ByteDance's latest image generation model unifying text-to-image and image editing in a single architecture, with improved text rendering and 30-40% faster generation than v4.0
Settled by community votes across 13 shared challenges, with an AI judge weighing in on each.
Seedream 4.5
26.1
arena score
#9 of 62 in Text-to-Image
Skill signature
· Text-to-Image
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
16.8
arena score
#58 of 62 in Text-to-Image
Vote tally
Where the votes landed
Seedream 4.5
50.0%
win rate
Ties
50.0%
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
0.0%
win rate
50.0%
50.0% ties
0.0%
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.”
Seedream 4.5
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
AI Judge Analysis
Seedream 4.5
- + Excellent depiction of glass refraction and reflections on the wooden surface.
- + Precisely follows all spatial instructions, including the plant being behind the cube.
- + High realism in textures, especially the red book and the grain of the wood.
- − The plant is slightly out of focus, though this fits the depth of field.
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
- + Successfully includes all requested elements in the composition.
- + Good color saturation for the blue sphere and red book.
- − Physics error where the blue sphere appears to be floating mid-air inside the cube.
- − The perspective of the cube is slightly distorted compared to the table edge.
- − Lighting feels less natural and directional than requested.
Verdict: Seedream 4.5 provides a much more realistic and physically coherent image, with sophisticated light handling and accurate glass physics. In contrast, Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium struggles with the placement of the sphere (which is floating) and exhibits less convincing textures and perspective.
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.”
Seedream 4.5
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
AI Judge Analysis
Seedream 4.5
- + Excellent adherence to the 'motion blur from passing cars' prompt requirement
- + Highly realistic skin textures and water droplets on the raincoat
- + Superior hand anatomy and clear depiction of the repairing action
- − The composition feels slightly crowded compared to a traditional 50mm candid
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
- + Good candid framing and mood
- + Effective wet pavement reflections
- − Failed to include motion blur from passing cars
- − Visible anatomical artifacts in the man's hands and face
- − The bike geometry is warped and incoherent
Verdict: Seedream 4.5 captures nearly every element of the prompt with high technical proficiency, especially the difficult motion blur and realistic textures of rain. In contrast, Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium misses key prompt instructions like the motion blur and suffers from significant anatomical and structural distortion in the subject and the bicycle.
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.”
Seedream 4.5
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
AI Judge Analysis
Seedream 4.5
- + Exceptional realism in skin texture, including fine pores and natural-looking scars.
- + Superior lighting effects with convincingly warm torchlight and soft bokeh sparks.
- + High-quality rendering of intricate engravings on the pauldrons and detailed leather stitching.
- − The beads in the hair are a bit subtle and monochromatic compared to the prompt's potential.
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
- + Strong prompt adherence regarding the hairstyle with many distinct braids.
- + Intense facial expression that conveys a battle-worn character well.
- − Lacks the 'close portrait' framing, showing too much of the torso resulting in smaller details.
- − The lighting on the face appears somewhat oversaturated and oily rather than natural skin texture.
- − The depth of field is less effective, with background sparks appearing flat.
Verdict: Seedream 4.5 is the clear winner due to its photorealistic rendering of materials, particularly the engraved metal and skin textures, which perfectly capture the 'lifelike' and 'highly detailed' requirements of the prompt. Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium follows the instructions well in terms of content but falls short on visual quality, with less sophisticated lighting and a more processed, digital look.
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.”
Seedream 4.5
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
AI Judge Analysis
Seedream 4.5
- + Excellent font rendering and readability for a casual dining menu.
- + Clean and professional layout that adheres to a grid structure.
- + Very high-quality food photography with vibrant, realistic details.
- − Simple layout with only three photos rather than a more comprehensive menu grid.
- − The pricing and menu item names are repetitive or nonsensical (e.g., 'Restaurant' as a menu item).
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
- + Successfully creates a complex grid of food photos as requested.
- + Captures a full page layout that feels more like a complete menu document.
- − Typography is illegible and contains high levels of gibberish text.
- − Food photography contains artifacts and unrealistic textures compared to Model A.
- − Lacks the 'bold sans-serif' clarity requested in the prompt.
Verdict: Seedream 4.5 is the clear winner due to its professional execution and high legibility, creating a layout that looks like a real menu despite some repetitive placeholder text. Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium struggles significantly with text rendering and visual clarity, resulting in an unpolished and messy appearance.
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.”
Seedream 4.5
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
AI Judge Analysis
Seedream 4.5
- + Excellent adherence to the 'fiery, glowing effect' for all text elements.
- + Dynamic composition with motion-blurred ingredients successfully depicting an 'exploded' view.
- + High-quality photorealistic textures on the bun and patty.
- − The 'exploded' burger is still mostly assembled rather than fully deconstructed as requested.
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
- + Accurate text rendering for all three requested messages.
- + Strong contrast with the fiery background.
- − Completely failed the 'exploded' instruction, showing a fully assembled burger.
- − The starburst and text lack the requested glowing, fiery effect.
- − Less sense of motion compared to the other model.
Verdict: Seedream 4.5 adhered much better to the stylistic requirements, providing the 'exploded' sensation with motion blur and perfectly executing the fiery glowing text. Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium produced a static, fully assembled burger and failed to apply the requested effects to the text and starburst elements.
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.”
Seedream 4.5
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
AI Judge Analysis
Seedream 4.5
- + Perfect text rendering with zero spelling errors across all menu items.
- + Highly realistic chalk texture and authentic handwritten variations.
- + Excellent adherence to the specific menu contents and prices requested.
- − Repeated the price for the Risotto item unnecessarily.
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
- + Strong chalk-like aesthetic and texture on the board.
- + Good composition of the wooden frame.
- − Significant spelling errors and illegible text throughout the image.
- − Failed to include the specific year '2026' and dates correctly.
- − Text styles vary into illegible decorative flourishes that don't match the prompt.
Verdict: Seedream 4.5 successfully rendered all requested text accurately with a high degree of realism in the handwriting and chalk texture. In contrast, Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium struggled with basic spelling and failed to follow the specific text requirements of the prompt, resulting in a mostly illegible board.
The Reversed Rodeo
Text-to-Image“Horse riding astronaut in space — horse on top, not vice versa. Surreal, highly detailed, cinematic.”
Seedream 4.5
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
50% wins
50% ties
0% wins
AI Judge Analysis
Seedream 4.5
- + Excellent cinematic lighting and atmospheric nebula effects
- + High level of texture detail on both the horse's coat and the astronaut's suit
- + Good composition with a dynamic, rearing pose
- − Failed to follow the specific spatial instruction 'horse on top'
- − Minor anatomical clipping where the astronaut's leg meets the horse
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
- + Clearer view of the planet surface below
- + Clean outlines and high contrast between the subjects and space
- − Failed the specific spatial instruction 'horse on top'
- − Significant anatomical issues including a headless person hanging off the horse's chest and distorted horse legs
- − Composition feels flat and lacks the 'cinematic' quality requested
Verdict: Both Seedream 4.5 and Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium failed the complex spatial prompt 'horse on top, not vice versa', defaulting to the common trope of an astronaut riding a horse. However, Seedream 4.5 is the clear winner as it produced a high-quality, cinematic image, whereas Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium suffered from severe anatomical hallucinations and a lack of visual polish.
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.”
Seedream 4.5
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
AI Judge Analysis
Seedream 4.5
- + Excellent adherence to the 'both front paws on the steering wheel' instruction.
- + The passenger is correctly depicted looking at her phone with a bored expression.
- + Very realistic taxi interior lighting and textures.
- − The passenger's phone is slightly distorted with extra fingers.
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
- + High quality fur texture and detailed uniform cap.
- + Effective use of bokeh for the city lights in the background.
- − Failed to include the phone for the businesswoman in the back seat.
- − The capybara's paws are resting on the dashboard/wheel rather than gripping it professionally as requested.
- − The passenger is looking at the camera rather than being 'bored' with her phone.
Verdict: Seedream 4.5 is the clear winner as it followed every specific detail of the prompt, including the positioning of the capybara's paws and the passenger's interaction with her phone. Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium produced a visually pleasing image but failed on several key descriptive elements like the phone and the passenger's behavior.
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.”
Seedream 4.5
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
AI Judge Analysis
Seedream 4.5
- + Perfect text rendering for all requested strings
- + Strong cinematic lighting with a clear focal point
- + Elegant integration of border elements like webs and thorns
- − The dark parchment feel is more of a background atmosphere than a physical material
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
- + Includes the physical parchment poster texture mentioned in the prompt
- + Captures the vintage illustrative style well
- − Severe spelling errors in almost every line of text
- − Low-quality rendering on trees and secondary jack-o-lanterns
- − Failed to include the specific 'night of frights' scroll banner requested
Verdict: Seedream 4.5 is the clear winner as it flawlessly executes the complex text requirements and delivers a polished, cinematic image. In contrast, Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium struggles significantly with text legibility and image coherence, resulting in many spelling errors and a messy layout.
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.”
Seedream 4.5
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
AI Judge Analysis
Seedream 4.5
- + Excellent adherence to the 'diorama base' and '45° top-down' prompt instructions.
- + Flawless text rendering of BOTH 'JAPAN' and 'SUSHI' with the requested flag icon.
- + Superior 3D cartoon aesthetic with clean PBR textures and soft lighting.
- − The salmon texture on the nigiri is slightly repetitive.
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
- + Good color vibrancy and high contrast.
- + Accurate sushi toppings (ikura) with realistic translucency.
- − Failed to include the flag icon.
- − Did not include the 'diorama base', instead placing the plate directly on the background.
- − Text rendering is messy with a floating dot and inconsistent 'JAPAN' text size.
Verdict: Seedream 4.5 is the clear winner as it followed every detail of the prompt, including the specific diorama base and the textual layout with the flag. Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium failed to render the flag and neglected the diorama base, while also struggling with clean text typography.
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.”
Seedream 4.5
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
AI Judge Analysis
Seedream 4.5
- + Perfectly included all four requested animals (dog, cat, bunny, and fox).
- + Dynamic composition that captures the requested 'chasing' and 'tumbling' motion.
- + Superior lighting and atmosphere with clear god rays and dew sparkles as requested.
- − The fox's eyes have a slightly stylized, overly large appearance compared to the 'hyper-photorealistic' request.
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
- + Vibrant colors with a very 'wholesome' and cheerful aesthetic.
- + Good fur texture and detail on the animals present.
- − Failed to include the requested baby bunny animal.
- − The kitten-like animal in the middle has fox-like ears, creating anatomical confusion.
- − Static poses that do not reflect the 'chasing and tumbling' instruction.
Verdict: Seedream 4.5 is the clear winner as it followed all parts of the prompt, including the specific list of four animals and the motion of them playing together. Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium failed to include the bunny and struggled with the anatomy of the kitten, resulting in a more static and less accurate image.
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.”
Seedream 4.5
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
AI Judge Analysis
Seedream 4.5
- + Perfect text rendering for both the main name and the establishment date.
- + Clean vector style with excellent minimalist composition and balance.
- + Correctly interprets the cloche dome and steam iconography.
- − The shading on the cloche is slightly simple, but fits the minimalist style.
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
- + Intricate vintage illustration style with nice hatching and texture.
- + Good use of warm brown and cream tones consistent with a retro theme.
- − Major spelling errors in the brand name ('Caffee Florrian') and the date ('Est 170').
- − Messy and nonsensical text on the bottom ribbon.
- − The cloche interpretation is cluttered and poorly defined compared to the prompt's minimalist request.
Verdict: Seedream 4.5 is the clear winner as it perfectly executed all requirements including typography, iconography, and the specific minimalist aesthetic. Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium failed significantly on text accuracy and delivered a cluttered composition that deviated from the 'minimalist vector' request.
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.”
Seedream 4.5
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
AI Judge Analysis
Seedream 4.5
- + Excellent text rendering with accurate spelling of 'Armstrong', 'Aldrin', 'Collins', and mission stages.
- + Strict adherence to the requested flat-vector style and NASA-inspired color palette.
- + Logical timeline layout that clearly represents the 6 steps requested in the prompt.
- − The icon for step 5 (Descent) is a generic satellite rather than the requested lunar module descending.
- − The number markers are slightly misaligned with the icons for steps 5 and 6.
Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium
- + Effective use of the requested color palette (navy, white, muted red).
- + Creative layout using an orbital curve to organize information.
- − Severe issues with text rendering, containing numerous misspellings and gibberish ('Lauan strip', 'Erorin Collisios').
- − Iconography does not match the prompt's specific stage requests (e.g., world globes used for landing stages).
- − Visual style is cluttered and lacks the 'crisp lines' and 'clean' aesthetic requested.
Verdict: Seedream 4.5 is the clear winner as it successfully creates a legible, professional-grade infographic with perfect text and a clean vector style. Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium fails significantly on prompt adherence, producing gibberish text and icons that do not correspond to the mission steps requested.
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