OpenAI's previous generation image model with higher quality than DALL-E 2 and support for larger resolutions
Settled by community votes across 13 shared challenges, with an AI judge weighing in on each.
DALL-E 3
18.5
arena score
#35 of 44 in Text-to-Image
Skill signature
Not enough comparable category data
The chart appears once both models have ratings across at least three shared arena categories.
Nano Banana 2
29.0
arena score
#1 of 44 in Text-to-Image
Best Text-to-Image right now
Top 2 in Image Editing
Vote tally
Where the votes landed
DALL-E 3
0.0%
win rate
Ties
0.0%
Nano Banana 2
100.0%
win rate
0.0%
0.0% ties
100.0%
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.”
DALL-E 3
Nano Banana 2
0% wins
0% ties
100% wins
AI Judge Analysis
DALL-E 3
- + Excellent visual style and photographic lighting
- + High level of detail in the wooden textures and glass reflections
- − Failed the spatial instructions by putting the book inside the cube and the sphere on top of the book
- − The 'cube' is a mixed-media wooden frame rather than a simple glass cube
Nano Banana 2
- + Perfect adherence to all spatial instructions in the prompt
- + Clean and legible text rendering on the book spine
- + Realistic representation of window light and depth of field
- − The glass cube appears slightly floating or disconnected from the table surface in its reflection
- − Minor transparency artifacts where the glass edges meet the book
Verdict: While DALL-E 3 produced a more artistic and visually rich image, it failed significantly on the spatial reasoning of the prompt, placing elements in the wrong order. Nano Banana 2 followed every instruction precisely, including the difficult 'object inside' versus 'object on top' requirements, making it the superior choice for prompt adherence.
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.”
DALL-E 3
Nano Banana 2
AI Judge Analysis
DALL-E 3
- + Excellent reflection execution in the puddles
- + Captures an artistic, moody atmosphere with cinematic lighting
- + Creative foreground framing successfully evokes a 'candid' feel
- − Noticeable anatomical issues with the man's feet and legs
- − Lack of shoes while working on a wet street is unrealistic
- − The car in the background is static with no motion blur
Nano Banana 2
- + Outstanding realism and natural skin textures
- + Authentic Japanese street setting with accurate signage and infrastructure
- + Logical tool usage and interaction with the bicycle
- − The car lacks the specific motion blur requested in the prompt
- − Composition feels a bit standard rather than 'imperfect framing'
Verdict: Nano Banana 2 produces a significantly more realistic and authentic image that matches the 'no stylization' and 'natural skin texture' requirements perfectly, looking like a genuine 35mm film photograph. DALL-E 3 creates a beautiful cinematic composition with great reflections, but it suffers from AI artifacts in the human anatomy and feels more like a digital painting than a candid photo.
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.”
DALL-E 3
Nano Banana 2
AI Judge Analysis
DALL-E 3
- + Excellent shallow depth of field with cinematic lighting
- + Highly intricate engraving details on the plate armor
- + Vibrant warm bokeh sparks that enhance the atmosphere
- − The hair is more messy than 'braided with small beads' as requested
- − The skin texture appears slightly smoothed or airbrushed compared to the armor
Nano Banana 2
- + Perfect adherence to the braiding and beads requirement
- + Superb realistic texture on leather straps, dirt, and facial skin
- + Excellent depiction of battle-worn exhaustion and authentic grittiness
- − The depth of field is deeper than requested, with background torches somewhat clear
- − The sword hilt and hand integration is slightly less polished than the armor
Verdict: Nano Banana 2 captures the 'battle-worn' aesthetic much better, providing realistic skin textures, dirt, and perfectly rendered braided hair with beads. While DALL-E 3 offers a more cinematic and polished lighting style with beautiful armor engravings, it misses the specific hair styling requested in the prompt and feels more like a studio portrait.
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.”
DALL-E 3
Nano Banana 2
AI Judge Analysis
DALL-E 3
- + Excellent photographic quality and lighting of the food subjects
- + Creative and colorful layout that feels modern and artistic
- − Text is largely gibberish and unreadable
- − Layout is more of a mood board than a functional restaurant menu
Nano Banana 2
- + Excellent typography with very clear and readable text
- + Perfectly adheres to the requested sections for appetizers, pizza, and mains
- + Highly functional and professional graphic design layout
- − Slightly less 'artistic' or creative than Image A
- − Includes some minor misspellings in the fine print descriptions
Verdict: Nano Banana 2 is the clear winner as it produces a fully functional, readable, and professionally structured menu that perfectly follows all prompt requirements. In contrast, DALL-E 3 creates a visually beautiful collage but fails the primary goal of creating a legible menu with distinct, usable categories.
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.”
DALL-E 3
Nano Banana 2
AI Judge Analysis
DALL-E 3
- + Excellent dynamic lighting with high-quality bloom effects
- + Highly detailed textures on the patty and bun
- + Creatively captures the 'exploded' burger request with floating ingredients in a ground-shaking scene
- − Significant spelling errors in every text element (MAGIC BURGR, LIMIITED)
- − Missing the starburst graphic for the price
Nano Banana 2
- + Perfect adherence to text prompts including 'MAGIC BURGER' and starburst element
- + Strong, vibrant colors with realistic sauce splashes
- + Very clean layout that looks like a professional commercial advertisement
- − The burger ingredients are less 'exploded' or separated compared to the other model
- − Background fire is somewhat generic stock-photo style
Verdict: Nano Banana 2 is the clear winner as it followed every instruction, including perfect spelling and rendering the price inside a starburst as requested. While DALL-E 3 produced a more artistic and cinematic interpretation of the 'exploded' concept, its failure to spell the product name correctly ('BURGR') and'LIMITED' makes it unusable for an advertisement.
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.”
DALL-E 3
Nano Banana 2
AI Judge Analysis
DALL-E 3
- + Excellent chalk texture and artistic flourishes
- + Warm, moody lighting that enhances the cafe atmosphere
- − Numerous spelling errors including 'Trifle', 'Occtus', and 'Grililled'
- − Failure to follow the specific pricing and formatting requested
- − Text becomes illegible gibberish in several places
Nano Banana 2
- + Perfect adherence to text content and pricing
- + Clean, legible handwriting that matches the prompt's request for natural variation
- + Realistic chalkboard smudges and environment
- − Handwriting looks slightly more like a digital font than actual chalk on a board
- − Composition is a bit plain compared to the decorative style of the other model
Verdict: Nano Banana 2 is the clear winner as it correctly rendered all the requested text, prices, and date with zero spelling errors. While DALL-E 3 captured a more artistic 'chalk' texture, it failed significantly on prompt adherence by misspelling almost every menu item and ignoring the specified prices.
The Reversed Rodeo
Text-to-Image“Horse riding astronaut in space — horse on top, not vice versa. Surreal, highly detailed, cinematic.”
DALL-E 3
Nano Banana 2
AI Judge Analysis
DALL-E 3
- + Beautiful cinematic lighting and atmosphere
- + Excellent sense of scale and cosmic perspective
- − Failed the negative constraint; the astronaut is riding the horse
- − Composition is very traditional rather than surreal
Nano Banana 2
- + Successfully followed the specific instruction of 'horse on top'
- + Remarkable level of detail in the horse's musculature and the intricate space suit
- + Captures the surreal quality requested in the prompt
- − The leash/reins positioning is slightly confusing structurally
- − The earth in the background is a bit generic compared to the nebula
Verdict: Nano Banana 2 is the clear winner as it successfully interpreted the challenging spatial constraint of having the horse on top of the astronaut. DALL-E 3 produced a high-quality but generic image that completely ignored the prompt's instruction to swap the traditional rider and mount.
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.”
DALL-E 3
Nano Banana 2
0% wins
0% ties
100% wins
AI Judge Analysis
DALL-E 3
- + Excellent whimsical lighting that highlights the fur texture.
- + High-quality, clean render of the vehicle interior and dashboard.
- + Creative background details including a 'Capybara' storefront neon sign.
- − Completely failed to include the human passenger in the back seat.
- − The cap is black/dark blue rather than the requested yellow.
Nano Banana 2
- + Stronger adherence to the yellow color of the taxi driver cap.
- + Highly realistic, weathered texture on the interior dashboard and gear.
- + Vibrant, recognizable Manhattan streetscape including Radio City Music Hall lights.
- − Failed to include the human passenger in the back seat.
- − Capybara's paws are fused to the steering wheel in a physically nonsensical way.
Verdict: Both models failed to include the requested human passenger in the back seat, focusing entirely on the capybara driver. Nano Banana 2 provides a more realistic and gritty New York atmosphere with better color accuracy for the cap, while DALL-E 3 offers a cleaner, more stylized image with impressive fur rendering but misses the specified cap color.
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.”
DALL-E 3
Nano Banana 2
AI Judge Analysis
DALL-E 3
- + Excellent 3D depth and atmospheric lighting
- + Very intricate borders with high-quality textures
- − Failed significantly on text rendering, with most words being garbled gibberish
- − The 'Location' and specific sub-text are missing or illegible
Nano Banana 2
- + Perfect text adherence with high legibility for all required details
- + Strong composition that clearly separates the title, illustration, and event info
- + Vibrant colors and clear thematic elements like the gothic arch and moon
- − Illustration style is a bit more 'cartoonish' compared to the requested cinematic vintage look
- − Less 'dark parchment' feel than Model A
Verdict: Nano Banana 2 is the clear winner because it successfully rendered all requested text, whereas DALL-E 3 produced mostly nonsensical characters. While DALL-E 3 had a more sophisticated atmospheric quality, Nano Banana 2's ability to create a functional invitation with accurate date, time, and location makes it the superior response to the prompt.
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.”
DALL-E 3
Nano Banana 2
AI Judge Analysis
DALL-E 3
- + Excellent 3D cartoon art style with soft, rounded textures
- + Strong isometric perspective on a defined diorama base
- + Creative interpretation of sushi as a structural miniature
- − Failed to place text at the top-center as requested
- − Missing the word 'SUSHI' in the text
- − The sushi design is abstract and doesn't resemble traditional pieces
Nano Banana 2
- + Perfect adherence to text placement and content instructions
- + High degree of realism in materials and variety of sushi
- + Closer to the requested top-down 45-degree angle
- − Lean heavily into realism rather than the requested 'cartoon' style
- − The base is more of a plate than a 'raised diorama base'
- − Small artifacts on the chopsticks and soy sauce dish
Verdict: Nano Banana 2 is the clear winner for prompt adherence, accurately placing the 'JAPAN' and 'SUSHI' text and flag at the top-center while providing a high-quality variety of sushi. DALL-E 3 produced a better 'cartoon' aesthetic and diorama base, but it failed almost all the specific text requirements and the composition was not centered.
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.”
DALL-E 3
Nano Banana 2
AI Judge Analysis
DALL-E 3
- + Excellent adherence to the 'big expressive eyes' and 'wholesome' vibe descriptors
- + Superb lighting with very clear god rays and a magical atmosphere
- + High detail in the fur texture and foreground flowers
- − Has a very stylized, 'Pixar-like' look rather than being hyper-photorealistic
- − Anatomical glitches, particularly the strange insect-creature hybrids with mammal faces
Nano Banana 2
- + Stronger adherence to the 'hyper-photorealistic' request with natural proportions
- + Captures the active 'chasing' and 'tumbling' movement much more effectively
- + Realistic environment with appropriate scale for the animals and butterflies
- − The fox kit has a slightly dark/muddy face compared to the other animals
- − God rays are present but less dramatic than in the competing image
Verdict: Nano Banana 2 is the winner as it successfully balances the cute subject matter with the requested hyper-photorealistic style and active movement. While DALL-E 3 creates a beautiful and magical scene, it ignores the realism requirement in favor of a 3D animation style and includes bizarre hybrid creatures for the butterflies.
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.”
DALL-E 3
Nano Banana 2
AI Judge Analysis
DALL-E 3
- + Captures a rich warm brown color palette.
- + Complex ornamental details add a classic feel.
- − Failed to follow the text prompt, displaying 'COFFEE HOUSE' instead of 'Caffè Florian'.
- − Design feels slightly cluttered for a minimalist logo.
Nano Banana 2
- + Perfect adherence to text, including the brand name and 'Est. 1720' banner.
- + Better alignment with the 'minimalist' and 'vector emblem' stylistic keywords.
- − Line work on the steam is somewhat basic.
- − Contrast is slightly lower between elements.
Verdict: Nano Banana 2 is the clear winner as it accurately rendered the requested brand name 'Caffè Florian', whereas DALL-E 3 substituted it with generic text. Nano Banana 2 also better executed the banner and minimalist vector aesthetic requested in the prompt.
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.”
DALL-E 3
Nano Banana 2
AI Judge Analysis
DALL-E 3
- + Excellent aesthetic value with a classic retro-futuristic space art style.
- + Intricate details and high visual complexity that feels like a professional poster design.
- + Uses the requested color palette effectively to create mood.
- − Fails to follow the specific step-by-step instructional structure of the prompt.
- − Poor text rendering and 'gibberish' typography throughout the layout.
- − Includes incorrect iconography like Space Shuttles which were not part of Apollo 11.
Nano Banana 2
- + Perfect adherence to the 6-step structure and specific icon requests.
- + Excellent text rendering for headings and labels.
- + Clean, modern flat-vector style that perfectly matches the 'infographic' requirement.
- − Composition is a bit sparse with significant white space.
- − The 'Earth Orbit' icon inexplicably shows North America while the astronauts were launched from Florida towards the east.
Verdict: Nano Banana 2 is the clear winner as it followed every specific instruction in the prompt, including the list of six distinct steps and the requested iconography. While DALL-E 3 produced a more visually striking pieces of art, it failed the functional requirements of the infographic and included historically inaccurate imagery like the Space Shuttle.
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