematic look.
- + The capybara's expression is very professional and fits the prompt perfectly.
- + The passenger is clearly looking at her phone as requested.
- − The lighting is very dark, making some details hard to see.
- − Only one paw is clearly visible on the steering wheel.
Qwen Image Max
- + Shows the full interior of the taxi with better lighting and spatial clarity.
- + Successfully places both paws on the steering wheel.
- + The capybara's fur texture is highly detailed.
- − The passenger is looking forward/out the window rather than at her phone.
- − The taxi interior appears somewhat dilapidated with a cracked ceiling, which wasn't requested.
- − The capybara's hands look more like primate hands than capybara paws.
Verdict: GPT Image 1 Mini followed the character instructions more accurately, specifically regarding the passenger's behavior and the 'cinematic' feel of the scene. While Qwen Image Max provided a clear, wide-angle view of the taxi interior and successfully placed both paws on the wheel, the failure to have the passenger looking at her phone makes it less faithful to the specific narrative requested.
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.”
GPT Image 1 Mini
Qwen Image Max
AI Judge Analysis
GPT Image 1 Mini
- + Excellent layout with a clean, cohesive design that feels like a polished poster.
- + High-quality texture on the dark parchment and jack-o-lantern glow.
- + Perfect text rendering with consistent font choices that match the vintage theme.
- − The parchment is very dark, making the border details like the thorns harder to see.
- − Design is slightly more minimalist compared to the detailed scene in Model B.
Qwen Image Max
- + Features a highly detailed gothic thorn and web border that frames the image well.
- + Includes more visual elements from the prompt such as the crescent moon and detailed bats.
- + Dynamic and elegant scroll banner design.
- − The mix of different fonts (Gothic, Script, and Sans-Serif) feels slightly cluttered.
- − The lighting is less cinematic and feels a bit more like a digital illustration.
Verdict: Both models followed the prompt exceptionally well, including all requested text and specific design elements. GPT Image 1 Mini is preferred for its superior composition and professional, cinematic feel, while Qwen Image Max offers a more traditional and busy 'spooky' illustration style with a particularly impressive custom border.
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.”
GPT Image 1 Mini
Qwen Image Max
AI Judge Analysis
GPT Image 1 Mini
- + Excellent typography with clean, bold characters and proper alignment of the flag icon.
- + Strong adherence to the 'cartoon' and 'soft refined textures' instruction with a clay-like aesthetic.
- + Consistent lighting and shadows that enhance the isometric feel.
- − The rice texture is slightly over-simplified and looks a bit like solid lumps.
- − The wooden base is a bit large relative to the plate size.
Qwen Image Max
- + Highly detailed textures on the fish and rice that lean more into the 'realistic PBR' instruction.
- + Creative interpretation of the diorama base using a glass/plastic material.
- + More variety in the sushi types presented on the plate.
- − The text has minor artifacts and inconsistent drop shadows.
- − The scale of the garnish (green onions) feels slightly off compared to the sushi.
Verdict: GPT Image 1 Mini achieved a much cleaner and more professional graphic design look, specifically with its superior typography and layout. While Qwen Image Max provided more intricate material textures for the sushi, its text rendering and overall composition feel slightly less refined than GPT Image 1 Mini's ultra-clean presentation.
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.”
GPT Image 1 Mini
Qwen Image Max
AI Judge Analysis
GPT Image 1 Mini
- + Excellent anatomical accuracy for all four animals mentioned in the prompt.
- + Dynamic composition that creates a genuine sense of chasing and movement.
- + High clarity and realistic lighting on the fur textures.
- − The lighting feels slightly flat compared to the requested 'god rays'.
- − Less 'tumbling together' than requested, as the animals are mostly running parallel.
Qwen Image Max
- + Beautiful use of god rays and vibrant, colorful lighting as requested.
- + Successfully depicts the 'tumbling' and 'togetherness' aspect of the prompt.
- + Rich, dense wildflower meadow with great depth of field.
- − Failed to include the baby bunny entirely.
- − Included two golden retriever puppies instead of the requested variety.
- − The fox kit has somewhat unnatural limb positioning while interacting with the puppy.
Verdict: GPT Image 1 Mini followed the specific list of animals perfectly and maintained high anatomical realism, though its lighting was more subdued. Qwen Image Max created a more magical atmosphere with superior light effects and a playful 'tumbling' interaction, but it failed on prompt adherence by omitting the bunny and duplicating the puppy. GPT Image 1 Mini is the winner for its superior accuracy in subject and detail.
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.”
GPT Image 1 Mini
Qwen Image Max
AI Judge Analysis
GPT Image 1 Mini
- + Excellent typography rendering with the correct accent on 'Caffè'
- + Clear and legible 'Est. 1720' banner
- + High contrast vector-style illustration
- − Ignores the 'light background' requirement by using a solid black background
- − Minimalist style feels a bit generic compared to the vintage request
Qwen Image Max
- + Perfectly adheres to the 'light background' and 'warm brown and cream tones' instructions
- + High-quality 'subtle texture' on a parchment-style background
- + More sophisticated vintage illustration style for the cloche and steam
- − Small visual glitch on the 'E' of 'Caffè' where the accent mark is poorly integrated
- − The steam effect is slightly more complex than a 'minimalist' prompt usually implies
Verdict: Qwen Image Max followed the prompt instructions much more accurately, specifically regarding the light, textured background and color palette. While GPT Image 1 Mini produced very clean text, its failure to use a light background makes it less successful as a vintage logo mockup.
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.